Page 17 of Vengeance and Fire

“You both go. There are soldiers who can help, let them, son. I will be at the palace with my people before long and will be there when you return.” She smiles and turns away from us. “Now, go and share this wonderful news with our queen. Everyone deserves a family reunion today.” She continues down the path and we watch her descent until she gets to the bottom of the slope.

“My mother is alive. Dain is alive,” Dravyn says with wonder as he continues to neatly place his clothes in a pile. “But I lost it, Torin. It left me and went into Dain.” He gestures down to Cordelia’s father and smiles. He turns, and for the first time ever, Dravyn looks unburdened, like a weight has been lifted.

“You lost what?” I ask him, unsure of where he is going with all of this.

“The Fae magic that was forced into me. It’s gone. Torin, it’s all gone. I’m free.” His smile widens, and I can feel his happiness, his joy. He hasn’t told us much about what he suffered, but I can only imagine the horrors of what he’s faced. Who knew what carrying that magic inside of him was doing to him?

“I’m happy for you, Dravyn. It’s a great day. Now, let’s give our girl the good news, and maybe find out how all of this happened in the first place.” I shift, letting my Dragon burst out of me, and stretch my wings wide. I tilt my head back and roar with excitement. Dravyn ties up my clothes and loops them around my massive leg. I flap my wings and launch myself into the air, only to glide back down and slowly gather up Dain in my talons. Lifting myself into the sky I take off towards the mountains with my precious cargo. Dravyn’s golden Dragon not far behind.

CHAPTERELEVEN

TWYLA

“I’ve been waiting to get my hands on you all night.” Slamming me against the wall of our chambers, Pax wraps my hair around his fingers and yanks my head back, exposing my neck to him. Running his nose along my neckline and up my neck. Then his tongue traces the seam of my lips, I part them willingly.

“I can’t get enough of you,” Pax whispers against my neck, pulling harder on my hair, eliciting a moan from me. He slams his lips against mine as he takes what he wants. I melt into his hold as his grip on my hair eases, then his hand falls away. Pinning me with his hips, he pulls at the skirt of my dress. When he doesn’t reach my flesh right away, he breaks our kiss, and groans in frustration. I can’t help the smug smile that tugs at my lips. We’ve been going back and forth, he and I, for days. They’ve all been using sex to distract me since my father left with his small retinue of soldier a few days ago.

It doesn’t help that Pax has not quite forgiven me for “abandoning him” as he put it. Lorian and Gray both understood I had a duty to both Celestia and Cordelia. Pax is my stubborn mate, so, I let him play his games. If fucking me every night makes him feel closer to me, then I give him my body freely. I love them all, and I already promised them I am here to stay. As much as I worry for my daughter, I know she will be fine. She is safe and in Arcadia.

I don’t want to think about what Maurelle’s intentions are for here. The next time I see that bitch, she and I are going to definitely have words. She is on everyone’s kill list and I know I need to get in line. My time will come.

“You have too many clothes on,Fy Nghariad.”Gray tsks from the other side of the room, pulling me from my thoughts. Leaning his massive body against the doorframe of the adjoining room he adjusts himself in his pants. My heart picks up and my breath hitches in my throat as I remember the delicious things we did together this morning. Dropping to his knees in front of me and shoving Pax aside, Lorian takes my skirts and pulls them over his head. I squirm under his soft touches as he removes my stockings and garters, sliding them out from underneath my dress. Lorian kisses his way up my legs. I can barely stand as he reaches for the lace of my panties.

“You take the top, and I’ll take the bottom,” Lorian’s muffled voice can be heard beyond the curtains of fabric and petticoats. Pax paces the floor like a predator, his aggravation for not having me first is written all over his face. Lorian and Pax share me all the time. Gray, on the other hand, doesn’t like to share me with anyone. He will watch Lorian and Pax, but when we are together, the big guy is extremely possessive. My other mates respect his space when we are together. It’s a crazy dynamic but that’s our love, and I love these men. My eyes lock with Pax’s as Lorian slides my panties down my legs, losing patience mid-thigh he rips them off and tosses them across the floor. I hiss from the slight pain, but I am rewarded when he opens my folds and kisses my clit, tonguing it, lapping at it like he’s kissing my mouth.

