And again.
Only to pull away from her and look at her as if he’d just had some sort of spiritual awakening. Nymiria groaned as he slipped out of her, eyes going wide as he took his fingers and pushed them into her opening again—pushing his release back into the place where he felt it belonged.
Whispering for her to remain still, Aziel disappeared into the washroom. Nymiria’s senses were slowly returning. And though her heart was still pounding and her body felt as if it were floating in the sky, she could now hear the world around them. She heard the running of water in the washroom, the chirping of evening birds outside of his window. She heard distant sounds of laughter from somewhere within the palace.
Aziel returned with a wet cloth, his features slightly grim when he finally placed it on her neck. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?” He asked.
Nymiria shook her head, offering him a warm smile as she brought her hand to his cheek. “On the contrary, I believe I’ve never felt something quite as pleasurable than that.”
He let out a soft chuckle, moving the washcloth from her neck to the delightfully sore place between her thighs. “Do you mean it, Nymiria?” He asked. Her chest ached at the meekness in hisvoice, her brows drawing together as she watched him clean her. Sensing her confusion, Aziel sighed. “Do you truly mean that you are mine?”
She sat up immediately, taking the soiled cloth from his hands and tossing it away. Surprised at her own bravery, Nymiria pulled him down, capturing his lips in a kiss she hoped would convey the things she could not explain. His features were still soft when she pulled away from him, his eyes clouded with worry until she nodded. “I’m yours. As broken as I am, I am yours.”
He looked as if he wanted to say more, but a knock on his door had his eyes screwing shut, a groan of irritation rumbling from his chest. “Some days,” he said, placing a kiss on her shoulder. “Some days I wish that the only person I am important to isyou.”
Nymiria laughed, shoving his head away from her. “Well, if you don’t dress yourself soon, I’m more than certain someone is bound to barge in here and get an eyeful of somethingIdo not want them to see.”
He was already shoving his legs into a pair of slacks that had been hanging over the back of a chair. “Are you that possessive over me?” He crooned, lips twitching into a smirk. Nymiria wanted to be angry at his teasing, but with the view of his body, she found it increasingly difficult to want to insult him.
She merely raised a brow and slid from the bed. Aziel watched her, confused as she walked towards the door. “Perhaps I should answer the door and see how muchyoulike—”
His arm caught her waist, a deep and velvet-like laugh sounding from him as he spun her around. He carried her to the bed, tossing both of their bodies onto the mattress before gripping the blankets and pulling them up the expanse of her body and over her head. She fought him off, slapping the fabric away from her face to reveal the most beautiful smile she’d ever seen.
“I will proudly admit that I amvery, very possessive over you.” He said. “I don’t want anyone getting an eyeful of you, either.”
Chapter 30
Nymiria worried at her lip as she looked up at her father’s palace. She’d been dreading this part, but knew that it was for the best.
They were running out of time.
Nymiria couldn’t help but notice how history seemed determined on repeating itself—as if she hadn’t experienced enough pain and humiliation to last a lifetime. She wanted to believe that she’d paid for her transgressions and perhaps she had. Perhaps all of this was just another trial of life. Just another villain to kill, another bridge to burn to protect the innocent people of the world.
She walked through the ward without any difficulties, lifting her chin and moving forward, even if every muscle in her body protested against it. She would not run away. She wouldnotrun away. Even when things became too difficult for her to bear, there were people in this palace that needed her, and she wouldnotrun away.
She stepped into the grand foyer, eyes moving over the mess Everand and his creatures had made in her absence. In just a few days, the large curtains covering the windows had been ripped and burned, there was dirt and leaves strewn about the pale stone floor, specks of blood and gods knew what else splattered across various surfaces.
The altar at the center of the room was decorated with more offerings—dead animals, masks with grotesque features, rotting meat, and molding bread…
Nymiria covered her nose, swallowing back the bile that was now burning in her throat. The smell was utterly horrid. Even under his enchantments, she couldn’t see how no one in the palace had yet to sober and realize what was happening. She wondered what they saw, what scenery he was forcing them to see.
She walked deeper into the palace, the sounds of her booted feet against the tile being the only things that cut into the silence. Up the stairs, she finally heard the whispers of the children. She released a relieved sigh when Raven’s head appeared in the crack of a door, his eyes still soft and filled with that glimmer of innocence. He looked ragged—hair unwashed and uncombed, his clothes stained with what looked to be dirt and food.
“Where is everyone?” She asked quietly.
Raven shook his head. “Sleeping. They’ve been sleeping during the daytime since you left.”
Nymiria recalled something she’d learned during all of the time she spent reading weeks prior to now. She’d read quite a bit about Mimics—how blood magic was far more powerful under the light of the moon. If she had to guess, Everand was keeping everyone in the palace awake all hours of the night, practically forcing them to become nocturnal. It was a very useful bit of information.
She placed a kiss upon Raven’s forehead. “Have you all eaten?” She asked.
Raven glanced around at the other children and shook his head. Days ago, they’d still been wearing clean clothes. They looked to have been bathed and well-taken care of. Nymiria’s face went hot with anger, her whole body going rigid as she turned towards the bedroom she’d shared with Everand. There was no use in being quiet anymore, she was well beyond the point of wanting to seem meek and timid in order to keep the peace.
She kicked the door open, not even the least bit surprised to find Everand sleeping in the center of a pile of naked women. He, himself, lacked clothing but did not even seem to notice. He was too busy trying to block the light of day from his eyes.
“There you are,” he said groggily. “Right on time, too. I was going to start the killings tonight if you didn’t come back.”
Nymiria rolled her eyes. “Is that why you’ve been starving the children?” Everand was pushing away the sleeping women and crawling to the foot of the bed. Nymiria didn’t even bother with shielding her eyes from his nakedness. It wasn’t anything special and she didn’t rightly care if he knew it.
