Page 44 of Prince of Blaze and Embers
I swallowed hard as the enormous black dragon flew into the sky directly above, Cade mounted on its back, a furious look harbored in his dangerous eyes.
I staggered back as the winds from the dragon's wings forced down upon me like a typhoon’s fury. Tree limbs broke under thepowerful wings and tail of the dragon as it lowered into the forest.
Oh no. He’s going to be absolutely furious with me for being out in the forest again. What do I do? What do I say?
But I knew there was no excuse for my actions. He strictly forbade me from going back out into the Faewood, and I did it almost immediately after.
Just when I thought everything had finally turned around for me…
Krakos landed, his serpentine eyes glaring at me as if it knew as well. Cade leaped down immediately, striding toward me, sword in hand, muscles bulging under his linen shirt, clinging wet to his body from the rain.
He stopped six feet away as all my breath hid deep in my chest. His mouth was a flat line and the wrinkles in his brow furrowed. His long black hair clung to the muscles in his neck and chest. Lightning struck in the far distance behind him as his sturdy frame didn’t flinch. Krakos let out a deep growl from deep within.
“Cade…” I said in a breathy, shaky voice.
“I don’t even know what to say…” his voice, however, was as close to a furious roar as he could muster without the volume of his voice rising. “I told you not to return here. And here you are…”
“And here I am.” My gaze tore away from his, unable to look at his mean glower, but trying with all my might not to just stare into his handsome features, his perfectly muscled chest and cut abs under the soaked shirt.
“What the fuck am I supposed to do with you, Ash?”
I knew exactly what I wanted him to do with me. I wanted him to wrap me up in his powerful arms, pull me in tight, and kiss me with the ferocity he carried in him. But that would never happen again, I knew…
He turned to look at the scorch marks in the forest behindhim. At the sight of the magic I’d used, he forced his eyes closed with an angry snort from his nostrils.
“How did you learn to do that? And don’t lie to me.” The way he spoke to me made me feel as if he had some hidden insight into me, like the invisible string that connected us from our cores was being plucked like a lute string. I worried if I lied to him the string would snap from the tension, and whatever connection we had would be severed forever.
But I couldn’t tell him the truth. At least… I couldn’t tell him the whole truth.
“I need to practice. And I can’t do it cooped up in that room. How do you expect me to learn to use my magic if you won’t let me try it? Shit. You hardly even talk to me. Do you know how it works? Were you ever going to help me figure out how to use it?”
He didn’t respond but stood like a statue in the growing storm.
A chill ran up my spine from the deluge, but if we were going to fight, then I’d let the furnace inside of my rage.
“I didn’t think so. All of this talk of trying to figure out how to get me to survive your stepmother, and you never even thought to guide me. You just go off with Hunter on your ‘save the magical slave’ adventures, leaving me to worry, stress, and have no insight into how I might be able to use this magic to fucking help!”
“You’re infuriating,” he said after a pause. He strode forward a step with his finger aimed my way. “It’s not all about you. There are so many factors at play here. Yes, you have the Gilded Radiance, and you’re the Gold-Marked, but just me keeping you here and not taking you to the capital has serious implications on not only me, but all of Allovan. If you knew the whole picture, then you wouldn’t be acting this way.”
“Then fucking show me the whole picture!” I took a terrifying step toward him, out of the creek, leaving the tip of my nose inches from his finger. “I can help. I’m not just an armor-polishing,sandy slave. I’m more. I can help, but you’ve got to talk to me.”
His finger dropped, and it felt as if all the minuscule courage poured out of me as he took another step in. I smelled my own hot breath reflect off his enormous chest. I had to tilt my head up to look at him.
Cade moved to speak, but the words caught in his throat, unable to escape his perfect lips. He either didn’t know what to say, or my ability to drive men into mad fury intercepted his words.
“Say something!” My fists balled at my sides as the rain streaked down my face, dripping down my neck.
“God,” he breathed. “You drive me wild.” His tone softened, striking me like his fingers were gliding along the string that bound us together. “The things I want to do to you…”
My balled fists instantly relaxed to my fingers cocking out in shock. My gritting teeth turned to my bottom jaw dropping in awe, finding no words.
He took the final step, closing the gap between us, and my heart sank down to my heels. His powerful, muscle-clad arm with streaks of tight veins slid around my side and wrapped around my back. The prince pulled me to him, our chests pressed together, with my breasts against him, showing out the top of my shirt. His gaze drifted down, and a moan slipped through his lips.
“God Ash, I want you. I’ve wanted you for so long now.”
His free hand rose and brushed my wet hair back behind my ear. Every single hair on my body grew erect instantly at his touch.
“You do?” I knew I wanted him. I wanted him and whatever he’d give me, but I wanted to hear him say it again. My core begged for him to say it again.
