Page 168 of A Queen This Fierce and Deadly

I glanced back down at the crossbow in my arms. He could have commissioned something plain. Sturdy. But he’d taken the time to ensure it was something I would find beautiful. My stomach tumbled, and the grin that broke out on my face was so wide, my cheeks ached.

“I love it.”

“Good. I had a protection charm placed within it.”

Of course he had.

Burying my hand in his shirt, I pulled him closer, showing my appreciation with a kiss. Our kiss deepened, and before I knew it, I was riding him with a crazed desperation.

We dozed for a few more hours, made love once more, and the next time I opened my eyes, the tent had lightened.

The air in my lungs froze, and I took several moments to come to terms with what that meant.

The sun was rising.

Demos stroked my back. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”

I lifted my head, finding him looking down at me. Each time he told me that, I heard what he was saying. That he would prioritize my life over his own.

“Stop. I don’t want to think like that. I don’t wantyouto think like that.”

He just watched me. My heart was pounding in my throat, and my entire body felt like it was suddenly too small. Demos was the kind of man who would sacrifice himself for the people he loved in the blink of an eye. He’d barely known Pris before he took an arrow for Tibris— all so she wouldn’t have to face losing the brother she’d known for longer than him.

I sat up, rolling out of bed. I needed to move. Needed to do something about the unrestrained fury that burned through me at the thought of Demos not being here when all of this was over.

He was standing a moment later, my hand in his. “Sin.”

“I want you to focus on staying alive,” I said.

He pressed his lips to my cheek, my jaw, my neck. “Of course I will.” His tone was slightly affronted. Teasing. “I’m looking forward to having you all to myself.”

Demos stepped away to pull on his clothes. I did the same. And even with the undercurrents simmering in this tent with us…

Readying myself for the day with him felt natural. As if we had been doing it for years.

I pulled on my boots and picked up my crossbow, still admiring it. When I raised my head, I caught Demos’s lips quirk, but he also looked…proud.

“You should go work with it,” he said. “It’s a new weapon. You need to get a feel for it.”

“Do I have time?”

He strode toward me, and my skin tingled as he gave me one of his smirks. “I’ll cover for you.”

His mouth found mine, and the world disappeared forjust a few moments.

But boots had begun to march past our tent, and he sighed against my lips. “I’ll see you soon.”

When he left, I stared around the empty tent, the crossbow in my hand, and just soaked in everything that had happened.

We had a future. I knew we did. And I wouldn’t let Regner take it from us.

Grabbing my new quiver, I strode out of the tent, making my way to the small training area one of Vicer’s people directed me to.

The space was little more than a narrow clearing for swordplay, with a lone target set up for archers. It was quieter here, the tense voices of the camp little more than a murmur as I plucked my first arrow and loaded it.

The crossbow was surprisingly light, and yet its balance was perfect. It fit into my hands as if created specifically for them––as if Demos had somehow measured the width of my palms, the length of my fingers.

The bowstring was made of a material I didn’t recognize. It was both supple and strong, pulling back smoothly with far less effort than I was accustomed to.

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