“Rowan,” Ezra called.
The elemental’s massive horse pulled up on Xan’s other side, and I turned bright red.
“Stay with the Architect,” Ezra ordered as Xan began pulling straps over his legs. “The two of you will guide us in. Stick to the main roads. We might not go unnoticed, but the Architect will alert us to any traps. We will stay ahead of our enemies.”
“And if we don’t?” Cayden asked, appearing from our backside.
Xan grimaced. “We’ll cross that bridge if it comes.”
Chapter 16
Ezra
WerumbledthroughEdinburgh’scobbled streets at night, forty people and five wagons that were loud enough to wake the dead. Every family watched—I could feel it. After Xan had cleared Erick’s loyalists and the Prophet’s fall spread, we were a parade no one could ignore.
Not an easy target, but tempting enough. Every shadow made me pull Quinn closer.
When one of the Lawsons’ post chaises hit a rut and cracked an axle, my gut said ambush. I redeployed enforcers, shoved Xan to the rear, and braced for the strike. But no one came. Just a broken part, fixed quickly with their runes.
It should’ve calmed me. It didn’t. Easy always meant worse was waiting.
At St. Giles Cathedral, we dropped the Lawsons. My lover was clever. Restoring the ruined church would keep them busy, maybe even let them scrape beauty out of the Prophet’s lies. I left a few guards and pressed on.
At the castle gates, we dismounted. Rowan and Cayden tried to box Quinn between them as though they were her shields. I stepped in, clamped a hand on her waist, and put her where she belonged, between Xan and me.
Cayden’s glare promised blood. He only eased when he looked at Quinn. “I’ll find you tomorrow.”
Rowan clapped his shoulder. “Don’t have too much fun, Q-tip.”
Quinn flushed. I fucking loved it. By the time we got her home, the twenty hours awake hit hard. I managed to get her between us in bed before sleep crushed me.
Sunlight dragged me awake. Too late for my body clock, too early to want to move. Coffee called, but the sight in front of me pinned me in place.
Quinn slept with my lover’s arms around her. Her head rested on his bicep, and her back molded to his chest. His other hand draped across her hip and rested against her abdomen, just below her belly button ring, peeking out of the little white undershirt she’d slept in. Blankets twisted around their legs. A ray of sun hit her sparkling hair, and rainbows danced around them.
I memorized it. Every breath, every curve. Sex with her would be fire—I didn’t doubt it. But this? This was what I fought for.
Xan’s eyes opened, blinking at me.‘All good?’'he asked silently.
‘Yeah.’
My chest swelled so fast it hurt. I wanted to run. I wanted to stay forever.
Quinn stirred, wiggling deeper into him. His hand drifted lower. He’d probably been hard against her all night, as I lay here, behaving like a saint while staring like a creeper. Torture didn’t begin to cover it.
‘Should we go to the kitchen?’I offered out of pure habit.
We locked gazes. Habit. Quinn was right to be upset. We’d been so busy keeping her “choice” clean, we hadn’t considered her feelings once.
‘Explore her.’
Xan obeyed instantly, sliding his hand beneath her underwear, kissing into her messy hair. I shoved the blankets down, making sure my abs were on display.
Quinn moaned, eyes blinking open, catching the light. As I’d hoped, her gaze landed on me and heated.
My lover ran his hand up her body and moved her hair so he could kiss her neck, only to trace the outline of her breasts and pull down her undergarments enough that I could see his fingers twisting the mess of dark curls.
My innocent kitten disappeared. Her nipples hard against her shirt, her thighs pressing together, as Xan ground his cock into her ass.
