“You mean Arianna,” Ivara scoffed, her nose crinkling in disgust.
“Yes, but there have been others he manipulated into doing his deeds. Whatever this is, the bargain is backfiring on him somehow.” Turning his focus on me, Samian pushed a stray hair behind my ear. “Has he forced any commands on you recently?”
I shook my head, holding his gaze. “I think it has to do with the voice Queen Cassia mentioned—the one I heard in the dungeon. The way his eyes have been going distant lately duringthe meetings, I think it's the voice talking to him. I think it’s making him unstable.”
I held Samian’s gaze as long as I could, but the moment felt too much—too weighted for me to continue. Panic began to swell in my chest at the reminder of the voice. If I were hearing it too, would I start losing my mind like Ambrose? I hadn’t heard it since my conversation with the queen, but that wasn’t a guarantee that it wouldn’t return—that it wouldn’t have me on my knees, spiraling.
Finally breaking his stare, I looked back down at my cup. My wrist itched, and I resisted the urge to pull my jacket sleeve further down. I’d done my best to keep the markings hidden, and most of the time they stayed out of sight. But right now, even beneath the fabric, I could see the mark of the bargain as clearly as if it were bare—could feel it branding my skin. Disgust coiled in my stomach at the proof of my own stupidity.
A door opened from the back room, and Daelan stepped into the living area, throwing himself into a chair beside Ivara. The playfulness usually etched in his features was gone. He ran his hands down his face, looking more exhausted than I’ve ever seen him. When he looked at each of us, he let out a long groan. “Please don’t tell me somethingelsehas happened. I’m at my wits' end at the moment.”
Samian huffed; Ivara pursed her lips, giving him a pointed glare, but it was Samian who answered his question. “Ambrose killed Vito during a meeting with the other lords.”
Daelan leaned forward, his eyes widening. “I’m sorry, what?” Daelan let out a breathy laugh, like he couldn’t believe the words that Samian spoke. When Samian sullenly nodded, Daelan fell back into the chair, blinking. “Vito was one of the first lords to cozy up with Ambrose. Why the hell would Ambrose kill him?”
“Vito wasn’t happy about Ambrose choosing Arianna as his queen,” I muttered, forcing my mind not to think of blood andgarbled words. I took another sip of the spiced hot chocolate, letting the heat that washed down my throat distract me.
Daelan whispered out a curse, his head tipping back while he pinched the bridge of his nose. Each of us sat in silence, our minds consumed with the events of the turbulent morning. Two lords were murdered. Not only that, but the queen was severely injured, and Ambrose’s mind was quickly coming undone. There was nothing stopping him. I clenched the mug in my hands, my thoughts slipping out of control.
After several weighted minutes passed, Samian stood, taking the empty mug out of my hands. “I believe we all need some rest. We will meet back here once the sun goes down to rendezvous with the others. We will form a plan then.”
Ivara and Daelan quietly nodded their agreement. Daelan stood from his chair first, reaching his hand out to Ivara to help her out of her seat. They both left the living area, their hands clasped tightly, as if each needed as much support from the other as they could give. A somber feeling filled my heart at the sight.
Once they were gone, Samian set the mug on the table with a soft clink before coming back to me. He reached out his own hands, gently wrapping them around mine to pull me up into his chest. He held me close, his arms wrapping tight around me. I relaxed in his arms, my nerves melting away as I listened to the steady beating of his heart.
Putting his lips on top of my head, Samian drew in a long breath, breathing me in before leaving a small kiss. He pulled away enough to rest his forehead against mine. His eyes glistened as he studied me, looking for any hint of fear or apprehension. “Are you okay?”
His voice was thick with emotion, enough to make my eyes water. Blinking back the burn, I nodded, my words failing me. Honestly, I wasn’t sure if I was truly okay. Physically, I was fine,but mentally? I was exhausted and scared. I felt like a nervous ball of energy that was stuck between a fine line of darkness, ready to swallow me whole, and light that desired a freedom that I wasn’t sure was even possible anymore. But to explain that to him—to anyone—I wasn’t sure if I had enough strength to do it.
