Twenty-Nine
NISSA
“This is an unexpected turn of events.” Isolde’s chuckle comes from behind me. “And your energy!” She gives a hum.
My blood turns molten at her feigned surprise. I’m not even turning to look at her or Kiel. My whole life was altered, the entire Fae world assaulted, because they kept me from my mate. They might have thought that it was Aiden, not Cillian, but the result was the same. All because of the woman standing a branch away.
Cillian stiffens when I start to twist in his arms to confront his mother. I still as a voice— a voice I have heard sporadically throughout my life— echoes through my mind.
Wait, not yet.
My head jerks back as if I’ve been struck again. Confused, I look up at Cillian and he squeezes me.Not yet, Lila. Trust me.
All I can do is stand there, staring at my mate.My mate, who apparently can speak into my mind. And has been doing so for years!
Unaware of the internal turmoil happening in front of his eyes, Kiel claps his hands together. “Well… time to announce the new king and queen to the Fae.”
Cillian’s hands move to the tops of my arms. He slowly slides them down, taking one of my hands. His eyes search mine, questioning.
I’m unsure how I’m supposed to respond. Even if I knew what to say. How do I talk in his mind? All I can do is mentally scream, ‘Why? Why are we letting them have a say in anything? Tell them we know what they did!’
I don’tfeelmy thoughts reach him, but he gives me a small shake of his head.
“We’ll be introduced later,” he says to his parents. A dismissal. Then he tugs me towards the stairs of the sanctuary.
We aren’t even down the aged stairs before he mistwalks us away.
Moments later, we materialize in a bedroom, and I’m hit by a blast of humid air. A liquid chandelier hangs from the ceiling, aglow with sparkling water drops. The bed is suspended over a creek that winds through the space to the window. Underneath, the water disappears to join the waterfall that plummets down the side of the castle. It was always my favorite feature of Cillian’s room when I was a youngling.
His room is exactly as I remember. At the same time it feels completely different. The light, pastel blues have been exchanged for deeper, richer blues. The collection of sea glass and coral has been replaced with stacks of documents and tomes.
My attention pulls back to him when he releases my hand and turns to me.
“Why wouldn’t you let me—” The words die on my tongue. The feral look in his eyes has my mouth clamping shut. My heart hammers in my chest as he cups the side of my face with agentleness that doesn’t match the intensity in his eyes. I can feel the power radiating off of him.
The power of a king.
“We have a lot to talk about…” He steps further into me so we are chest to chest. All I can do is nod, at a loss for words as he studies my face, his gaze lingering on my lips. “But all that matters right now is that youaremine. Lila… my Lila.”
Time stands still in that moment, and the wind catches in my throat. Looking down at me is the male that I’ve hated and resented for years. The male that I’ve also admired, desired, and loved for even longer—and he is alsomine.
Wedohave a lot to talk about. We have so much to work out. It feels like the whole world is bearing down on us and depending on us. But for just a moment, we both realize that we need this. That this moment is allowed, and not only allowed but is blessed by the Goddess herself. That because we trusted Gaia and each other, we’re standing here together, not on the run but as one.
And together we’ll do everything we can to fix the damage that’s been done to our world.
In the next breath, his arms are wrapped around me, lifting me against him as our lips collide. I reach up, one hand at the nape of his neck and the other in his hair, pulling him harder into me. We’re frenzied, our chests rising and falling in unison as our magic ignites within us, urging us on.
Magic that feels more intense than I could have ever imagined. Stronger than I’ve ever experienced. My back bows as he kisses my neck, bringing me back to the floor.
He drops to his knees in front of me and looks up through dark lashes. His jaw flexes as his hands stroke my sides, finding a stopping spot at the sides of my breasts. “My queen,” he purrs, kissing my stomach.
Even through the fabric of my dress, his mouth sends a bewitching shiver through my entire being, the feeling settling at my core. He grazes his nose up and down me, adding to the intensity, and my stomach contracts. I am about to come apart from his touch and our magic alone.
A gasp escapes me when I feel the cool touch of water on my back. A stream of water has lifted out of the creek. Like delicate fingers, it strokes up my spine and slips the laced vines off my shoulders. Wide-eyed, I catch the fabric at my breasts just as it begins to fall. With a devilish smile, he slowly takes it from my clutches, lowering it equally slowly.
His eyes glow brighter as he watches my body be exposed to him. “I just wanted to put these new powers to good use.”
A shy smile breaks across my face?—
