‘You’re driving me wild, Viper. Now be a good girl and come for me,’ I whispered into her ear, nipping the soft flesh of her lobe, when she moaned. ‘I want to see the stars explode with emerald fire in your eyes. I want to feel your magic blazing over my skin.’
Sana’s breath hitched when I teasingly pinched her delicate pearl, then bit her shoulder to hear that soft, desperate whimper. She was so close I could feel it, the tightening of her channel, the frantic moans escaping with each slow thrust, her body begging for release, but she resisted.
I leaned back, grasping her throat with my free hand, while pinching her sensitive flesh harder. ‘Scream my name when you fall apart, beloved. Scream my name, Sanika.’
‘Reynard… Oh gods, Rey!’ The sob turned into a scream, destroying my restraint. Goosebumps swept over my skin, responding to her magic as it wrapped around us in a cocoon, setting my blood on fire. I pounded her pulsing core with sweet abandon, unable to form coherent thought except for one devastating certainty:
Sana was my life, and I would tear apart the veil itself to protect her.
Heat built at the base of my spine, urgent and demanding, and I let the pleasure crest, roaring her name as I erupted inside her, my body shivering uncontrollably.
‘Stay with me… please,’ I murmured, sated and drowsy, then finally gave in to the overwhelming exhaustion. I wanted to stay like this, joined with my greatest weakness and most beautiful blessing.
Roksana chuckled softly when she reached down to pull the covers over our bodies. ‘Get some rest, Rey. I’ll be here when you wake up.’
I wanted to tell her how much I loved her, that she was my light, but my lips mangled the words, turning them into nonsense. Moments later, my mumbling turned into a carefree smile as the scent of lilac and honey wrapped around me like a sweet promise, chasing me into oblivion.
Chapter 9
Reynard
Aloud banging chased my dreams away, but it took far too long to realise someone was knocking on the door. I reached out, searching for Roksana, but the other side of the bed was empty and cold. I sat up, looking around, but she was nowhere in sight. Was last night’s tryst all a dream? I couldn’t restrain a satisfied grin as I lifted my hand to my lips, and it still carried her scent.
‘Your Majesty, sunset approaches. I brought you something to eat before…’ the servant stuttered into silence, gasping and pulling away when I ripped the door open.
‘Where’s the woman from this room?’ I asked, barely recognising my own voice.
‘Lady Roksana is with the dwarf warlock, my lord. She sent the food…’ The boy was clearly avoiding my eyes, unless there was a spider on the roof beam performing magic.
‘Look at me,’ I said, and his face turned an interesting shade of crimson.
‘My king, your clothes…’
I grasped the tray with a groan. ‘Go to the Lord Marshal. I’ll be down momentarily.’
I needed sustenance and clothing, but most of all, I needed to know if Tova had found the box outside the village, all preferably before I made a fool of myself by sleeping through the next battle.
When I joined the soldiers downstairs, Ivar was already briefing the other officers on our defences. He confirmed Roksana was with Tova, and by the time I arrived at the palisade, the dwarf had organised the soldiers, setting up several stacks of wood and coal, with jars of his green fire sitting beside each one.
After checking the last pile, Roksana turned, her eyes meeting mine, and a beautiful smile lit up her face. She marched towards me through the mud, slipping when she stepped on a frozen puddle.
‘We found the box.’ She grinned, her cheeks flushed from work and the cold.
‘I’m glad to hear it, Viper, but didn’t you forget your promise that I would wake up next to you?’ I teased, tapping the tip of her nose.
‘I never said any such thing.’ Sana grinned when my eyebrow arched. ‘I said I’ll be here and I am… here.’ She gestured to the village.
‘Well, thanks to your interpretation of this promise, the tavern’s servant can’t look me in the eye without remembering the size of my cock,’ I deadpanned, embracing her.
‘Wait… what?’ She looked at me, blinking rapidly, before biting her lip to hold back laughter. ‘No, you didn’t…’
‘Oh yes, I did, and I’m blaming you. Now tell me about the box. Will I need to be a draft horse again? If so, I need to dress appropriately.’ I nodded towards the enhanced defences set up while I’d been peacefully sleeping.
The palisade looked like a ring of fire, with braziers in front of every archer, ready to burn away the darkness at the first sign of danger. The sun was swiftly disappearing behind the horizon, and dusk was slowly turning the world grey as a gentle breeze stirred the falling snow.
‘Come, I need to show you what Tova discovered,’ Sana said softly, taking my hand. The ground was slippery, packed with snow and ice, giving me a perfect excuse to embrace her waist as she led us to the stable.
I didn’t know what to expect, but it certainly wasn’t a cursing dwarf with red-rimmed eyes and a face swollen from the lack of sleep. Tova strained, trying to pry open an ordinary-looking silver box surrounded by my highest-ranked battlemages.
