“What would you do instead?” Fay asked sleepily, jarring me from my swirling thoughts.
“Own a farm,” I said instantly, surprised at how quickly the answer came. “Somewhere green and full of life. Away from expectations, where I could just simplybe. There’d be lavender fields and gardens and maybe other people. A place where lost souls could come together and be with each other. I’d never felt that sense of belonging until I met you and Torin. Istillstruggle with it sometimes, if I’m honest. But I just want a place where I can be at peace and use my powers for good and not . . . whatever this is,” I said, waving my heavy hand around as magic sparked at my fingertips. “And I’d own a goat,” I concluded.
Fay snorted as a second voice joined our conversation.
“A goat, hm? And what will I be doing in this scenario?” Torin’s voice was all tease, and a wide smile broke across my face even through the wine-drunk haze.
“Torin!” I exclaimed, sitting up far too rapidly and causing the room to spin about me. I stumbled for a moment, spilling the rest of my wine, much to Fay’s amusement, before ditching the glass on the table and throwing myself into my husband’s arms.
“Fay’s here!” I said much too loudly. Torin laughed as he held me tight, happy to have me cling to him like a needy toddler.
“I see that,” he replied easily. “Hello, Fay.”
“Hello, Torin,” Fay replied without moving from her chair. “I’m stealing your wife in the morning.”
His eyebrows rose a bit as he blinked rapidly at the news. “Huh. Is that so, wife?”
I nodded against his shoulder. “Is that okay?”
“You never need to ask permission, Ell. You can do what you want, when you want it. Just let me know where you are so I know you’re safe,” he said softly, his honey eyes swirling with so much love and devotion.
The emotions overwhelmed me, and I pressed my lips to his in a hard, wet kiss. He smiled against my mouth, but kissed me back. Our embrace lasted long enough that Torin’s hands began to wander, and I heard Fay groan from the other side of the room.
“Really? In front of me, when my Bonded is too far away?” she complained as Torin and I separated with heated stares.
“Where are you going?” he asked, serious once more as he gently tucked an errant strand of hair behind my ear.
“Uhm, Fay? Where are we going?” I asked, certain she’d told me earlier, but unable to recall.
“The Valley,” she mumbled tiredly.
Torin hummed in thought. “I have to leave for Iluul in the morning anyway,” he admitted. “It’s what Talamh and I were discussing earlier. We need an alliance or at least their ships if we want to stop a potential naval attack from Solace.”
“I am much too drunk for this conversation,” Fay mumbled as she pushed unsteadily from the chair, swaying on her feet as she set her wine glass down next to mine with a loudclink.
“So, leaving tomorrow will be a good distraction for you,” Torin continued as I nodded in agreement.
“You two go ahead and discuss whatever you need to—” Fay started as she swayed toward the door.
“Or fuck!” I added. Torin’s head flew back, throat working as he laughed long and loud.
“Ugh, yes. Or that. I’ll just . . . see you in the morning,” she hiccupped with a drunken wave of her hand as she left the room to find a bed.
“Poor, Fay,” I said with a shake of my head. “Rohak won’t do anything to ease that sexual ache. She just has to sit there and bear it until she wants to complete the Bond.” I grimaced in sympathy.
“You don’t have that issue, do you?” Torin mumbled against my neck. I gasped as the stubble on his jaw scraped against my skin, eliciting a wanton moan from deep inside my chest.
“No,” I said breathily. “No, I don’t.”
Torin’s teeth nipped at the place he’d just kissed before he turned suddenly and tossed me on the bed.
I bounced with a groan, the room spinning aggressively before I turned on my side and promptly retched on the ground next to the bed.
Torin’s chuckle mixed with my groan of pain and embarrassment before I felt his presence next to me once more, a warm, damp cloth wiping away the evidence of my sick from my face.
“Perhaps not today, wife,” he said softly. “You rest. I’ll clean this up. And if you wake in the morning and feel . . . better, then I will show you all the ways a woman should be worshipped. Until then, rest,” he said with a last kiss to my forehead.
My eyelids drooped as my head pounded, and I drifted to sleep in our bed, surrounded by his scent and the feeling of love I knew would never die.
