More, she heard herself saying. She needed more. More time. More of him. More everything.
He slid his fingers slowly, circling, building her up. It was more than they’d ever touched before, and still it wasn’t enough. “When was the last time someone made you feel good?” His whispered words were warm against her chilled skin.
Right now, she wanted to say because truthfully she couldn’t remember. All other thoughts flew right out of her head, all she could focus on was his hand, right now.
She sucked in a sharp breath as Stone dipped his fingers into her, his lips pressing against her neck. “A long time,” she admitted, then he kissed her again, hard enough that when they broke apart she gasped for air. His lips tipped up, his scar pulling taut.
“I want to touch you,” she said but Stone was busy, his fingers moving and lips kissing, the weight of his body pinning her to the ground. In this game, he was in control.
A distraction, she once thought of Stone. Just a distraction. Then his fingers circled that spot that made her see stars and he whispered all the things he wanted to do to her, all the ways he pictured having her and she knew there was no going back after this.
They had been through so much in so little time and even though she wanted to, she couldn’t deny how she felt. Couldn’tdeny that when he kissed her, it feltright. She’d show him the broken parts of her, all of her ugly truths, and he desired her anyway. Even if it would never end well, even if their lives were more opposite than night and day, even if they had to pretend to be other people, at least they had right now.
“Yes,” she gasped, which earned a moan from Stone, his teeth sinking into her neck, the sound vibrating through her.
She moved her hips in time with the thrust of his fingers, and then she was crashing over the edge. Her breathing came in desperate, heavy pants. When she came back down, he kissed her shoulder, her throat. She smiled and Stone kissed her again, softly, slowly. Like they had all the time in the world. “Not bad, bounty hunter, but you didn’t even use the restraints.”
A pained look crossed Stone’s face. “Oh, fuck,” he said through a laugh. “I was too distracted by the beautiful woman underneath me.” He moved to button her pants then pulled her to her feet, sweeping her hair from her face, smoothing her shirt. “Don’t think I’ll forget you giving me permission to tie you up.”
“Don’t think I won’t ask you to.” She nipped at his bottom lip.
He smiled and tucked her under his arm. “Where did you come from, Aesira Zeliath, and how do I keep you?”
Her heart skipped as the implication of his words settled around them.
How do I keep you?
She wished she knew the answer.
Stone kept his hand in hers as they walked back to camp and for whatever reason, that felt more intimate than what they’d just done.
Stone stroked her hair and pecked a kiss to the top of her head as she settled in his lap. She knew by the creaking spine that he’d flipped open his book and when he began to read aloud her shoulders relaxed and her mind drifted to some faraway place.
Her eyes grew heavy but when she was about to close them and let Stone’s voice lull her to sleep, there was a flicker of light in her periphery. It was bright, luminous. She sat up and rubbed her eyes. Then she saw it. A ball of glowing light floating out of the ruins. Then another. And another. “Do you see that?”
“What is it?” He traced where she pointed across the darkness.
“Are those Lunaris moths?” It couldn’t be. They only hatched on the Polaris Ridge, according to Stone. One of the balls of light floated closer, the purple pulsing in the darkness.
“I think it is.” Stone held out his hand, a safe landing for one of the tiny moths.
Aesira’s eyes went wide. “How are they here?” The tiny moth drifted off of Stone’s hand and Aesira followed its path back to the ruins. Her stomach dropped and her breath caught in her throat.
Hundreds.
There were hundreds of them glowing and ascending from the ruins. They floated in swarms, all moving together like a solid beam of light over the open field. Aesira trailed their movements, and when there were enough of them to light up what she thought was an empty field, her mouth fell open. In the distance a deep roar echoed up from the ruins. She gripped Stone’s arm, eyes transfixed on the field.
It had transformed under the glow of the purple light from the moths and the moon, highlighting rows and rows of glowing, golden flowers. Just like the one in the ruins.
Astra.
Thirty
Aesira
Aesira woke with Stone’s arm draped around her middle, his other arm tucked under her head like a pillow.
Birdie and Bee were chatting in the distance–possibly bickering–about how much food they had left. The sun was less intense on this side of the Whispering Mountains, the thick trees acting as a blanket, keeping the bulk of the heat at bay. The air was warm, but not stifling as she peeled herself away from Stone. He was still asleep, his face smooth and brows relaxed. She stood and dusted the dirt from her pants and shirt and joined Bee and Birdie.
