Page 60 of Vathia
Nero nuzzles against my cheek. “Sometimes I miss it too, Rav, but it makes me happy to see you away from there, surrounded by others who care for you.”
“Even if we don’t have much time alone anymore?”
He does something that shocks both Jesper and me and speaks out loud. “As long as I get eyeballs, it’s fine.” His voice is gravelly and unusual but it makes me laugh, that he decided to share that part of himself with Jesper who’s staring at him like he isn’t sure if he is hallucinating.
“Did Nero just speak? Out loud?”
“Treasure it because it doesn’t happen often,” he sasses as he goes back to speaking telepathically through our bond.
I giggle at the bewildered expression on his face as I explain. “Ravens have the ability to mimic sounds, including our tongue. Although he prefers to talk in here.” I tap my temple.
“That is fates-damned amazing!” He tries to pet Nero who accepts a total of three strokes before biting his finger, drawing blood.
“Please remind him that I am a Familiar, not a pet. The audacity of these males! He’s lucky he’s my favorite,” he mutters, as he settles on my lap.
“Such a violent little bird,” he murmurs to Nero as he suckles the blood off his finger. “You have the best familiar, but he has nothing on you.” He winks. “I actually came out here for a reason.”
“It wasn’t just to stalk me?” I ask, laughing. Being around Jesper’s carefree personality is like a balm to my soul. Somehow just being in his presence takes the stress of whatever I’m dealing with away with something as simple as a crude joke.
He clutches his chest. “Ah, you wound me. You know, stalking you is my favorite part of every minute of every day. No, I thought maybe you and Nero would like to have some supervised practice before dinner is served. I noticed you haven’t been doing that since your friends left.”
I nod, while absentmindedly stroking Nero’s feathers. “I’m vulnerable when we merge,” I explain while he listens intently to my reasoning. I won’t do it alone anymore, even in my room at night—not that I’m alone when I sleep anymore—especially after someone tried to have me assassinated. We still haven’t found a lead as to who it was, but logic only says that it was one of the Lords. They probably ordered a lackey to deal with the hiring and details knowing that Jesper could peer into their mind if they were caught.
“You know any one of us would have been more than happy to sit here with you while you explored your bond? Fates, I’d love some time to explore our bond, if you know what I mean.” He winks.
A warm heat I’m all too familiar with around these males begins to unfurl in my stomach. “Maybe you can help me with my bond with Nero tonight? I just need a moment without training to get my bearings on all this. I went from hiding and pretending I’m a null to announcing to the realm that I’m still alive and fighting for my people. If we can ever get into Maleen again.”
“Maybe I can distract you then? And we can go full force with all the training you want tomorrow.” He kisses me. “Or the next day.” He kisses me again.
“I think I’d like that,” I tell him as I wrap my arms around his neck.
Nero’s strangled caws escape from between us, as he gets out of the way before being squished.
Jesper lowers me into the long grass, his hands running down my body, and I know I want him. Need him.
“Jesper?” I whisper against his lips.
He kisses me again. “Yes?”
“I really want you to—”
“There you two are!”
Jesper growls resting his head against mine. “Raincheck?” Once I nod he turns to face Killian. “What do you have to say for interrupting what was going to be a magickal moment between mates and a bird that probably has some sort of voyeurism kink, considering he hasn’t flown off yet.”
“Nero!” I hiss.
He shrugs his massive wings. “What? I heard Killian coming. I knew you weren’t going to get far with your weird fae mating ritual.”
I shake my head in disbelief of my familiar. He could have warned me.
“There’s been an attack,” Killian states grimly. “Our fathers have breached the border of Vathia. The war is at a stalemate no longer.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
“HOW DID THEY BREACH THE water? They haven’t been able to do it in twenty-one years!” Talyn spits, slamming his hands down on the table that holds a three-dimensional carved map of the realm.
Amethyst is focused on the map, her brows narrowed together and her lips pursed. “The currents are too tumultuous to build a bridge, as you all know. The reports coming in from the front line state that they had dragons use cages to fly and drop their troops behind our lines.”
