Once we’ve crossed half the grounds and walked through endless feet of snow does Sienna open her eyes. Fatigue clouds her mind and must overtake any sense of self-preservation, otherwise she would have never allowed me to remove her from the castle. I hold her tighter to my chest, knowing howprecious her submission is. After she’s rested and regained her strength, she won’t be nearly as malleable, but her inner spark has diminished after expending so much energy during the games . . . and whatever came after.
Alistair’s scent clings to her. Though most of his blood burned off from Sienna’s flames, the memory of their brawl is as fresh as the mark burned onto her neck, a permanent reminder of her fated connection with him. It shouldn’t be a proper mating mark, but I’m not an expert in shifter mating rituals. We’ll have to seek more information on the subject to determine what transpired between them, but for now, I’m content to wile away the hours with my intended.
No more thoughts of other men allowed tonight.
We reach an open field at the outskirts of the academy grounds. Snow blankets the earth in every corner except for one, its magic strong enough to repel winter’s kiss. Flowers bloom in vibrant shades of blue and violet, their petals glowing faintly in the darkness. Soft grass clings to my cloak as I walk across the meadow, and I taste the magic seeping from the ground below. This is the only magical conduit I’ve found above ground and the only one that I can safely bring Sienna to.
My blood stirs as I imagine a tender smile falling across her lips the moment she realizes that we’re outside. She should enjoy resting beneath an open sky, far away from the troubles lurking within castle walls.
Wolves howl in the distance, and hyenas respond in kind. A few deer run across the meadow, keeping enough space between us that Sienna hardly notices their presence. Only once I’ve sat upon the earth and stretched my legs out in front of me with her head in my lap does she stir, rousing herself to peer up at me with tired, bloodshot eyes.
“Where are we?” She asks, rubbing her face. Despite the flurrying snow and biting chill in the breeze, she remains warmto the touch, her cheeks full of color. “This isn’t exactly what I pictured when you mentioned sleeping together.”
“I never mentioned sleeping,” I tease, chuckling at a tiny skip of her heartbeat. If tonight had unfolded as planned, I would have taken her to my chambers to steal as much of her as I could. But after witnessing the carnage of the games, I realized that she would need more than a vampire’s selfish desire to warm her bed tonight.
She needs somewhere safe to recover.
“I thought you might like to see the stars.” I tuck a strand of hair behind her ear and allow myself to linger, the heat of her skin burning so hot that I anticipate her bursting into flame any moment. “They’ve been waiting to see you.”
Her wide-eyed stare reflects the silver starscape over our heads. “You’ll burn in the sun, Callum.”
Surprising myself, I press a chaste kiss to her forehead. “Some things are worth burning for.”
Sienna blinks to rid her eyes of tears and grasps my shirt tightly in her hands. “No one is dying today. Promise me.”
My heart tumbles and trips, quickly falling at this woman’s feet. “No one is dying today,” I promise, gently prying her hand loose and lacing our fingers together. “We’ll leave shortly after dawn.”
I brought her here to soak in the rejuvenating wellspring of magic and enjoy the remnants of night by my side, but she hardly notices the flowers bending their spines to reach her. She holds my gaze long after the stars have slipped away.
For that one fleeting moment when time no longer matters to a mortal, do the gods shroud them from death and offer a glimpse of immortality?
“Do you want to know what eternity tastes like?” I ask, gently caressing Sienna’s cheek. “I can show you.”
Her heart pounds. “And if I say yes? What happens then?”
I stare into her wide eyes. “You step into my world, Wildflower. For as long as you want.”
Feeding her my blood will deepen our connection, but it comes at a price.
We won’t be able to keep our hands off each other for long.
After considering my offer, she shakes her head. “Ask me again during the next full moon.” She settles into my lap and closes her eyes. “I’m tired tonight.” She drifts into a light slumber moments later, and I remain vigilant.
The magic emanating from the meadow is enough to block our scents and signatures from prying eyes and ears. Revyn could be searching the entire castle for her, out of his mind with worry. Even Alistair might be wondering where she is and why he can no longer sense her presence.
They don’t deserve her like I do.
Caressing her knuckles with my thumb, I memorize the patterns of her skin, each and every wrinkle as important as the next. She twitches and sighs, then sits up and rubs her tired eyes.
I scan her body as though I can find the source of her discomfort. “Are you feeling better?” The conduit’s natural magic should be helping to recover her own. “We can retire when you’re ready.”
“I want to stay,” she murmurs, teasing a soft flower petal between her fingers. “We have nowhere to be until classes start tomorrow.”
And the body count from the games has been finalized.
Rather than dwell on bygones, I humor my guest. “Seeing as our evening was interrupted, I’m yours for the day.” Spending time with Sienna has never been more important. Alistair has officially shunned her after her transformation, and Revyn should be brooding for a while longer after the damage he caused her. There’s never been a better chance to win Sienna’s favor. “Though I’d prefer to stay indoors if given a choice.”
A teasing smile graces her petite mouth. “Can’t withstand a beautiful sunny day?”
