Page 266 of Emylia

This was forever.

We moved like two souls collapsing into each other—slow, reverent, devastating. He filled me like he was trying to write his name into my bones. And I let him.

Because I didn’t know how to sayyou are my everythingin words.

So I said it in the way my fingers threaded through his hair. In the way my breath hitched when he said my name. In the way my hips met his like I could press the truth of us into the earth itself.

Our bodies moved in rhythm with the last light of day—soaked in sweat and starlight, tethered only by what we couldn’t say. And when I finally shattered around him, it wasn’t just from pleasure.

It was from knowing I had found my perfect half.

When he followed, his release a gasp and a prayer, I felt it—his soul curling into mine. And I knew… I would never belong to anyone the way I belonged to him.

He had me.

All of me.

Forever.

ChapterFifty-Eight

The clear water was icy against my fingers, as I took a sip of the liquid cupped in my palms. Standing to my full height, I wiped my hands on my pants, letting it soak up the water.

The walk back through the forest had been blissful, but unfortunately, we’d run out of time, we needed to get home.

Stormfire’s whinnying reached me with ease.

“I’ll be there in a second girl,” I called to her, over my shoulder.

Spinning on my heel, I turned towards Maalikai, checking to see if he was ready to go.

A blur flashed in the corner of my eye. With merely a split second to spare, I dove to my right, narrowly missing a blow that would’ve been my certain death.

What the fuck.

“Emylia!” Ice curdled my stomach from the raw emotion breaking Maalikai’s voice.

I didn’t have time to respond, I barely had time to think. My flight or fight response kicked in and there was no chance I was going to flee.

Warriors were attacking, and I was going to kill them all. This time, there would be no mercy.

No remorse.

Barely missing a second blow, I made another dive for the ground. My shoulder impacted the hard, compact earth, but there was no time to dwell on the pain. Pushing myself to my feet, I sprinted for Maalikai, standing next to the fire. Without hesitation, he passed me a sword.

“You okay?” he spat through clenched teeth, wiping his bloody hands on the back of his pants, death already coating the air.

“Ready for blood.” I didn’t have much time to say anything more. I had to deal with the immediate threat in front of me.

Taking a few steps back from my attacker, I gained my footing, while I examined him. A black helmet covered a majority of his face, only his eyes were exposed, but they were deadly; he was ready to kill. My assailant leapt forward, wielding his sword with unrelenting strength.

Crap.

I managed to block everything he threw at me. He didn’t seem as skilled as the last ones we fought, but he still got a few good swings in. Eventually, my sword bit through his armor, claiming his heart, and his life.

Mere seconds were all I had before I had to fight off another barrage of attacks. This time from two warriors. Deflecting them both, I managed to break through their defenses within seconds. When I had an opening, I spun, swinging my sword in a graceful circle around me. The sound of a head hitting the ground curdled my stomach, but I didn’t have time to be ill.

Or maybe I’d just become accustomed with killing.

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