“Fuck, Cordelia,” he groaned against my neck.
“Mmhmm.”
I breathed heavily against his chest as we lay sprawled across the sofa. Blood trickled down my arm, now dried; the fresh marks on my shoulder healed. I both lowered and lifted mynightdress, adjusting its straps over my shoulders. The jar of water, I noticed, was undisturbed.
Wait, did I unknowingly control my powers?
“You did good today,” Aegir said, smiling. He tucked a strand of stray hair away from my face. “Day one as queen and you literally destroyed my brother.”
“I did notliterallydestroy your brother. He was in one piece the last time I saw him. And oh, his finger, really?” Our chests rumbled against each other as we giggled.
Then my voice turned quiet. “It makes more sense now, don’t you think? That your god chose a queen for you and not a servant.”
I had barely finished my sentence—he had already pulled us up into a sit.
“Look at me.” I looked. “Whether you’re Cordelia Wildheart who reads stories to a mare named Cinnamon or Queen Elara Briartide, ruler of Ilma, you are worthy of me just the same.”
“I miss her terribly.”
“We’ll make sure you’ll see her again. When it’s time to go back south, you’re coming with me. I never want you to leave my side.”
Then I told him what I hadn’t told anyone in over ten years. “I love you.”
He grazed my jaw and pressed a soft kiss on my lips. “I love you.”
CHAPTER 75
Come morning, I planned on asking Aegir questions about the meeting.
But I would ask later. Yes,definitelylater.
I was too busy, with my arms outstretched, my hands clenching the headboard’s fur as I rode his beautiful face. His hands grasped my rear, guiding my thighs in tandem with his tender tongue strokes.
“Aegir, I—Aegir.” That was all I could breathe.
Then the whole world shifted around me, and I found myself half laughing, half panting beneath him.
“You bewitch me, you know,” he rasped, biting on my lower lip and clenching my thigh. But his mischievous smile faded into a glower as the door pounded in forceful beatings. I slid from beneath him and jolted off the bed, clawing at the infinite number of blankets in search of my buried nightdress.
“Hey, no, come back here,” Aegir said, reaching an arm towards me.
“Did you forget the sound barrier? The whole castle must have heard me!” I blushed at the thought.
More door pounding, then, “Are you planning on keeping her away from me forever?”
“Who’s that? And please don’t ever forget the sound barrier,” I warned, hastily putting on my nightdress. Aegir got off the bed and lifted several blankets, looking for his crumpled cotton trousers.
“That’s my sister, and I didn’t forget the sound barrier.” Then he shouted towards the doorway, “Unfortunately, she is such a snoop that both Boreas and Sylva blessed her with the power of it.” Aegir reached for his shirt, then looked my way. His voice lowered. “She can form and breach protection wards as she pleases. That’s one of her many annoying abilities.”
The nightdress was certainly not enough. I threw on last night’s coat whilst setting a mental reminder to get Emika’s from the guest room. Then I stood by the bedroom doorway, hidden behind the wall. Aegir adjusted himself before opening the door that was being knocked on in a repetitive and irritating manner. “Open the godsdamned d—”
“Go. Away! We’re busy.”
“Oh, come on! It’s not like I didn’t let her finish,” she argued, shoving both of her arms into his chest. My cheeks blushed and I took one step back.
“How dare you hide my sister from me?” she demanded, making her way into the seating room, pointing a long finger at Aegir’s face.
I was indecisive over whether to step out or retreat, but when I was certain that she was going to look my way, I cowered behind the wall. My timidity only allowed me to get a few quick glimpses of her. She was tall—taller than Nadya—and her skin…I could tell that her golden tan was darker than Aegir’s, just from the colour of her face. Her thick and curly hair was dark brown with the exception of one bit at the front, which was as white as the snow of Nivaria. It wasn’t like Ryvar’s, where white streaks striated his hair as they pleased. Hers seemed deliberate. Footsteps neared, and the thought of her witnessing our mess of a bedroom fuelled me with the courage I needed to finally make my way into the sitting room.
