His eyes examined the jagged edge of the broken rune. “Fuck, how hard was I—”
Snow melted away from my feet as I ran to him. A storm of ice and white fire raged in my chest along with the pressure between my legs. The words on his lips vanished the moment I sat on the hard wall of muscle on his lower abdomen.
“I need more,” I panted. I wrapped my hand around him—my fingers did not even touch my thumb, but I would not stop. I lowered myself onto him and my eyes rolled back as he filled me up again.
I pressed my hands against his chest and slowly moved my hips.
My turn to have control.
I had practiced on my pillow enough times at Ashmore to know the motion, but Riyan’s hands gripped my hips and helped me.
“You take me so well, Sera,” he said with a wicked smile. “Keep going.”
I pressed my fingertips into Riyan’s chest as I grinded against him. The sensation was reaching its peak. My legs started to shake. His muscles tightened and shuddered in response.
“Sera,” he breathed, “I’m about to—”
At last, I sailed into that sweet release. My legs trembled around him as I rode into it, higher and higher.
Riyan gripped my thighs hard enough to bruise and hissed out a breath, but I did not stop. I was about to explode. A second orgasm rolled through me and I lost control of my muscles.
With a gasp, I came out on the other side of my climax. The stars danced in my vision. I could only register the soft hair on Riyan’s chest beneath my hands as I folded forward.
We panted, listening to each other’s heartbeats slow down as I laid on his chest. Riyan’s arms wrapped around my back, his fingers slowly drawing soft little circles on my skin. A quick sweep of my magic cleaned me off and I let myself rest.
No more cracking or rumbling stone. No echoes of screams. Even the wind was still.
My head was swimming and my body was limp, but I mustered the strength to speak. “I love you, Riyan.”
“I…you…” he said with a thick tongue, too dazed to talk. He chuckled lightly and kissed the top of my head. Suddenly the sound of a wave washed into my mind, carrying his voice with it. “I love you too.”
I propped myself up on my elbows as I looked down at him. No light was shining between his eyes, but it did not need to.
We had a blood bond—a permanent tether into each other’s minds.
I just hoped that would be enough to keep us together when my bargain would soon force us apart.
If I could have just stayed on Riyan’s chest at the peak of Nordingaard mountain for the rest of my eternity, I would have been happy.
But my happiness was not part of the bargain I made.
Out of the corner of my eye, the swirling water in the Man of the Mountain’s grave flared with white light. It was calling me.
I slowly pushed off Riyan and walked through the snow. I crossed my arms over my bare breasts as the chill raised the hairs on my skin. My toes stopped on the smooth stones at the edge of the well as the water gurgled, pushing something to the surface.
Bronze flashed through the rainbow light in the water and I could not help but laugh—the Hyton dagger had returned. I dipped my hand into the warm water and pulled it out by the hilt.
A dark lump followed it. I furrowed my brows as I pulled mounds of sopping fabric out of the well.
Riyan had followed me to the edge of the well and eyed the heavy fabric in my hands. “What is that?”
I commanded each tear dampening the fabric to dissipate into the air. The folds of grey, green, and brown dappled cloth were instantly dry. I picked through the cloth and held out a simple linen chemise and leather slippers that likely came from my wardrobe at Bloodstone Fortress.
I frowned at the familiar cloaks in my hands as I tossed them into the snow. Daigen could not earn back my trust with favors.
As I slipped on the chemise and the shoes, Riyan picked the green and brown cloak off the pile and let the thick fabric tumble down. “The Man of the Mountain is giving us presents?”
“No.” My voice was pinched, but Riyan’s hands throwing the cloak around my bare shoulders made me unclench.
