“I sang to you, combed your hair eight times, talked about everything and nothing for hours, and when my throat was sore from the constant noise, I listened to your heartbeat just to make sure you werestill alive.”
His eyes flicked up to the top of my head. “I also, uh, made you alittle present.”
My hands floated up and my fingertips touched soft petals. I carefully removed a circle of flowers from my head to admire it. The crown was a complicated braid of vines with tiny blue flowers with heart-shaped petals. Riyan had weaved the vines together in a strong bond, letting the blue blossoms show on the outside edge ofthe crown.
Riyan smiled. “I went through four of those because the vines were so delicate theykept snapping.”
My cheeks flushed as I admired the crown. “What kind of flowers are these? I have never seen anything likethese before.”
“I hadn’t seen them before either. They were growing up the side of the cave and I thought they were pretty—pretty enough to make into a ‘we’ve been married for a week’ present foryou, anyway.”
I put the crown back on top of my head and then pressed my hand over my full heart. Riyan’s cheek’s flushed pink, even under the cerulean light of the crystals, and he glanced at the trickling stream in the middle ofthe cave.
“I needed something to give me hope,” Riyan said. “The half moon came, so I knew it had been a week since our marriage started and…it made me miss you even more. I concentrated on making the crown and pictured you opening your eyes surrounded in flowers. I don’t know, I was desperate. It was the longest two days ofmy life.”
Two days. I had never slept for that long before, not even when I was confined to my bed in the days after Erik and Endre died. The Man of the Mountain took me West of the Moon and East of the Sun not only to show me what a monster I was, but also that Riyan was my protectorand guardian.
Gratitude filled my chest along with warmth from a tender heart that fluttered only for him. “I cannot believe you took care of me for twowhole days.”
“Of course I did,” Riyan said with a small laugh that shook under my knees. “You know, when I was younger and still clinging to the hope of being in Selection Night, I would dream of what my life would be like once I got my promised Ashmore bride. I used to imagine being around my gorgeous, naked wifeall the time.Well, nothing like the past two days was anything like I had fantasized.”
The fire ignited under my belly again. I let my head fall to one side and batted my eyelashes at him. My heart thudded. Blood pulsed in my hips with agentle heat.
My breath was warm and heavy as I leaned forward so Riyan’s eyes were the same level asmy own.
“And what did you use to fantasize about?” I whispered. I kissed him on the cheek. My clavicle pressed against his strong jaw. My peaked nipples brushed against the tight muscles of his neck. “I am just dyingto know.”
Riyan’s throat bobbed and his voice was strained. “Interesting choiceof words.”
I hummed against his cheek as I kissed him again. His muscles tightened underneath my legs and his heartbeat slammed intomy knees.
“Since I am fully healed, we are alone in this nice, cozy cave, and Fraleigh said nothing was impossible…,” I whispered into his skin. I placed another kiss on his cheek, making a trail of kisses down to his lips. “We should try sex again. Fraleigh thought we were not trying hard enough and Rosaline did say sheknows everything…”
I let myself trail off, giving Riyan a pause to answer. He took atense breath.
“You remember what happened last time.” His voice was as dark asthe night.
I pulled away from his face and sat on my knees again. Although Riyan’s eyes devoured me, his jaw was set tight and unmoving. He was afraid of crushing me again, but Ashmore taught us how to fulfill our marital duties while on top ofa man.
“You can stay on your back this time.” My fingertips traced circles around the muscles of his chest like I was stirring tea. “So I will only gasp for air in agood way.”
I wanted Riyan to reach up and touch me, but he kept both his hands pressed against the cave floor as he propped himself up on his elbows. His eyes darkened as they raked alongmy body.
“You don’t get it.” His voice was low in his throat. “It’s not going to fit, and if you try, I am going to rip youin half.”
My chest rose and fell. I could make my own determination if he could fit—it wasmybody, after all. I turned my head to see if I could make a visual judgment when Riyan caught my cheek with his fingertip and forced me to facehim again.
“No,” Riyan commanded. He did not blink. He did not breathe. “Just wait until I am normal-sized. We’ll find Daigen eventually and then you can ride me until your legs falloff. Deal?”
Eventually. I bit my tongue and studied Riyan’s tight muscles. If I had wasted two days being asleep, that meant we only had twenty-two days left until the next full moon. Rosaline had warned me that Daigen was tricky and he could elude usfor weeks.
“We do not have time to find Daigen,” I pleaded as he dropped his hand to the cave floor. “We need to try or else our marriagewill annul.”
My heart pounded as I pictured going back to Hyton as the Duke’s property—trapped in the House of warring bulls forever. I could hear gossip pricking my ears, smell rotten perfume masking the odor of lustful sweat, and taste endless draughts of wine to drown my sorrow and rage until I faded into the fog of numbness anddied inside.
I shook my head quickly, forcing myself to remember that I was with Riyan and not at Hyton Palace. “Duke Hyton cannot own me. I have no idea what he will do to me in that palace with all thoseawful people—”
Riyan silenced me by gently tugging my wrist forward. “Come here.” His voice kissed my shoulders as softlyas wool.
