Page 28 of Reigning
“Child, if other mages come to Attika in open defiance against the Treaty of the Two Kingdoms or against Barron or against Ellise, they’ll need more than just some old sheltered mages to make a difference before they meet their deaths.”
She exhales so loudly I really do believe she’s exhausted. Exhausted from more than I know about.
“If you’re planning something”—she breaks as if unsure how to say what needs to be said—“if you’re planning something, be prepared for failure. That is my only advice.”
I blink into the dim lighting for several seconds. That’s the inspiring words I get from the old woman? She may as well have told me to lie down and die.
I oddly don’t feel like doing that today, though. In just an hour, the queen will know that Kain didn’t do as he was told. He’d defied her despite all her taming.
Because he’s mine.
All of them are.
I look up at Rime, and he hasn’t moved a single inch since last night. His light lashes are fanned over his sharp cheekbones, and I lean into him, pressing my chest to his until my temple rests against his.
Rime…
Muscles tense beneath my touch, and his eyelids flinch, his entire body going rigid before a rasping voice enters my mind.
It’s about time, my Tamer.
Warmth flares to life inside my heart from the simple use of the playful name he gave all that time ago. I push my fingers back and forth along his white t-shirt, and the shifter catches my wrist just as his eyes open.
We need to strengthen our bond. It helped Kain.
Mmm, what do you suggest?
His body shifts until the hard panes of his chest are pressing down on me, serious cutting attention shifting across my features.
We don’t actually have time for that.
A small smile parts my lips, but when his hand glides up my leg and between my thighs, the smile slips away. Gentle touches tease my skin in a leisure, roaming pace. With leisure, he runs his index finger gradually over my sex, slipping deeper before pulling his hand back and sliding his fingertip across his tongue and sucking slowly. His tongue rolls over his lower lip as he watches me carefully with hooded blue eyes.
Tastes like there was time for it but I missed out.
My breath increases, my breasts pressing into his chest with every small inhale I take.
Tell me what I missed, Tamer.
I swallow hard, and my body aches for him, even if I know I won’t give in.
Rime and I have always connected in a carnal way. The attraction’s always been this sparking thing that I’ve always felt, but there’s more. Even if he doesn’t realize it. We’re the same in so many ways.
There’s just one thing I know he needs more than sex.
Love.
“You missed a lot lately, Shifter.”
Ice-blue eyes narrow on me, but his hips settle against mine like we might come back to the earlier conversation at any moment.
I explain it to him, my mind trailing over the painful details.
You missed the way I flailed around in this kingdom, just as I did in the previous kingdom. You missed the terrible things Ellise did to Chaos and to Kain. You missed the way I struggled without you but overcame it with time just because you were near.
I pause as I slip my fingers through his hair.
You missed the way I said I loved you, Rime. Several times. All you ever asked me was to never tell you how much I loved you. And once again, I didn’t listen. I love you so much that I didn’t even realize how much love I had until you were gone.
