“I believe you called itfooling around,” he said, making her mouth snap shut. “A human slang,tev?”
“But I—”
“Sex between fated mates is sacred,” he said, his expression serious, almostgrim. “Considering that fated mates are more likely to produce offspring more quickly, I can not risk you changing your mind if you decide to leave in the end. I would lose not onlyyou, but my child as well.”
Lainey hadn’t even thought about children. And looking at Kirov, she realized this was important to him, realized that he was still scared that she could leave.
Swallowing, she realizedsheheld the power in this relationship becauseshehad the choice to leave, not him.
“If I ever got pregnant, Kirov,” she said slowly, a little hurt that he would think what he did, “I would never take the child away from you.”
“Tev, I know,” he said, which confused her.
“Then why would you say something like that?”
“I meant that you might not even realize you were with offspring when the time came to choose,” he amended. Then he confessed, “Cruxan believes he is close to finding the crystal.”
Her lips parted. So that was what it was all about. If they had sex and Cruxan returned with the crystal, Lainey could go back home, possibly within the week. Kirov believed they were running out of time.
Wanting to comfort him, she pressed a kiss to his chest and, looking up at him, said, “I meant what I said Kirov. I’m giving this my everything, okay? I’m not thinking of this in the short term.”
“Then perform theravraxiawith me. Tonight.”
She bit her lip.
She paused too long.
Kirov stroked a hand down her hair, exhaling. “You see? I am certain about you, Lani, about a future with you. When you wish to perform theravraxiawith me, I will know you feel the same.”
“I just need time, Kirov,” she whispered, not wanting him to think that she was already backing out. “Everything has happened so fast.”
“You have all the time you need,” he reassured her. “But until then, no mating.”
Because he didn’t want to get her pregnant, because he wanted her to fully give herself to him, without worrying she would leave right afterwards.
Lainey blew out a breath of frustration.
“Okay, I understand,” she said, but she looked up at him and said honestly, “But I warn you that I will do everything in my power to make you change your mind about this whole mating thing.”
His lips quirked. “You are welcome to try,luxiva.”
“I won’t play fair,” she warned.
“I look forward to that,” he murmured, tilting his head down to give her a small peck of a kiss, which she happily received. “Now, look. We are here.”
Lainey turned, curious. In the distance, she saw a city, sprawled out in a beautiful valley between two green, massive hills. And just like the Golden City, this city crawled up these hills in terraces, utilizing them for space and marketplaces and homes.
Beyond the city lay the biggest lake she’d ever seen. If they weren’t so high up, she would think it was the ocean. Shimmering waters and calm shores.
Beautiful, she thought, her lips parting.
“Troxva,” Kirov said quietly in her ear, pressing a kiss to her temple. “We are home.”
Chapter Twenty
Kirov landed the hovercraft on the easternmost hill of the two, at the very top. Similar to the Golden City, which was built into the mountain on terraces, a large part of Troxva was built in a similar fashion into the hillsides, except a large part of the outpost was situated in the valley below as well.
Similar to the Golden City, Kirov’s home was perched on the top level of the eastern hill, allowing privacy and an unbeatable view. At least that was what Lainey assumed when he landed them there.
