“We don't know either,” I said sadly. “The Earth magic has become unbalanced and I believe that imbalance is killing the magic of Danu.”
“Imbalance causes situations that can kill butitdoes not kill,” Mahar pointed out.
“You're right,” I agreed. “The imbalance is a symptom, not the disease. But we need to discover what caused the symptom before we can cure the damage it's caused—directly or indirectly—to Danu. Have you noticed anything unusual in the forest?”
“Nothing beyond Kolltean leaving.”
“A shame,” I muttered. “Well, thank you for notifying us of Kolltean's absence.”
“We will watch over the forest,” Mahar vowed. “If we see anything that might hurt Danu, we will send word.”
“And I will send word to you once we determine what's causing this,” Everan offered.
“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Mahar bowed. “Goodnight, Fire Queen, beloved of Sairana.”
“Goodnight, Mahar of the Traccaris Tribe.”
Chapter Eleven
Everan was quiet all the way back to the stronghold. It wasn't until we were alone in his darkly masculine bedroom that he finally spoke. I knew he was unsettled but I didn't realize just how much until then.
“I want you to pack anything valuable to you and take it to Earth with you tomorrow,” Ever said. “I will do the same.”
“What?” I stopped removing my dress to gape at him. “Everan, I don't think it's time to give up.”
“I'm not giving up. We will continue to search for a solution but Kolltean's absence has lessened the likelihood of our success.”
“Everan,” I said softly as I took his hand, “we'll figure it out.”
“Amara, I told you—if the Gods leave, Danu is doomed. One of them has left.”
“The Gods did not build Danu,” I said sternly. “Perhaps they think it's up to us to correct any damage. Maybe it was us who caused the damage.”
“The Gods may not have made Danu, but they made the Danutians. If our creation is failing so badly that they've lefttheircreations, I don't see how we can save Danu.”
“We will find a way.” I pulled him down to sit on the foot of the bed with me. “But it will be much harder to do so if you keep thinking so negatively.”
“Says the cynic,” he huffed.
“I'm not so cynical anymore,” I protested. “But I am still pragmatic and as such, you can count on me to tell you when the time to evacuate has come. That time is not now.”
Everan let out a long sigh and started pulling at his braids, trying to undo them like a tired child.
“Here, let me.” I scooted behind him and started unbraiding his hair. In just a few seconds, I had my fingers trailing through the heavy, crimped length. It flowed through my hands like cognac silk and caught the low lights, turning from dark caramel to molten gold.
Everan sighed again, but this time with more relief. “Thank you, Shalani. You have a soothing touch.”
“You're welcome.” I stood up and started undressing again.
“Here, let me,” he repeated my words with a grin.
I turned my back toward Everan and he undid my laces. The crimson silk slid down to the floor and puddled around my feet. My husband let out a third sigh, distinctly different from the last two. This sound was full of arousal and adoration and perhaps a little possession. My Danutian husband has always been a dominating lover, which is why I was so shocked when he agreed to the Fusion. That possessiveness was still there but it didn't apply to his fellow kishanos; the magic of the Fusion had seen to that. But we were alone now and he didn't have to share me in any way. His hands went to my shoulders and I felt that in his touch—the knowledge that here, in Danu, I was completely his. The heat of his palms warmed my skin but it was the way his fingers clutched at my shoulders that sent heat shooting through my body. His breath coasted along my neck, compelling me to turn into his kiss.
My husband doesn't panic but he was faced with losing the only home he'd ever known. He needed something to relieve the tension, and I'd expected that something to be rough lovemaking, perhaps even brutal. I was up for both—Cyprian had taught me to appreciate a little pain with my pleasure. But Everan surprised me by taking his time and kissing me tenderly, his tongue dancing luxuriously with mine while his hands worked on removing my underwear. Fingertips sliding beneath the band of my bra, stroking teasingly before unhooking the clasp and then moving slowly down my spine, leaving the removal to me. He dipped a finger in the cleft of my bottom cheeks, delving between them. I clutched at his shoulders, my sex clenching from that single touch.
Everan nipped at my lips, then licked them lightly. His finger lifted and plunged, stroking skin that was usually ignored before it slid to the side of my panties and hooked around the thin band. He pulled, bringing them halfway down my ass, tugging until the silk cupped one cheek before employing another hand. I moaned into his mouth as his left hand eased across my hip and down to palm my bottom before shoving at my panties. They slithered down my legs to gather around my ankles. I eagerly stepped out of them. Everan massaged my ass gently and angled his pelvis forward, pushing his leather-covered erection into the space between my thighs—right into that tiny gap at the top, to cradle it between my thighs and freshly-bared womanhood. When he drew back, he also stepped back to quickly shed his clothing.
I had a moment to admire the breadth of his shoulders and the sculpted muscles of his chest before he was back in my arms, slowly moving his mouth over mine. A lick over the seam of my lips and I opened to him. His tongue swept inside as he lifted me by my thighs—spreading them around his waist—and started carrying me away from the bed.
