Page 28 of Boundless
“There you are!” she cried, setting her chest piece aside and rising to meet him and sweep him into a crushing hug. “I was starting to get a panic going, sweetling. He kept yousolong!”
He returned her embrace gladly, the ice in his chest thawing a little. “I know. It w-was awful. He’s abs-solutely planning something. He’s trying to get me to spy on you and your f-family. He told me he—he thinks they mean to take my life.”
She led him to the small couch in his sitting room, laying down on it and pulling him down on top of her. He wriggled until he was settled comfortably between her legs, his head resting on her chest, her heartbeat thudding in his ear. She carded her fingers through his curls, scraping his scalp and making him melt even more into her big warm body. “And how did that make you feel?” she asked quietly.
“Sad,” he sighed, putting his arm around her waist. “Because—because it was so obviouslyhim. He thinks s-solittleof me. I’m just a t-tool to him. And that h-he’d say such nasty things about y-you and your family—” He swallowed. “How did I not see it before?”
Daega kept up her scalp massage, holding him close. “Arseholes tend to try and hide the fact of their nature. It’s not on you for not noticing. He hid it.”
“So then w-why show me now?”
“Maybe he got tired of it.”
Or perhaps his father no longer cared because he knew Len wouldn’t be around much in the coming days. In a month’s time he’d be on his way to the horde camps to spend a month there—during which time he’d no doubt be encouraged to take copious notes—and beyond that Len had a wife to attend to now, even if his father didn’t want him to do a good job of it.
“Maybe,” he agreed quietly. “But we’ll have t-to be very careful, love. If he figures out I’m not on his side he’ll s-stop telling me about these things. And I need to kn-know, to be able to do something about it.”
“Aye,” she sighed, kissing the top of his head. “Alright then, so the game goes on. We’ll make them all think you’re keeping me at arm’s length and barely tolerating me. At least it’ll only be while we’re stuck here.”
“Yes, thank the gods,” he chuckled. “Once w-we’re at the camps his eyes and ears will be comp—compromised.”
“I don’t know about you, dove,” Daega said, “but I, for one, cannotwaitto get away from this limey place.”
“I could not agree more.”
CHAPTER TEN
Maleom
DAEGA
IS ITpossible for one's tits to actually fall off from boredom? Because these ancient damned elves are certainly making it feel likely,Daega scribbled onto the parchment in front of her. Len had told her it was a good idea for them both to take notes during their council meetings, but Daega had had no luck in finding anything interesting to take notesabout. So instead she amused herself by keeping a personal journal of her most important thoughts. It was best to look engaged under the watchful eye of the king and his cadre of ancient elf counselors.
Her husband always took copious notes anyway, his quick and absorptive mind soaking in all of the details about taxes and policy and the gods only knew what else. And he was all too happy to break it down for her and give her the highlights later. She smiled softly, an image of how his pale face had lit up with excitement as he’d filled her in on what she’d missed in the meetings these last two nights. His already pretty face had taken on a quality that made him otherworldly, so stunning she’d had to interrupt him by taking his cock into her mouth.
She still couldn't quite believe her luck. She'd been preparing herself to be miserable in her duty, to have to put on a brave face and learn to bear it. And instead, she was happier than she'd ever been in her whole life.
She admired his profile out of the corner of her eye, her heart fluttering at the way the tip of his tongue was poking out of the corner of his mouth as one of the particularly ancient counselors droned about something to do with road repairs. Len's pen flew over the page, apparently absorbed in recording every word from the old man. It was so adorable she wanted to scream.
Note to self: tell husband to be less fucking cute out in public when I can't act on it. Perhaps a spanking is in order?Based on the things they'd already tried in bed, she didn't think he'd respond well to pain play as a whole, but hedidseem to enjoy a little slap on the arse here and there, and she was interested in trying her paddle on him. It was a thick leather strop that had sheepskin affixed to one side—it allowed her to smack and soothe with one instrument, and was a design she'd come up and made all on her own. Quite possibly it was her crowning achievement to date. It was too bad she’d left it behind at the horde camps.
Daega was lost in thought, getting more and more aroused daydreaming about what she'd already done to Len and what she still wanted to do to him; she didn't register at first that a recess had been called and the room was emptying.
"Daega!" Len called, his tone short and irritated. He pinched the bridge of his nose, a signal to which they had assigned the meaning,I wish to kiss you right now."Do you p-payanyattention at all?"
She dropped her head, allowing her long, loosely flowing hair to fall forward, obscuring her face from the sides. She looked up through her lashes at Len, biting her lip and grinning suggestively. "My apologies, husband," she murmured, delighting in the way a flush crept up his pale throat. Gods, she wanted to just eat himup. Perhaps she would, later on. "I fear I've allowed myself to get quite hungry and distracted.” She pulled her hair over one shoulder and stood. "Shall we have lunch?"
He stood as well, barely managing to frown at her. "Not today," he said, tapping his finger beneath his earlobe. "I have another ap-ppointment. Will you be able to manage on your own?"
"Aye," she agreed, though of course she was disappointed. Len's eyes lingered on hers, and then he was following a clutch of elderly elves out into the hall. She gathered her things with a sigh, thinking she'd perhaps take her noonmeal—or lunch, as the elves called it—in their room today, but a soft cough at her elbow drew her attention.
She couldn’t recall the name of the elf at her side, only that he was one of the more lively in the bunch and generally reasonable. He was smiling at her knowingly, his rheumy blue eyes kind. "Ah, good afternoon, Princess. Did I hear correctly that you have no companion for lunch today?"
She nodded, wary. "Aye; if Lenlethael is occupied I don't have any other immediate plans. Can I help you, counselor?"
His smile widened. "Perhaps you would be willing to keep a boring old fart company today? Certainly, I am much less easy on the eyes than the prince, but I have an urge to get to know our new princess, if you'd indulge me."
"Uh—aye, I can do that. I'm sorry, but could you remind me of your name? I'm still learning who's who..."
