Page 64 of Shadowbound

I feel my heart cry out within me. I want to give him what he wants, no matter what the consequences. I don’t care that being close with him will make our parting even harder. I want one last night of pleasure to remember—a night to carry me through the long, lonely years of our upcoming separation.

“Yes, my Paladin,” I murmur, spreading my thighs for him. “You can taste me. But—” I hold up one finger to stop him, because he’s already reaching for me. “You must put your hands behind your back. You can’t use anything but your mouth. Do you understand?”

I see the old fire flash in his eyes and his voice drops to a soft growl.

“Yes, Mistress. I understand. I’ll do as you say, but restrain me with your Shadows first.”

I lift my eyebrows.

“Truly? You want me to bind you?”

“Truly.” He nods. “It reminds me of the first time we met—when you used your Shadows to strip me and hold me.”

“Well,” I murmur. “If that’s really what you want…”

With a wave of my hand, I send my shadows to bind his arms behind his back. He could break my bonds now, if he wished to—his Drake would give him the strength to do it. But clearly he doesn’t want to.

“That’s good, Mistress,” he murmurs, his voice gone low and hoarse with desire. “I love to be bound by you.”

Then he ducks his head between my legs and goes to work.

34

Sylvanna

The next morning, I dress in my finest clothing—a black and red dress embroidered with golden fairy lace—and Alaric dons his armor, which I brought to the palace via a magical transport spell.

We have decided to travel by magic. No horse could bear the weight of The Heart of the Eclipse, which we are taking with us. It rests in a small, decorative chest which has been magically reinforced so that it doesn’t break.

“Are you ready to go?” Alaric asks me, raising an eyebrow.

I shift from foot-to-foot, savoring the delicious ache between my thighs. After I let him taste me last night, I couldn’t resist the urge to ride him once more. At his request, I bound his arms above his head with my Shadows and stretched him out upon the bed to have my way with him.

Then his Drake came out to play just as I was taking him inside me, and I was stretched to my limits once again. I’ll have to give the Thornheart Grimoire a special treat when I return—I’ve used the cantrip it gave me to help me open over and over.

My Paladin came inside me, his burning seed filling me until it ran down my thighs and I reveled in every moment of it. Afterwards, I bid him kneel and lick me clean—which he did eagerly. But I know that is the last act of service I will seek from him. For today I will return him to his home.

“I’m ready,” I say, making my face and voice stoic. I knew this couldn’t last forever when we started it. I’ll have to bear the heartache of our separation as best I can.

“I love you, you know,” Alaric says, surprising me. For another surprise, he bends down and kisses me on the mouth. “I’ll always love you,” he whispers, when he draws away.

I feel tears pricking my eyes but I refuse to let them fall.

“I love you too, my Paladin,” I murmur. “Now stand straight—it’s time for us to travel.”

I bring out my traveling crystal and feed it a drop of my blood…the world whirls around us and before I know it, we’re there—standing in the Throne Room of the Court of Solaris. And sitting before us on a golden throne is none other than the GodKing himself.

35

Sylvanna

The GodKing is even older than I expected. His snow-white hair flows down his shoulders and his faded blue eyes are lost in a net of wrinkles. Still, they’re sharp enough as they widen, taking us in.

“What? Who goes there?” he demands, in a creaking, old-man’s voice. “What foul sorcery is this?”

“Only traveling magic, my Lord,” Alaric tells him, stepping forward. “I come to you from Nocturna to let you know I have completed the quest you sent me on.”

“You did?” There’s confusion and disbelief in the old ruler’s eyes. Behind his throne, I see a knot of advisors, all of them eyeing both me and Alaric speculatively. If they’re wondering if they can kill us, they’d better think again. I have my best defensive spells at the ready and of course, Alaric has his Drake.

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