“Mmmm,” he said against her lips. “That’s exactly what I wanted to hear.”
Guiding himself inside, he entered slowly, a groan leaving his lips as her tight heat gripped him.
“Oh god, yes,” Ava moaned when he bottomed out.
Casimir moved in slow, deep thrusts, rolling his hips with every plunge. His tongue tangled with hers in an aching attempt to claim her again. Because she was his. His love, his dear one, the woman he would do absolutely anything for.
His Miraêl Li’ra.
Chasing his release, he picked up the pace, his gaze never leaving her face. Ava closed her eyes and bit her lip, her fingers digging into the sheets above her head as she lost herself in pleasure.
“Look at me,” Casimir said. “I want to watch you come apart.”
She opened her eyes. Casimir reached between their bodies, working her clit. A bit of pressure change had her climaxing again, her walls clenching around him in heated passion. Ava cried out, clutching his neck and wrapping her legs around him, arching her back and angling him deeper. Bracing his arms on either side of her, he lowered his head into the crook of her neck, finding his own release with a few more powerful thrusts.
He groaned into her soft skin as he spilled inside of her. “You’re perfect. You were made for me.”
Ava whimpered, hands in his hair as she pulled him into a languid kiss. Their bodies glistened with sweat, their breaths came in short bursts, both spent but not ready to separate.
“You were made for me too,” she whispered.
8
Ava sat beside Casimir in the dining hall, relieved to have him back in Mosshaven. His hand rested on the back of her chair, twirling his fingers through her hair.
Thorne entered and took his seat at the head of the table. “We have a lot to catch you two up on.”
After they awoke yesterday, they’d spent most of the day in bed, alternating between holding each other, pouring out their hearts, and desperately making love as if they feared they’d never see one another again. They’d allowed themselves just one day to hide from the world.
But now it was time to get back to work.
“Ava,” Thorne began. “You will continue training with weapons, but your main focus will be portal magic with Jorrar and practicing control of your earth abilities with Raine.”
“Have you learned anything about the portal Andras opened?” she asked, slicing a piece of roasted pork on her plate.
“From what I’ve gathered,” Jorrar explained, “the amount of magic you use, and the length of time you feed it into the portal, coincide with how long it remains open. Based on whatyou told us, he likely wasn't able to get a large force through before it closed.”
Thorne sipped his wine. “Though it isn’t ideal, as long as we can secure our alliance with Caelestia, I don’t believe it will make or break our victory.”
“What if they refuse to help?” Ava asked, dipping her meat in gravy.
“Then, we will figure it out.”
“Thorne…I?—”
Her brother held up his hand. “If you apologize one more time…” His tone softened. “Ava…none of us blame you. Focus on the task at hand. We cannot go back and change the past. What’s done is done.”
“Alright,” she said, taking a bite.
“That’s not all.” Thorne gestured to Isolde, her silver eyes intense.
“Do you remember when I refused to leave the camp with you?” she asked Ava.
Ava nodded, swallowing.
“I knew they wouldn’t kill me if they learned it was I who helped you. I was too valuable to them.”
“How so?” Casimir asked.
