Page 34 of Sun Elves of Ardani

“You seem pleased by my touch.”

“Aren’t I supposed to be?” she said defensively.

“I think you’ve always wanted me. That’s why you asked for this. Just admit it.” His hand moved up to her side, grazing her ribs, and his lips brushed her neck.

“You, first.”

“Of course I wanted you,” he said without hesitation. “Who wouldn’t? You’re lovely.”

She could hear the heaviness in his voice now. It was the same tone of tight desire that was present in her own. It was exhilarating to think that she was having the same effect on him that he was on her.

What was the point of lying? “Yes. I’ve wanted you, too.”

There was a hitch in his movements as she spoke. His hand slowed on her side. For a moment, she thought he was going to back away. Then she felt his hand grope for her shoulder, then her face, finding her in the dark. And then his lips touched hers.

A shudder of heat went through her. It felt like magic. It felt like bliss. It felt like perfection and chaos at once.

And then she heard a sound coming from the next room.

Chapter 10

Kadaki jerked away, breaking the kiss. “What was that?” she said in a haggard whisper.

Neither of them moved. They didn’t dare summon a light.

There was a barely audible sound, almost like soft footsteps, in the cavern up the stairs, and Kadaki was surprised to see a faint orange glow coming from the doorway. Then she heard a voice. A man’s voice. A familiar voice.

She gasped, jumping to her feet. Neiryn made an annoyed grunt as she bounded up the stairs. Perhaps she’d accidentally kicked him a little on her way to her feet. “Roshan?” she called.

She reached the doorway, and there on the street in front of her were Roshan and Eliyr. Eliyr was leaning on Roshan as if he could hardly hold himself upright, and a tiny flame flickered in his hand. The two of them looked dusty, a little bloody, and as tired as she felt, but overall no worse for wear. They looked up at her in shock.

Roshan gaped. “Kadaki?”

Emotion welled up in her, bringing tears to her eyes. “Roshan. Oh, gods. I thought—” She ran to him, wanting to embrace him but holding back. He closed the distance for her, wrapping his arms around her.

“We thought the same,” he said. “I’m so glad you’re all right. What happened to you? Where have you been?”

“Where is Neiryn?” Eliyr said, frowning.

“He’s with me.” She looked behind her and found him just reaching the top of the stairs. His injuries still had him moving slowly. He met Kadaki’s eyes for a moment, his gaze guarded. She stiffened, feeling her face heating.

Roshan reached up to rub something off Kadaki’s neck. He looked down at his hand, then up at her, raising an eyebrow. There was a smear of soot on his thumb. Soot, she realized, that had been left on Neiryn’s hand from his flames, and then deposited on her skin. She set her mouth in a hard line, glancing warily up at Roshan. He said nothing.

“Are we all still alive, then?” Neiryn said, as if nothing had happened. He looked disinterestedly at Roshan. “What a relief.”

“Something in the ruins attacked us,” Kadaki said to the others. “A magic-eater. It might still be nearby. We need to be cautious.”

“That bone-dragon thing?” Roshan said.

“You saw it, too?”

“That thing has been stalking us for hours. We’ve only just lost it. Eliyr demolished a tunnel on top of it, but I don’t know if it’s dead.”

“I doubt it,” Kadaki said. Something that was made of magic would not be so easily destroyed.

As they spoke, Eliyr and Neiryn were speaking to each other quietly in Ysuran. Kadaki frowned at them, wishing she understood more than a few words of the language.

“Is there something you don’t want us to hear?” she asked.

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