Page 238 of Kingdom of Ash

She whacked his arm, the droplet of water soaking into the sleeve of his shirt. “It’s a wonder I learned anything from you with that sort of encouragement.” She shook the wetness from her hand. Right into his face.

Rowan nipped at her nose. “I do keep a tally, Princess. Of all the horrible things that come out of your mouth.”

Her toes curled, and she dragged her fingers through his hair, luxuriating in the silken strands. “How shall I pay for this one?”

On the other side of the door, she could have sworn that cat-soft feet quickly padded away.

Rowan smirked, as if sensing Gavriel’s swift exit, too. Then his handflattened on her abdomen, his mouth grazing the underside of her jaw. “I’ve been thinking of some ways.”

But the hand he’d set on her belly pushed down just enough that Aelin let out anoomph. And realized that she’d been asleep for three days—and had the bladder to go with it. She winced, shooting to her feet. She swayed, and he was instantly there, steadying her. “Before you ravish me wholly,” she declared, “I need to find a bathing room.”

Rowan laughed, stooping to gather his sword belt, left neatly by the wall alongside hers. Only Gavriel would have arranged them with such care. “That need indeed trumps what I had planned.”

People gawked in the halls, some whispering as they passed.

The queen and her consort. Where do you think they’ve been these past few days?

I heard they went into the mountains and brought the wild men back with them.

I heard they’ve been weaving spells around the city, to protect it against Morath.

Rowan was still smirking when Aelin emerged from the communal ladies’ bathing room.

“See?” She fell into step beside him as they aimed not for their room and ravishment, but for the hallway where food had been laid out. “You’re starting to like the notoriety.”

Rowan arched a brow. “You think that everywhere I’ve gone for the past three hundred years, whispers haven’t followed me?” She rolled her eyes, but he chuckled. “This is far better thanCold-hearted bastardorI heard he killed someone with a table leg.”

“Youdidkill someone with a table leg.”

Rowan’s smirk grew.

“And youarea cold-hearted bastard,” she threw in.

Rowan snorted. “I never said those whispers were lies.”

Aelin looped her arm through his. “I’m going to start a rumor about you, then. Something truly grotesque.”

He groaned. “I dread the thought of whatyoumight come up with.”

She adopted a harsh whisper as they passed a group of human soldiers. “You flew back onto the battlefield to peck out the eyes of our enemies?” Her gasp echoed off the rock. “Andatethose eyes?”

One of the soldiers tripped, the others whipping their heads to them.

Rowan pinched her shoulder. “Thank you for that.”

She inclined her head. “You’re very welcome.”

Aelin kept smiling as they found food and ate a quick lunch—it was midday, they’d learned—sitting side by side in a dusty, half-forgotten stairwell. Much like the days they’d spent in Mistward, knee to knee and shoulder to shoulder in the kitchen while listening to Emrys’s stories.

Though unlike those months this spring, when Aelin set down her plate between her feet, she slid her arms around Rowan’s neck and his mouth instantly met hers.

No, it was certainly not at all like their time at Mistward as she crawled into Rowan’s lap, not entirely caring that anyone might stride up or down the stairs, and kissed him silly.

They halted, breathless and wild-eyed, before she could decide that it really wouldn’t be a bad idea to unfasten his pants right there, or that his hand, discreetly and lazily rubbing that damned spot between her thighs, should be inside her.

If Aelin was being honest with herself, she was still debating hauling him into the nearest closet when they set off to find their companions at last. One glance at Rowan’s glazed eyes and she knew he was debating the same.

Yet even the desire heating her blood cooled when they entered the ancient study near the top of the keep and beheld the gathered group. Fenrys and Gavriel were already there, Chaol with them, no sign of Elide or Lorcan.

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