Chapter Two #3
Sidonie sat down and stared at the ceiling of the hut, thinking over her sister’s words. On the table, the teacup in front of her began to spin.
“Uh, Sid…”
“I just need a moment.”
“No, Sid. Look.” Adelphie nodded at the table.
Sidonie yelped and grabbed the cup to stop it. Then she sat back and sighed. “I can’t control it, Adelphie. Dagan has tried to help me, but he doesn’t understand it. No other female can do the magic I can do. How is this possible?”
“I don’t know,” she replied, shaking her head. “But I’m curious… what else can you do?”
Sidonie smiled and sat up in her seat.
“Close the curtain and I will show you.”
~*~
“We really shouldn’t be doing this, Rowan. If one of my knights realizes I’m missing…”
“Afraid of your own knights, Your Majesty?” Rowan chuckled as he pulled Breestlin’s hand and led her down the back alley behind the inn.
Dragon was waiting near the end, munching on some carrots Rowan left for him.
He was excited to see Bree when she approached, nipping at her hand until she pet him.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“You’ll see.”
Rowan climbed onto Dragon’s back and hoisted Bree up behind him.
She put her arms around his waist, leaning against his back.
She remembered the last time they rode together when they returned home from finding Dagan and being captured by the Sabras.
So much had changed since then and she couldn’t be happier about it.
“Put your hood up,” he whispered.
Bree pulled the hood of her cloak up to cover her face. Rowan pulled on Dragon’s reins and gave him a gentle nudge. When they made it to the edge of the town, they came to a full gallop, speeding through the forest. Bree held on as tightly as she could, using his body to keep warm.
The sun had fully set when Rowan slowed Dragon down to a trot. Then he stopped soon after and dismounted. He had a mischievous look in his eye as he held Bree’s waist and slowly pulled her down from the saddle.
“Where are we?” she asked, but he didn’t answer. Instead, he just smiled and took her hand, leading her away from the trail, down a path, and into the trees.
She began to ask him if they should have tied Dragon up before they left him, but her words never made it to her tongue. When the trees parted, Bree couldn’t believe her eyes. Before them was a magnificent pool of crystal-clear water, steam rising from the top as the gentle wind caused it to stir.
“Oh, my! Is that…?”
“Crystal Springs, yes. I came across it several years ago, when I traveled through.”
With her hand still in his, he helped her down to the giant rocks surrounding the spring.
She sat and slipped off her shoes, dipping her toes into the water and closing her eyes as she enjoyed the heat on her feet against the cool winter air.
When she opened her eyes, Rowan was already in the springs.
The water came to his chest, and she was too surprised to gawk properly.
“Rowan! What if someone sees you?” she lectured but smiled anyway. The clear water made it easy to see all of him as he waded toward her.
“It doesn’t matter if someone sees us. Tonight, you are just a girl, and I am just a boy, hoping you’ll join me and fulfill one of my fantasies.”
Bree laughed then shrugged and stood up. She began to loosen her gown as he watched her. “So when you mentioned all of the places you imagined devouring me?”
“This was one of them,” he answered, nodding. Then he tilted his head. “Though, the library wasn’t a bad idea. I can’t believe I never thought of it.”
Their first time had been in the back of the wardrobe and rather uncomfortable for both of them. Their second time together, however, had been much more comfortable, even if it was on the king’s old desk in the library. Rowan still couldn’t help but grin every time he saw the desk.
He watched as she slipped her gown off her shoulders. He still couldn’t believe that this woman was his. That she would give herself to him, so openly, so fully. She was royalty. She could have almost any man in the realm and she had chosen him. It still baffled him.
She reached up and pulled the pin out of her dark auburn hair, letting it tumble down around her, reaching the curves of her hips.
Then she sat down on the rock beneath her feet and Rowan put his arms around her, pulling her into the hot water.
The steam surrounded them as she wrapped her legs around Rowan’s waist and leaned back against the warm rock behind her.
He started at her neck, trailing kisses from one side to the other.
Bree closed her eyes and felt a little scandalous by being naked in the middle of the forest. It was like she was living a scene from one of her novels, something she’d only dreamed about since she’d snuck her first book out of the library.
Rowan took his time, stopping to taste her lips before he moved his hand down to caress her breasts as they skimmed the water.
There was no hurry. No reason to rush. He was confident that they were alone.
Dragon would alert him if someone approached.
He could enjoy this time with her and he wouldn’t stop until she screamed his name to the treetops.
Slowly, he worked his way down her body, kissing or nibbling as he went, until he reached the water. Then he ducked down below the surface. She gasped when he grabbed her hips and lifted her up, wrapping her legs around his neck.
“What are you doi—”
Her words were cut short when he found her with his mouth.
She was wet and steamy, but he doubted it was entirely from the springs.
He kept his eyes and ears above the water so he could hear her, watch her.
She moaned and grabbed the rock behind her when he sucked her sensitive nub between his lips, her breasts bouncing as she writhed.
Bree couldn’t stop herself from crying out.
This was the first time he had used his mouth on her and she couldn’t believe how amazing it felt.
His tongue was driving her insane. As the orgasm built and exploded inside her, she groaned much louder than she meant to, causing birds to fly out of the tree behind her.
When he lowered her back into the water, she couldn’t stop a giggle from escaping.
“Where did you learn to do that?” she asked, panting.
“Well…” A sheepish grin spread across Rowan’s face. “I’ve spent a great deal of time in brothels.”
“What?” Her smile fell.
“No, not for that!” He laughed when she raised an eyebrow. “When you’re trying to hide, you can’t just check into the local inn, Bree. You need somewhere to stay that won’t raise suspicion and can be discreet.”
“And staying in places like that are discreet?”
“Yes, very.” Rowan tried not to smile but failed. The look on her face was hysterical. “They don’t share who comes in or out. If they did, they’d lose half of their business. So I had a few places that would let me stay for coin. Let’s just say I saw some interesting things happen.”
“Wow. The more I learn about our seven years apart, the more I don’t want to know.”
“I can tell you one thing about our time apart…” He pulled her close, then kissed her neck.
“What’s that?” she replied, wrapping her arms around his shoulders.
“I would much rather have been with you.”