Page 167 of A Dance of Water

As if called forth by her thoughts, the raven shifter spoke, his low and rough voice making her shiver:

"The Prima and I must leave Serpentis. Immediately."

"Oh," she breathed.

Was she supposed to care?

You care,a small part of her whispered, rebelling at the thought of them leaving.

Growing awareness, the tug of the thread inside her, and Az came to her side. His scent washed over her. But in the arms of Tharen, the pounding in her head was a mere memory.

Tharen drummed his fingers over her waist impatiently. "What the Knight is getting at is that you, little lamb," he crooned the demeaning name, "need to be extra careful not to find yourself wound up while we’re away."

Az’s growl filled the room. "Maybe if you hadn’t tricked her, we wouldn’t be in this mess."

"Tricked her?" said the mage. "I don’t think it was a trick when she was begging for it. Right, Graves?"

The raven shifter had been the only other one there when they had made their deal, the only one to bear witness to her utter idiocy.

Graves hummed, noncommittal.

"We’ve already gone over this," Vale hissed. His scent grew closer, and there was a shuffling noise. Then, the King swept her hair back from where a few pieces had fallen over her forehead. His palmpressed to her temple, and he held it there for a moment. "How do you feel, Luella?"

She breathed deeply, inhaling him. His touch made something snap back into place. "I… Better," she finally settled on.

For a moment, Vale’s hand lingered, as if he could not bear to part from her. But no, that was all in her head. She was most likely the only one feeling such a pull; his control was infinite.

Vale’s touch left her, and she sagged back, resisting the urge to follow after him.

"We were discussing something regarding you," Vale started. "Graves and Tharen will be away. They’ll return before the mourning period is over."

Two days without them.

"If it is about me, do I not… have the r-right to know?" Luella asked.

Vale didn’t answer for a moment, and she wondered if he never would, but then he said, "We own your rights."

Ifshewere a dragon, angry smoke would be wafting from her mouth and nose. She settled on an indignant huff. "You havestolenmy rights."

Tharen tightened his hands on her waist, and she winced, shifting at the sharp bite of pain.

You love it, though. Don’t you?Bastian’s sensual words filled her mind. She could taste spiced bergamot with every breath.To give in?

She tensed against Tharen.

"Don’t speak in her mind, Advisor. Her will is too weak to withstand you," Tharen teased.

"S-stop distracting me. I want to know. Why are you leaving?" she asked the room.

"For now, you will not be permitted to know." Vale cleared his throat. "You must not feel desire while they are gone. Where they go, you cannot follow."

Luella’s cheeks heated. They spoke ofthatso openly. But how could she stop herself from feeling? As innocent and inexperienced as she was, she wasn’t sure she could stop it even if she tried. Even now, her thighs quivered at the memory of Az’s heavy,comforting warmth settled over her as she lay nestled upon mounds of blankets and soft silks.

The threads uncoiled within her, needily reaching out.

Tharen’s body was hard behind her, fingers tightening one by one, leaving indents in her skin.

"If you show up, it will distract us and put you in danger," Graves mumbled.

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