Training had been relentless. Morning until night, Sorcha had been pushed to her limits, her body aching in ways she hadn’t thought possible. The weight of their mission loomed over them But tonight, for just a moment, they could breathe.
The tavern was warm, filled with the low hum of conversation, the clatter of tankards meeting wood, and the occasional burst of laughter from Drystan, who seemed to be regaling Eirin with some wild tale. The fire crackled in the hearth, casting flickering light over their faces as the group nursed their drinks.
Eirin was the first to leave, stretching as he pushed back from the table. “I’ve got some things to take care of,” he said, his tone unreadable. His gaze lingered on Sorcha for a second longer than necessary before he turned and disappeared into the night.
Cat followed soon after, yawning dramatically. “Well, this has been delightful, but I think I’ll go exploring. Perhaps I’ll find something interesting… or pretty to borrow.” His eyes gleamed with mischief. He flicked his tail lazily before adding, “Goodnight, Sunshine.”
And then it was just her and Kyron. Sorcha exhaled, the tavern suddenly feeling smaller, warmer. Kyron leaned back in his chair, watching her.
“Come on,” he said finally, pushing to his feet. “Let me walk you home.”
She nodded as slight grin reached her lips.
The streets were quiet, the night crisp. Their boots crunched against the cobblestone, mist curling around the edges of the lantern lit path.
She was exhausted, but not too exhausted to feel the way his presence wrapped around her, steady and warm despite the chill.
When they reached her door, she turned to thank him but before she could, Kyron stepped closer, invading the space between them.
“Sorcha.” His voice was low, rough around the edges.
She swallowed hard. “Yes?”
His fingers brushed against her wrist light and her pulse fluttered.
Kyron inhaled loudly as if waging some internal battle but then gave in. The space between them disappeared. His lips crashed against hers. Sorcha gasped into the kiss, fingers tangling in his shirt, pulling him closer instead of pushing him away. His hands found her waist, anchoring her. It was a messy, breathless tangle of limbs and heat that it made her head spin.
They stumbled inside, barely making it past the threshold before Kyron’s hands were on her again, his body pressing her back against the door as his mouth claimed hers. She wasn’t sure who pulled who first, but suddenly they were moving, tripping over each other, lost in the haze of it. Somehow, they ended up in front of the hearth.
Kyron lowered her onto the rug, his body hovering over hers, the firelight casting golden embers across his face. She wanted this, she wanted him. He kissed a slow trail down her throat, his mouth lingering where her pulse beat just beneath the skin. His tongue tracing the line of hercollarbone, tasting salt and the faint earthy tang of magic that always clung to her.
He moved lower, his mouth charting a path down her body. Between kisses, his tongue swirled against her skin, teasing the spaces between. When he reached the hollow between her breasts she curled her fingers into his hair, holding him there just for a moment longer as he lifted her shirt. Cool air slid over her exposed skin, chasing the heat his mouth left behind. He continued to kiss her stomach slow, each press of his lips torching a fire inside her. When he reached her navel, he paused. His breath skated over her skin, and the heat of it sent more shivers through her. He dipped lower, lips grazing just above the band of her pants. His tongue traced a single, deliberate line across the sensitive strip of skin that made her stomach tighten.
Then he looked up, his eyes locked on hers as she held his gaze. He kissed her again, deep and slow, his hips rolling against hers as she wrapped her legs around him. Hereached for the button of her pants when her hands flattened against his chest.
Kyron froze, breath hitching as he looked down at her. They were tangled together, heat coiling, the air between them charged, but he didn’t push.
Her fingers curled into his tunic. “I can’t.”
Kyron didn’t move for a long moment. Then,
slowly, he exhaled. “Is everything okay?”
Sorcha bit her lip, forcing the words out even though they tasted bitter. “I don’t know what’s going to happen after tonight. I don’t know if I’ll make it out of the Veil.”
He bit the inside of cheek and spoke gently.
“You will.”
“I might not.” She stared into the fire as she spoke. “And I can’t… I can’t let us get mixed up, not with so much at stake.”
Kyron sat up, running a hand over his face.
“I understand.” His voice was quiet and she flinched at the softness in it. She wished he would scream, get angry or upset because it would make this whole situation easier to end.
“I don’t want to start something I can’t finish,” she admitted, continuing to try and explain, her voice barely above a whisper. “Not when everything is this uncertain.”
Kyron exhaled, his gaze sweeping over her face and body like he was trying to memorize every curve of her.
