‘Am I in trouble for speaking my mind, Lady Healer? Then I wouldn’t dare admit to dreaming of your delicious arse every moment I close my eyes.’
She chuckled at my teasing, an adorable blush appearing on her cheeks. ‘How much time do we have?’ Sana asked, threading her fingers through my hair.
‘A few hours? I need to be at the landing point before dawn.’
She bit her lower lip, her expression shifting. ‘The goddess gave me this night; let’s make the best of the time we have.’ The wording was strange, but I didn’t question her when she pulled me into a fierce, determined kiss. Our lips crashed together like we knew the world was going to end, teasing the most primal part of my soul.
‘No fur could warm up this cold warrior’s heart better than the fire in your touch,’ I said, desire spreading like molasses in my veins when she stroked my beard.
Sana gestured for me to put her down. When I did, she slapped my chest in mock annoyance, pushing me onto the bed. ‘Then you shouldn’t have sent me away, you bonehead.’
The frame bent under my weight but survived, the wood creaking as Sana straddled my hips.
‘Even the best of men make mistakes. I humbly admit mine.’ I’d never been good at courtly speech, but now it flowed easily, fuelled by the need I saw in her eyes. ‘My merciless, delicious Viper, please forgive this foolish warrior. After all, how often do you have a man in your bed who smells of… lavender?’ I finished taking a whiff. ‘Why in the gods do I smell like lavender?’
The scent, which had gone unnoticed when I opened the door, now intensified. Sweet and feminine, it clung to my skin. I sat up, looking in disbelief at the pillow covered with delicate, dry petals. As I’d fallen back, the satchel with dry flowers had torn open, and to make matters worse, they’d become entangled in my hair.
Sana bit her lip, trying to hold back her laughter but failing miserably. ‘It helps me sleep. Lately, it’s been… I don’t likesleeping alone.’ She forced between laughing gasps while I combed the dry petals from my hair.
I would rub myself against a rosebush to hear her laughter, I thought, letting her help me. With Sana, happiness smelled like herbs, and her smile could light a room brighter than the summer sun.
‘Well, since you’ve destroyed my sachet, tonight, I will sleep on this,’ she said, poking my chest. I groaned at the mischief in her eyes. Sana reached up and started playing with the amulet she’d given me. ‘You going to tell me the real reason you’re here?’ she asked, pushing away the hands reaching for her nightgown. ‘Speak, kingling. You wouldn’t leave your men on a whim. Even if you missed me.’
‘Undress me first,’ I asked quietly, delaying the moment I’d have to question her. Instead, my fingers began sliding over the soft skin of her thighs.Do I need to know what she is if we’re this happy? Would it change anything?My thoughts latched onto these questions while Roksana peeled off the layers of damp clothing.It isn’t about her birthright. It’s about trust and her safety. If she didn’t know, she’s at risk; if she knew…I couldn’t finish this thought. I closed my eyes, my concern growing, even under the distracting touch of Roksana’s fingers lightly caressing my cheek.
‘Whatever it is, you can trust me, Rey,’ she whispered, and before I knew it, I heard my own voice blurting out my worst fears.
‘But you couldn’t trust me.’
Roksana stilled, studying my expression. ‘What do you mean?’
I ran a hand through my hair, cursing myself for being so blunt. The speech I’d rehearsed on the dragon’s back had disappeared from my mind. ‘Fuck, that came out wrong.’ I caught Sana’s arms. Eyes narrowing, she looked like she was going to bolt out of bed. ‘Do you know you aren’t human?’I searched for a shred of shock in her gaze but found none. The tightness in my chest increased, but I ignored the intrusive thoughts. There had to be a reason for her silence.
Her fists balled when she pulled away, swallowing hard, her gaze failing to meet mine. Suddenly, her nostrils flared, and her pale skin flushed crimson. ‘My mother… She was a Vila. My father, my true father, is Boyan.’ Sana sat at the edge of the bed, turning her back to me. ‘I’m the daughter of a criminal and a Spirit of the Forest. That’s where my magic comes from,’ she said, pausing for a moment, pushing my hands away when I reached for her. ‘I’m sorry you had to travel so far to hear such a damning secret. If that changes how you feel about me, I understand. Now, please. See yourself out.’
The steel in her voice was laced with unshed tears. Roksana sat so tense I half-expected her to bolt the moment I moved. But she didn’t bend, didn’t break, just sat there with the calm dignity of a queen. She didn’t apologise for who she was. Any doubt I’d had vanished, leaving nothing but the love in my heart.
‘There’s no power in this world that could drag me from your side.’ I wrapped my arms around her shoulders and pressed my lips to her ear. ‘Is that why you hid the truth from me?’ I pulled her to my chest. ‘I don’t care if your mother were a Vila or Empress of the Dark Fae. I never cared.’
‘Rey, I’m sorry,’ she whispered as I stroked her hair.
‘So am I. Your distrust hurt me, Sanika, but I reacted badly.’ I touched the patch that covered my eye. ‘Nothing you say or do could ever chase me away.’ My voice was gentle, loving. I needed her to know how I felt and how much she meant to me.
Roksana twisted around in my arms, her eyes wide. Her pupils offered an imperfect reflection of my face, a brutal, scarred beast with a glowing eye, but with that turn, I knew she accepted me. ‘Rey, your eye is glowing.’ The concern in her voice eased thetightness in my chest. ‘If it’s because of me… I’m sorry.’ Her quiet apology broke me.
I pulled her closer, soothing the wildness inside me with her presence. ‘It’s glowing because the thought of losing you turns me into a beast. Will you tell me why I have to learn the truth from a dragon?’
Sana frowned, confused, but the longer I held her gaze, the more her body relaxed, until a smile teased her lips. This impossible woman then wrapped her arms around me and placed a kiss on my cheek. ‘I only learned I was different during my Geas Ceremony,’ she said, kissing my other cheek. ‘Then things… happened… and happened…’ Her kiss landed on the top of my nose. ‘And it just wasn’t important compared to everything else,’ she said before her lips caressed mine, making me groan.
‘There’s nothing more important than you,’ I murmured, deepening the kiss, pulling her back to the bed. Sana nestled against my chest, stroking the amulet, and I felt the tingle of her magic as she used it on the necklace.
‘Nothing?’ she asked, and I shook my head.
‘Woman, I flew to you with my beard freezing and my arse melting, just to warn you about your heritage, to tell you I’d always be there for you.’ I stopped and chuckled ruefully. ‘That was the speech I rehearsed on Vahin’s back.’ I tapped her nose. ‘I made a mess of it.’
‘Aww… my poor tenacious king. It’s only fair I send you back rested and ready.’ She drew the words out like a sweet promise, her fingers stroking my scarred flesh until they drifted to the lace of my breeches.
‘And just what do you think you’re doing now?’ I closed my eyes, leaning back to give her better access. I groaned when Sana’s other hand began its slow descent, using the light brush of her loosened hair as her guide.
