“I have Violet’s memories,” I answered him.
His hand was on my head before I could draw back. His eyes shot wide. “How did that happen?”
I shrugged. “She did it. I needed answers and we didn’t have time. So she gave me everything.”
“How are you not insane?” he breathed. I wasn’t sure if he’d meant to say it out loud.
I cracked a wry grin. “I imagine I have you and Freya to thank for that. I felt you both while I was in stasis. But it’s similar to flipping through a book now, instead of having two identities.”
I felt Griff pacing outside the door.“You have thirty more seconds, Princess, before I come in there and get you.”
“Aren’t you known kingdom wide for your patience and control?”
“Not when it comes to you.”
As if Andrei knew what was happening between us, he went to the door. Before he opened it, he gave me a long look and said sharply, “We’re not done discussing this.”
As soon as the door opened, Griff strode in, his eyes sweeping over me, checking for any change that had occurred in the last ten minutes while I was locked in a healer’s room before wrapping an arm around my waist.
“I take it you both accepted the bond?” Andrei stated mildly, taking in Griff’s protective stance.
I nodded as Griff simply tucked me tighter against him.
“When did you become such a possessive asshole?”I asked him.
“Less than ten minutes after I met you.”
Andrei cocked his head to one side, as though listening to something. “I’ll keep it secret until you two decide to share.”
“Thank you,” I whispered. Griff just stood stiffly at my side.
“You could be a little nicer to him. He’s just trying to help,”I told Griff.
“Princess, I’ve spent months holding myself back from touching you, from acting on these thoughts. I’m out of patience. And right now, I can’t get out of my head how good you taste. And how wet you currently are. So wrap up this conversation. Now.”
I thanked Andrei again, a bit abruptly, and walked out of his office, Griff following so close behind me, I could feel his breath on my neck, his hand, as usual, on my lower back.
“You know there’s a desk in our suite right?”I reminded him.
I felt a wave of desire crash through the bond again.“After you.”
But before we could take more than a few steps, I heard my name called out.
Shit.
“Shit,” he echoed, his hand dropping from my waist.
I closed my eyes.“My thoughts exactly.”
“Lexie, you’re up!” Freya bounded down the hallway, Finn close behind. “How are you feeling?”
Right. I was supposed to be recovering from magical exhaustion, not being thoroughly debauched by my secret mate.
I caught Finn’s concerned look and felt a stab of guilt. Freya’s eyes narrowed, her face settling into her healer expression as she looked between us, before a knowing gleam entered her eyes.
“I’m good, Freya.” My eyes met Griff’s, and the heat hidden there nearly undid me. “Really, really good.”
I quickly filledFinn and Freya in on everything that had happened—well, almost everything. The omission sat heavy in my chest as I watched Finn’s face, waiting for some hint of awkwardness after ourlast encounter when he’d kissed me. But he simply listened with the same focused intensity he always brought to these puzzles, as if that moment had never happened. Perhaps it hadn’t mattered as much to him as I’d feared.