So instead, I asked, “Areyouokay?” He had been taking care of me, but I didn’t even think to do the same for him, to get out of my head enough to reach out and offer him the comfort he so readily gave to me.
Samian let out an exhausted breath. “I just…I just need to hold you close. I was so afraid of what would happen if Ambrose turned his sights on you, if he noticed me standing in front of you to shield you from him. I don’t think—I’m not sure what would have happened if he had.”
Samian swallowed, and my heart ached at the breaking in his voice. Ivara told me how fierce the need to protect their mates was in males, how it could make them dangerous to themselves and others. To hold back that desire, to keep up his mask of indifference, it must have been eating away at him.
Standing on my tiptoes, I lightly pressed my lips against his. Samian shuddered from my touch, returning the chaste kiss. My blood pulsed, my skin heating at the feel of him. Our lips gently met again. This time, Samian ran his tongue against my bottom lip, a quiet request for more.
I opened for him, letting him in. Our kiss deepened, becoming more passionate. Samian groaned, pulling my body closer to his. A soft gasp left my lips when I felt the hard length of him pressing against my stomach, my toes curling at the feel.
Samian’s hands ran along the side of my body, my mind feeling buzzed and light. Dipping down to my thighs, Samian delicately lifted me, wrapping my legs around his waist. Samian’s tongue slid against mine, deepening the kiss, his touchslow and deliberate, as though he only needed to feel me in his arms, warm against his body.
Without breaking our kiss, Samian moved us to the bed, gently settling me against the plush blanket and pillows. He hovered over me, grinding against my core. Moaning, I lifted my hips to feel more of him, to have him fill the ache that was quickly consuming me.
Samian groaned, tenderly pressing his lips along my jaw and down my neck until he reached my shoulder. Nuzzling into my neck, he breathed in my scent. “You need to rest, my light,” he mumbled into my skin.
“We can rest after,” I grumbled, wrapping my arms and legs around him to keep him from moving away.
Samian chuckled, the vibration against my skin sending electricity sparking down my body. Nipping my ear, I let out a whimpering sound, my lips pursing in a pout. “You’ll need your energy to train tonight. Rest now, and we can play later.”
“So unfair,” I mumbled, letting him free. Turning on my side, Samian lay behind me, curling his body against mine. It was comforting to have him here with me, to feel the rise and fall of his chest with every breath he took, knowing that we were safe in this little bubble of ours. With his warmth embracing me, my eyes fluttered closed.
Pleasure bloomed hot and slow,curling up my core and around my clit before drawing me into a heated euphoria. Moaning, ecstasy blanketed my mind as that tongue slid down, dipping inside of me. Blinking through the drowsy haze, I opened my eyes, finding Samian’s burning gaze on me, watching my face relish the feel of his mouth on me. Samian smiled against myskin, his teeth clamping down around me before licking away the pain. I whimpered as he stoked the fire inside of me. Reaching out, my fingers sank into the soft, silver strands of his hair, pushing him further against me, moving him to where I desperately needed to go.
I wasn’t sure when my clothes were removed or who removed them, but I didn’t care when Samian’s fingers replaced his tongue, stretching and filling me, pumping slowly as he licked and sucked. His fingers curled, hitting a spot that ripped a groan from my lips. Throwing my head back against the pillow, my back arched off the bed, but Samian placed a heavy hand against my stomach, holding me down.
His fingers moved faster, still curling, hitting that spot that made me see stars until I cried out, my climax shattering through me until my legs trembled and I couldn’t take anymore. A wicked grin curved along Samian’s lips as he brought his fingers to his mouth, sucking them clean.
“It’s time to wake up,” Samian winked, chuckling while I lay there, delirious, my body feeling like jelly.
