She scowled up at me. “I am not yourobedientfemale.”
I grinned, knowing I’d riled her temper, relishing that she seemed truly well now. “You usually are when I have my tongue or my cock inside you.”
Her cheeks darkened with a heated blush, but she arched her brow, giving me that superior look that made me want to do naughty things to her.
“When I’m in your bed, then yes, I willcomplywith your commands, if only to seek my own pleasure. But I am not your female to be ordered around.”
I grinned wider, lifting her hand to press a kiss to her palm. “No, you are not, my love.” Holding her gaze, I opened my mouth against her palm, touching my tongue to her skin for a brief taste of her. “You are the mistress of my heart. Order me anything, and I will do it without question.”
Her expression softened, her mouth smiling again. “Oh, Redvyr.” She lowered her head to my chest.
Soon, we were both sound asleep.
Chapter 29
JESSAMINE
“The wordhe said before the earth opened up was something like, ‘Vahka-dool’,” I told Lorelyn from the bench by the fire pit, which was set in black cast iron on a short tripod, the same as in our tent. Wolf sprawled at my feet, his paw resting over my slipper.
We were gathered in Bezaliel’s tent where Tessa held Saralyn, who was nursing at her breast. Leifkyn and Dayn, who was now mostly healed, joined us as well. Brohm stood with his arms crossed, scowling beside Dayn. I had come to realize that while Redvyr had many strong warriors, Leifkyn, Dayn, and Brohm were those he and Bezaliel trusted the most with the more delicate information or situations in the clan.
“‘Vahka-dur’ is what you likely heard.” She rolled her tongue on the ‘r’ sound.
“Yes,” I added excitedly, “that’s exactly what he said.”
“Do you know its meaning?” asked Redvyr, sitting beside me.
“When I was young, before I came to the Vanglosa clan, my mentor was a god seer. She taught me many things. One of themwas the words of the Godjin that had been recorded by others.” Her expression was sober and grave as she added, “Yes, I know the meaning of ‘Vahka-dur.’” She rolled the ‘r’ again. “The literal meaning is, ‘By the god’s blood.’ The god seers who have heard this command in their visions believe that it is a summoning power from the god who holds command over the dark shadows of the world.” She swallowed hard before saying, “The most feared and twisted god of the underworld, Somdahl.”
I frowned, for there was only one god of the underworld—Mavgahr. He was depicted as cold and somber, but also benevolent.
“Is this a dark fae god?” I asked, petting Wolf’s back as he snoozed. “I’ve never heard of him.”
Redvyr was scowling. “No one worships Somdahl. He keeps his souls in the deepest pits of the hells, where he tortures them endlessly. He is the lord of the most wicked and evil of spirits. He is only known as one to fear. That is likely why you have never heard of him.”
“Great,” snapped Leifkyn. “So this piece of filth Selestos was commanding the power of the most evil god known to dark faekind.”
I shivered at the thought of him dragging me down into that abyss, no telling where he’d been trying to take me and Saralyn. Redvyr wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me closer on the low bench we sat upon together.
“That makes sense,” I added. “When Selestos first entered the clearing with the old oak, there was a pall of heaviness that came with him. I can’t quite explain it, but I know it was dark magick radiating from Selestos.”
“I felt it,” said Bezaliel, his voice serious and deep.
“I did as well,” agreed Redvyr.
“Aye,” added Brohm.
A tinkling sound and the flapping of tiny wings alerted us to Hallizel arriving. Wolf twitched his ear and lifted his head then instantly laid it back down and closed his eyes.
The sprite had been gone for a few days since the incident in the woods. She zipped across the tent directly to Tessa and Saralyn, the babe snuggled tightly to her mother’s bosom.
“Hallizel,” said Bezaliel, the only one besides Tessa and the baby who she listened to, “did you deliver the message?”
The blue-bodied sprite turned her wide, round black eyes to the group, her taloned-feet clutching the blanket wrapping Saralyn’s legs. The sprite was obsessed with and devoted to the infant. According to Redvyr, it had taken Bezaliel quite a lot of convincing and coercion to get her to leave Saralyn to deliver the message to Prince Torvyn in the Solgavia Mountains.
“Yes,” she chirped in her high trilling voice. “I delivered the message.”
“Did you deliver it to Prince Torvyn? Or his priest, Vallon?”
