I looked down, feeling his pain like my own. He lifted my chin and met me gaze.
“That was all before.” He turned on his high-wattage smile, causing that small dimple in his left cheek to flash.
I blinked. “Are you trying to charm me into believing you?”
“Why, is it working?” He looked hopeful, his eyes twinkling. “I love you, Ellie. All of you. The human, the Djinn, even the little perv who likes what I do to her body.”
I laughed and knocked him back to the floor, gliding over his sweat-slicked frame. “It’s about time you admitted it.”
“What? That you’re a perv?” He snickered, and I rubbed my knee perilously close to his cock. “Hey, now. Easy there, killer. I love you, Ellie. All of you. And I think you know what that means.” He gave me a knowing stare that had me pulse racing. The word “Affai” whispered in my mind.
“That you no longer need an affai since you’ve got me?”
“It’s a good thing you’re pretty, because you sure are dense.”
I smacked him, and he pinned my arms between us, capturing my mouth in a loving kiss.
“You’re my affai, Ellie. My love.”
I couldn’t speak. The dreams I’d had of one day finding someone to love and who’d love me had seemingly come true. Chaos blazed through my mind, my Dark magic pulsing as joy and anxiety surged. I wanted to believe in a future with Cadmus so badly. But I was only just now coming to know myself. Could I be what Cadmus truly needed?
At my silence, Cadmus cupped my cheek. “I know it’s a lot to take in, especially considering you didn’t want anything to do with magic and the Djinn for so long. This is a lot to handle, and as much as I wish I could just work on us, I can’t yet. I have a responsibility to my people that I can’t walk away from.” His speech quickened at my silence. “I know what you’re thinking. I swear, though, on my soul, that in my heart you’ll always come first. It’s just that the situation in Tanselm is so precarious now. Look, you’ll have plenty to do there. You’re needed, more than you can possibly know. And I don’t just mean by me. With your help, we can mend the bridge between Dark and Light, we can —”
“Shut up, already. Geesh, you confess to loving me and then you run off at the mouth. I get it, Cadmus.” Though my nerves kept jumping, I was glad he relaxed. “As your affai, I’ll live in Tanselm with you. I can do that.” I swallowed around a dry throat. Talk about change. Moving to Tanselm wouldn’t be like moving to another state. Try another plane of existence.
But I had always prided myself on my ability to adapt. Despite a host of flaws, I’d never lacked the courage to do what was right. I’d run from my destiny long enough. The time had come to embrace my Djinn heritage and a future with my soon-to-be husband.
“That’s it?” His eyes glinted with humor. “I don’t have to beg you with jewels or promises of vast power? You’re going to simply accept my life as your own?”
“Now, now, Prince Cadmus. Don’t get ahead of yourself. We’re not married yet. You still have some courting to make up for, and I like flowers and chocolates. Jewelry, not so much.” I relaxed, knowing I’d made the right decision. Foreia, for that matter, was practically dancing in a delirium of happiness. “Have I mentioned yet how pissed off my father is going to be about this?”
He laughed. “Just icing on the cake, baby. Not that I’ve got anything against your people…exactly. Well, not much of a grudge. Nothing too serious.”
“What happened that you aren’t telling me?”
“Which time?”
I squeezed the nearest appendage I could find, and he moaned.
“I don’t know how you do it. I’m totally wrung out, yet my body wants in you again, right now. At this rate, we’ll have little princes in a year.”
At his mention of children, I froze.
“Ellie?” He sobered. “It’s okay, honey. I was joking.”
“We haven’t used any protection.” I sat up and put a hand over my belly, not sure how I felt about thoughts of his child inside me. Scared and excited, nervous yet exhilarated.
“Not yet, baby. Trust me, when it happens, you’ll know.”
“And our differences won’t matter, you being a Light Bringer and me being a Djinn? I mean, physically?”
He frowned. “Not that I know of. Aerolus married Alandra. Both Marcus and Darius married women from your world, or should I say, from one of your worlds.”
“It’s not that I don’t want kids,” I said quickly, realizing how he might take my comments. “It’s just that?—”
“It’s too soon, especially on top of everything that’s happening. I understand.” He kissed me, soothing me. “Now let’s get dressed before Jonas tries to pop in here again.”
“Jonas?” I squeaked, mortified he might know what I’d been doing.
