And when his guttural shout rang out in the room, I came again, drowning in everything that made this fae man mine.
14
VEXXION
Iwoke Tempest early in the morning and brought her to the meadow, encircling us with my threads while we trained.
I’d almost lost her love, and I’d do everything within my power to make sure she knew she could trust me even if I held back some secrets. Revealing them would unwind everything I’d worked for since my mother’s death. Knowing everything could result inTempest’sdeath. This woman was threaded into my past, my present, and she held my very future within her strong hands.
“Are you sure you don’t want to roll around in the pretty purple flowers?” she asked. A smirk played at the corner of my mouth, and her eyes danced with joy, sparkling with unspoken challenge. I lived to make her laugh. Each was victory and sweet surrender wrapped in one.
“Again,” I said, thrusting against her mental guard while slashing out with a blade as if I’d swipe it across her throat.
She deflected my blow with a snap of her arm as easily as she blocked my invasion on her mind.
We’d have to leave soon. She was due to begin her service as Brenna’s lady-in-waiting within an hour. I wanted more time with her and not solely to train. I craved this woman with every breath I took, with every beat of my raging heart.
“We only have six days until the wedding,” she panted, sweeping out with her foot, trying to twist her leg between mine to send me to the ground.
I dove to the side and came up in a crouch, straightening while sending her a smile. “You’re getting good.”
“Only good?” She flitted, landing against my chest with her legs around my waist and a blade at my throat, sending me toppling backward.
I slowed the fall, landing neatly, my arms wrapping around her waist. “Such skill with a blade, my storm. Soon, you’ll sink it deeply.”
“Why not do it before the Claiming? You said I’m good.”
“You need to be better, and you won’t do it with this knife.” I pinched the tip and dragged it to the side.
“With magic, then?”
“When it’s time, you’ll know.”
“That’s vague.”
“I’m sorry. It’s all I can tell you.” I’d revealed some secrets only to pile new ones on top of those remaining.
“Alright. I trust you.”
“Good girl.”
Her lips curled up slyly. “Only agoodgirl?”
“You’re perfect.”
“Maybe I want to be abadgirl.”
My laugh burst out, stunning us both. “You can be as bad as you want.”
“Later.”
“Definitely.” I drove a wedge into her mind, and she gasped, slashing at it with her magic.
With a huff, she flitted off me, reappearing a short distance away. After a glance overhead, no doubt taking in the slant of the sun, her posture relaxed.
I joined her with a flit. Since she’d given me a bit of her power, plus let me mark her the second and final time, I’d felt different. Not exactly changed but . . . better. That was the only way I could describe it.
Just being with my fury made me feel as if I could conquer the world, though that wasn’t anything I’d ever strived for, to the utter dismay of the man I’d almost never called my father.
