Page 89 of Queen of Thorns
I pay no mind to the fae I pass, my eyes only for the beautiful blond fae in black slacks and a silky black blouse. No one, not even the queen can stop me from claiming her while she’s within reach.
Everything I desire is here but not for long. The closer I get, though, the more I notice the wrinkles in her clothing, the strangled knots in her hair. Is her hair wet?
She’ll be heading back to her new home, thousands of miles from here, in only a few hours. I don’t care what she looks like. Whatever is wrong, I can fix once she’s in my arms.
Caelynn remains in the light, sipping a bubbling drink beside Kari and Ty. Kari gives me an almost indiscernible nod and steps away from Caelynn, passing through the crowd to chat with another council member.
Caelynn sucks in a breath as I step up to her. My fingers glide over her hip, her smooth silk blouse rippling under my fingers. Caelynn lets out a shuddering breath as I spin her so that her back is against my chest.
“I’ve missed you,” I whisper against her hair.
“Rev,” she rasps, and the sound of her name on my lips ignites something inside of me. “They’ll see,” she says breathlessly.
I press my nose into the crook of her neck. “Let them,” I growl. My hand glides down her back until I find the hem. She gasps as my fingers find bare skin.
“Rev,” she warns.
“I don’t care what they see. I don’t care what they know. You’re mine.”
She shivers at my words and lays her head back. One glance to the queen’s platform tells me she has noticed and is not happy. But I don’t care. There are some things not worth sacrificing, even for a dream come true.
I almost give her a rebellious glare—but in the next blink, the room is gone.
Magic sucks at my body, and then Caelynn and I are both in darkness. She’s still pressed against me, drink in her hand. Where did she take us? Honestly, I don’t even care. My hand, still on the searing skin of her midriff, presses downward. Caelynn gasps. She pushes back against me in the sweetest way.
“Caelynn,” I groan against her ear.
I push her forward until her hands are pressed against a wall. Her drink crashes to the ground, splashing at the hem of my pants.
“Where did you take us?” I murmur with a laugh, but I’m too distracted by what my fingers find next.
Caelynn moans. Gentle swipes with my fingers cause her to clench the wall tight and writhe against my touch. My lips are on her shoulder, teeth grazing ever so slightly.
“This is what we can have, Cae,” I whisper to her. “This never has to stop.”
I spin her to face me. Even in the darkness I can see her flushed cheeks, the shining desire in her golden eyes.
Her lips crash into mine, and I moan at that first taste of her. It’s only been days. Days since I’ve had her in my arms, and yet it feels like an eternity.
How will I do this? How can I survive being parted from her for weeks at a time?
I pull back, panting, and press my forehead to hers. “I love you,” I tell her.
Her smile is small, her eyes dim.
“You’re still tired?” I ask, just now noticing that her hair is tangled and damp Her blouse is wrinkled and torn at the hem.
“I have news.” Her voice is hoarse. I step back, eyes examining her closer.
“Did something happen?” I ask. There’s slight decolorization around her neck. My stomach sinks. “What happened?”
The fear in her eyes causes my blood to turn cold.
“The Night Bringer woke the Lady at the Lake.”
