“So how did she survive?” He asks. “How did she end up withAiden?” Humor filling his voice with the prince’s name.
“A human found her and did their best to heal her. It didn’t work but Aiden came for her before…” I clear my throat when it cracks slightly. He squeezes my hand gently.
“Anyways, I guess Hazel has been keeping an eye on both of us since we were children and realized what happened. She is the one who healed Nova. That is how she knew how to help me. Nova was the ‘one time’they had seen the poison before.” I let the words fall off when we stop at the edge of the water. A waterfall is crashing over the rocks to our left before settling into the reservoir at our feet.
I release the wind slowly, even though it isn’t my element, being in Aquaria has my magic humming. I’m not sure if it is being back in a thriving natural element or if it is because of the bond Cillian and I have. Either way, I cherish it. There is still a lot of work to do but the change is evident. The power returning to Solevara is evident.
He wraps his arms around my waist, resting his head on top of mine. “So what is the plan now? Is she going to come home? Stay in Varethriel?”
“She said she wasn’t ready to talk about the prophecy. She needs time to wrap her head around it and figure out what to do. I’m not sure what is going on with her and Aiden but she is not interested in coming here.”
“You think something is going on with them?” He asks, surprise coating his voice. “That could help with the need to fulfill the prophecy…”
I don’t really know. From her notebooks I know he drives her crazy and I still get that impression but something else was there. A spark in Nova’s eyes that has been missing for a long time. Maybe it is just her having her freedom for the first time in her life.Maybe it is him.
I just hum in response.
“We agreed to wisp each other. I don’t want to get my hopes up but she seems serious about staying in touch this time.” We fall silent for a minute. His calm peace pours over my shaken soul like a river washing over parched soil. Filling me back up,nourishingme.
“Anyways… What did you want to show me?” I ask, looking up at him over my shoulder. His eyes shine down at me, a brilliant blue that makes my heart beat a little harder.
“Come on,” Cillian takes my hand and leads me along the waters edge towards the waterfall. Mist tickles my face and arms as we approach. Cillian shifts behind me as the path narrows.
“Watch your step,” he says loudly over the thunderous sound of the crashing water.
The rocks have become slick with algae from the damp surroundings and he places his hands on my hips to keep me steady. My magic rises up to meet him in response. I climb the naturally created steps, leading us closer to the cascading water.
I turn and look out over the bluff we stand on when the walkway abruptly ends with a deluge of water before us. The beauty takes my breath away.
The trees and plantlife around the reservoir are lush and green. Brilliant flowers paint the bushes and vines that line the blue and green hues of swirling water beside and below us.
“It is stunning,” I whisper but he still hears me.
Grabbing my hand again we walk towards the wall of water and with a laugh he drags me under. I gasp as the chilled water soaks through my dress as I am pulled into a cave hidden beneath the waterfall.
The rumbling descent of the water echoes off the walls. Rays of light stream in through the crystal clear water creating rainbows across the walls of rock.
“You know you could have done that without getting me soaked!” I shriek, laughter quick to follow as I see that he is just as wet as I am. He runs his hand through his wet hair, pushing it back. His perfect smile fills his face as he looks back at me.
“Where is the fun in that?” he teases, eyeing mynowalmost sheer dress.
I give him a sly smile and rub my hands down the wet shirt that grips his chest. As I slowly trace my fingers down the ridges of his abdomen I feel his abs shuddering under my touch. When I reach the bottom of the shirt, I slowly untuck the linen garment. Looking up at him through my lashes, I move on to the clasp at his waist.
In one swift motion he pulls the fabric over his head and discards it to the side. His pants hang undone, loose around his hips as he looks at me with predatory intent. He wraps his arms around me, gripping my ass and lifting me up. I wrap my legs around his waist, his excitement pressing against me.
I slide my fingers into his wet hair, and our mouths find each other with growing urgency. Drowning in the moment, our connection to one another is the oxygen we need to survive but we are unable to get enough.
He breaks us apart, our chests heaving, and gently lays me across a rock that the waterfall has smoothed over the years. I swallow thickly as the light shines across his chiseled muscles, emphasizing each groove, like they are carved in stone. My eyes follow the vee that disappears into his pants.He is perfect.
His eyes glow darker as he runs his hands slowly up my body. He unclasps only the top buttons of my dress, freeing my breasts, allowing him immediate access. My nipples harden as the cool air and mist of the cave blow across my wet skin.
He licks his lips at the sight and leans down, giving them all of his attention. The heat of his mouth finds one while he rolls the other in between his fingers. With the perfect amount ofpressure my back raises up off the rock in pure bliss. With an ache building between my legs, both my hands wrap around his neck to pull him closer as my body demands more of him.
“Cillian,” I call out his name and it joins in the echo of the water around us.
His sultry chuckle vibrates through me causing me to moan in agonizing pleasure. He grinds into me and slowly begins kissing and sucking his way up my collarbone to my neck. His lips ghost across my ear, “Be patient, Lila. I promise I’ll give you what you want.”
His hand has left my heaving chest and his fingers are lightly skimming down my stomach causing a chain reaction of each nerve along the way to fire.
