I followed his gentle pull and crawled forward a little. He let go of my wrist and wrapped my crimson cape around my shoulders. His heart still pounded underneath my legs and his eyes burned with desire, but he placed his hand on my back with the touch ofa protector.
“I want more than anything to fuck you and it’s torture.” Riyan’s tone was quiet and calm, but strained like a wolf on the end of a leash. “I wanted to tear that little green dress of yours to shreds the instant we were alone on our wedding night. When you kissed me in the field of lilies, I almost threw you into the flowers and tore into you right there. I might have even done it had we notbeen attacked.”
Riyan’s body warmed underneath me and his heart beat faster and faster despite the calmness of his voice. Every muscle was tight, like he struggled against invisible chains that pinned him down to thecave floor.
“But we know what happens when I lose control,” he said. Memories of the shattered bed and cracking ribs flashed through my mind. “I won’t be gentle with you, Ican’tbe…and I know I wouldkill you.”
His throat bobbed and his lip trembled. His fingers weighed onmy shoulder.
“That desperate, longing fear that consumed me for two of the darkest nights of my life is all that stops me from giving in to how my body begs for yours. I am more afraid of losing you than I am of the giants, the Duke, or even my fucking father. I will not lose you. Icannotlose you, so stop begging me with those big hazel eyes to let thebeast out.”
I clutched the cape around me. My fists trembled underneath the crimson wool. “But what ifDuke Hyton—”
Riyan raised his right hand and caught my chin on his knuckle. He held my face still while his eyes boreinto mine.
“If Duke Hyton does what?” Riyan growled. “We will quench our thirst for each other when the time is right, regardless of what moon hangs in the sky. If that man tries to lay a single greasy finger on you, I will tear his head off with a flick ofmy wrist.”
I gulped.
“He would still enforce the law,” I whispered as my jaw trembled against his hold on my chin. “He would not let the other Barons think anyone was above him, especially you. He would see it as a move to usurp the throne and send his army to get me if it meant keeping his control overthe Dukedom.”
Riyan smiled enough to show off his dimple and then chuckled low in his throat. “I have an army too, sweetheart. Not that I wouldneed them.”
He loosened his hold on my chin and stroked my cheek with his thumb. I closed my eyes and savored his sweet touch like it was another bite of aBloodstone apple.
“He can keep his stupid throne so long as I get to keep you,”he whispered.
I smiled against his thumb and opened my eyes. Riyan’s face was soft with his promise. He gently tapped the end of my nose with his index finger. “Be patient,Serafina Helia.”
A giggle like butterfly wings escaped my lips. He asked for patience, and yet he looked at me with his sparkling eyes, flexed his muscles underneath my legs, and whispered every promise my frightened little heart needed to hear. The more he spoke, the more I wanted to meld our bodies together and satisfy our blood bond that achedfor permanence.
The golden light sparked as I nuzzled Riyan’s thumb. The light blanketed my heart and fanned its warmth through my arms and legs. My shoulders sighed down. My jaw loosened. Myfists unclenched.
My handsome guardian of the crystal cave gave me a gift more valuable than any riches, stronger than any magic, and more powerful than any crown. For the first time in seven years, I finallyfelt safe.
“I still want to find Daigen,” I said. I flicked my gaze to his lips and then up to his twilight eyes. “If only because feeling youundermy legs and notbetweenmy legs ispure agony.”
Riyan laughed and lowered his hand from my jaw. “Then I suggest you slide off my chest before you make me any more…excited.” Riyan nodded toward my pile of clothes on the other side of the cave. “Some of your clothes should still be intact. Get dressed while I, uh,calm down.”
I held the cape closed around me as I climbed down from his chest. I carefully stepped around Riyan’s sword and hopped over the tiny stream bisectingthe cave.
I inspected the pile of rags that used to be my clothes. My shoes were fine. My skirt was mostly intact, but the waist was gone. My waist cincher was completely destroyed. My blouse and my stockings werein tatters.
As I sorted through the scraps, Riyan sang a low tune about various unappealing sights to get his blood flowing back intohis head.
“Toothless old crones fighting overdried prunes.”
I took the torn fabric of my white blouse and tied the ends together in simple knots, making a long piece of fabric. I laid that long piece flat across my breasts and wrapped it around the rest of my torso before tying it securely atmy waist.
“Bag of kittens drowning in anicy river.”
I tore excess fabric off my stockings but kept everything from the ankle-down intact. I took one torn stocking and made it into a belt to secure my skirt. With the other, I tied it around the Hyton dagger and tied it loosely around my hips. I folded and wrapped the cape around me and clasped it shut with the House ofRavenwood pin.
“General Hyton screaming inmy face.”
As Riyan sang, my mind fell back to the chasm with the Man of the Mountain. His low voice had surrounded me, singing the ancient song of lost love as he begged for my life. I stared at the crystal wall and as the memory of hands on my shoulders and a female voice whispering in my ear sent a chill downmy spine.
What would Riyan think of my journey West of the Moon and East ofthe Sun?