“Oh, fuck,” I moan loud as Lorian swings my legs over his shoulders and feasts on my pussy like I am his second supper tonight.

“You taste perfect, Twy.” He hums, vibrating against my clit, and my knees threaten to buckle. My eyes never leave Pax’s as he watches my reaction to Lorian’s ministrations. I quirk my eyebrow at him in challenge. He started this, he needs to get over here and finish it. He smiles wide, sauntering over slowly. He unbuttons his jacket and tosses it to the floor, then he loosens his tie and pulls it over his head.

“Gray, knife.” Pax holds out his hand expectantly. Gray opens his coat and pulls out a dagger. I know what’s coming before it happens, closing my eyes against the pressure building in my core I hear the swooshing sound followed by a thump as the knife is embedded right next to my head.

“I held out my hand, show off.” Pax walks up to me. With my legs on either side of Lorian, who’s still sucking my clit between his lips, he causes me to cry out as he pushes two fingers inside of me. Pax claims my mouth and swallows my screams of pleasure. Pulling the knife out of the wall he breaks our kiss and shows me the knife. I know he’s not going to hurt me, just like I knew Gray would throw it instead of walking it over. I trust these men implicitly. They excite me, and it only makes me wetter as they play their games.

“I hate this dress.” Pax takes the knife and slides it down the front of my dress, cutting the fabric away he exposes my heaving chest and breasts underneath. My breath picks up as he uses the knife to spread the fabric, running it down my skin and over my nipples.

“You’re so close,Cariad. Let me see you fall apart. Give Lorian a treat.” Pax leans down, dropping the knife, he takes my nipple into his mouth and bites down hard. It’s all I need to send me over the edge. My orgasm hits me hard. My back arches off the wall, yet Lorian holds me up as I writhe against his mouth.

I slump forward, and Pax scoops me up in his arms despite Lorian’s protest, and he takes me to the bed. Wrapping my arms around his neck I watch Lorian stand, wiping my release from his mouth. He gives me fuck me eyes as he licks his fingers clean and begins to strip out of his clothes.

Suddenly, there is a commotion outside the door. "Princess Twyla.” Well, there goes my night. I sigh. I really hate it when they call me princess, but the voice sounds urgent. Standing on wobbly legs, Pax releases me reluctantly as he eyes my very naked upper body.

“I wasn’t the one who cut my bodice down the middle,” I say through gritted teeth. Of course, he blows me a kiss, turns and goes in search for something to cover me up with. I go to move, but Gray holds out his hand to stop me from walking towards the door and answers it himself.

Opening the door, Gray towers over the guard and blocks the doorway with is body. “Go away.” Gray’s voice booms, leaving no room for argument, but the guard doesn’t move.

“This is urgent. It’s about the King. She has him—he sent me with this.” The guards voice trembles, he sounds exhausted. A jacket is draped over my shoulders from behind and I ease my arms into it and scramble to the door.

“Where is he? Who is she?” Gray is a big man, so trying to push him out of the way is like trying to move a mountain. Sensing the distress in my voice he gives me space to move in front to him. Wrapping his arm around me protectively, making sure the coat I’m wearing doesn’t reveal my goodies to the guard I settle back against his chest. The guard doesn’t look me in the eyes, he immediately drops to his knees in front of me, his eyes cast down to the floor. He extends his arms out offering me my father’s robe.

“The King told me to bring to you his robe. She told me to tell you she is coming and to send word that all Druids must surrender.” The guard’s shoulders slump forward, and I can feel his defeat from here. I hold on to the fabric of the robe like it’s a lifeline offering me strength.What did you do father?My father is not a weak Druid. He’s the king, if he’s surrendered himself, then this is about the bigger picture. Ugh, I am so over all the self-sacrificing bullshit.

“What is your name, soldier?” I roll my shoulders back. Wrapping my arms around myself I step out of Gray’s hold. I don’t need to be held, what I need is information. I can’t get that being passive. The thought of them distracting me now makes me sick to my stomach. How could I sit behind these walls like some pampered royal when that has never been my modus operandi?

“Harold, my que—princess.” He stumbles with titles that I couldn’t care less about. None of it matters to me in the slightest. My father is in trouble, I can feel it.

“Harold, tell me everything.”

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