“Solios, the god of the sun and the Solar Sovereign, has lost hope.” Elco’s red eyes met hers. “We need the stones.”
A deep, overwhelming dread took hold of her. Without the sun, life as they knew it would end. The world would perish if it were trapped in eternal darkness.
Cahir walked through the opening in the bushes and paused when his gaze met hers.
“The Fae only wanted to protect you, moon-flutter. He loves you,” Elco encouraged. “I think more than you realize.”
She ground her teeth together before releasing them and letting out a deep sigh. She stood from the ground and walked over to Cahir, who nervously ran his hand over his neck.
“Promise me you won’t deplete yourself again trying to protect me?” she asked as she looked up into his emerald eyes.
His gaze flickered between hers, and his jaw clenched. “Can I talk to you in private, please? Away from the others?” He held out his hand for her to take.
She accepted his outstretched hand, feeling the warmth of it in her palm, and he led her back through the rose bushes to the campfire. They sat back down, and Cahir rubbed his thumb across her hand nervously. He placed a piece of datun in his mouth and offered her a piece. They both chewed in silence as his gaze continued to flick to her and away.
“My mom—” he started, breaking the silence. He let out a deep, ragged breath after spitting out the piece of datun. “My father murdered her. And since he was king, no one did anything.”
Seda’s eyes widened.
He continued, “My mother was myworld, but my father was abusive. I’d often see her with bruises, and I was so young that I didn’t understand. One day, she walked in on him having an affair, and he lashed out. Tahti was there, following my father’s orders, and I never saw her again. So please, Seda… It’s not that I don’t believe you can handle yourself. It’s that I cannot bear to lose someone I love so dearly again. I promise I won’t deplete my magic again like that. But I cannot promise that I’ll stop doing everything in my power to protect the person I love the most in this world.” His eyes glistened as he stared down at her, his emotion breaking through. “You don’t understand how devoted I am, how far I’m willing to go, and what I’d sacrifice for you. I’d give up my title, my kingdom,everything… for you.”
Seda felt her heart ache at his honesty and openness. She spat out her own datun and reached up with a tender hand, cupping his cheek in her palm. “I’m so sorry, Cahir.”
She shifted to her knees and pressed her lips against his. He inhaled sharply, holding back his emotion, and pulled her closer. She fell on top of him, kissing him as that tingly warmth began to simmer once more.
“I’d never ask for you to give up anything for me,” she said, breathless with each kiss, wanting him to understand that her words were sincere.
The rose bushes shuffled and closed their open gap, closing their eyelids and not watching them as they embraced.
“Are you okay over there, moon-flutter?” Elco called from the other side.
She lifted her head and stared at the wall of closed flowers, shouting breathlessly, “Yes, Elco… Privacy,please.”
She heard him gruff, “Just call for me if you need me. These flowers cannot hold me back. They forget I can fly.”
She laughed as she bent back down and planted her lips against Cahir once more, tasting the freshness of the datun left behind.
He growled, and she felt his desire press into her. She shifted and tugged at his shirt, wanting to feel his warm muscles under her hands. He pulled it over his head, and she ran her fingers down his defined abdomen, trailing them lower until she reached his pants and slowly ran them over his bulge below the fabric.
She understood his reasons for overexerting himself. He also promised he wouldn’t do so again, and she trusted him. She had been safe with this man by her side for years.
No more arguing. She wanted him inside her. Now. She wanted to feel whole again with him by her side.
He slowly pulled her breasts out from her shirt, pulling the material down. She felt her nipples harden in the cool air, and he groaned when he looked at them.
“Seda.” Her name escaped as a whisper, a plea, his desire bleeding through the hoarseness of his voice.
She unbuckled his pants and pulled his length out, wrapping her hands around it, and feeling the warm, smooth skin. She slowly began moving them up and down, watching him as his eyes hooded and his lips slowly parted.
“Take these off,” he said of her pants, and she stood, slowly pulling them down her hips. His eyes followed the fabric as she lowered her pants, and he took himself in his hand, beginning to stroke himself as he watched her undress.
The cool, misty air did nothing to soothe the fire building inside her at the sight of him touching himself.
When she pulled them off her legs, she watched as his hand slid up and down his length, and she licked her lips. She had never done this before, but she wanted to try. She knelt down, feeling the damp ground seep into her skin, and slowly leaned forward between his legs.
He stopped touching himself, and she glanced up at him. His gaze was locked onto her, confusion swirling behind his emerald gaze. He went to stop her, but she placed her hand on him, just as he had done to her.
“Don’t stop stroking yourself,” she commanded.
