Page 33 of Realm of Wind and Vines
He clenches his jaw as he glares back at me. But he apparently can’t think of any logical arguments to refuse, because in the end, he just forces out an annoyed breath. “Fine.”
“Tell me what to do.”
“You’re not wearing iron, so I can’t just take it from you. You need to give it to me willingly.”
“And how do I do that?”
“From what I’ve read, you’re supposed to open the gates to your flow of magic and release your grip on it or something.”
“What does that even mean?”
“How should I know?” he snaps, scowling up at me. “I’m not fae.”
“Fine.” I sigh and flick my wrist. “Open the gates and release my grip on it. And then what?”
“Then you breathe it into me while you…” He trails off and looks away.
“While I kiss you,” I finish for him.
His angry gaze snaps back to mine. “Having your lips close to mine will suffice.”
“We’ll be outside,” Isera suddenly announces.
“No, we won’t,” Orion says, and gives her an incredulous look, as if he wouldn’t miss prime entertainment like this for the world.
She slides ruthless eyes to him. “When we crashed, your crown flew off your head. I left it out there in the dirt.”
His hands shoot up to his head, and his eyes grow wide when he realizes that the crown is indeed not there. Revenge flickers in his eyes as he holds her stare. “The things I will do to you…”
But he stalks out of the cave to retrieve his precious crown anyway. Isera lets out a smug chuckle and then follows him, leaving me and Draven alone.
Nervousness suddenly flutters through my stomach like butterflies. I clear my throat a bit awkwardly before turning back to Draven.
“So…” I begin.
“Just get it over with,” he grumbles.
Swallowing, I give him a nod and then push up from my place next to him. Alarm pulses across his face when I instead swing my leg over his body so that I’m straddling him.
“What are you doing?” he presses out.
“Getting into a position where I can place my lips over yours.” I arch an expectant brow. “Since you can’t even sit up, this is the only way.”
Well, it’s not actually the only way. But I have ulterior motives.
He scowls, as if he can see right through me, but all he says is, “Just do it already.”
Bracing my palms on the cold stone ground on either side of his head, I lean down over him and slant my lips over his.
A sharp breath escapes his lips.
And there is another tug on our mate bond.
This time, I’m the one who almost gasps. Biting my bottom lip, I manage to suppress it. Draven’s gaze flits down to my lips, and that dark fire of lust fights with the hatred in his eyes. Lyingon his back underneath me, he drags in a deep breath and flexes his hand.
I deliberately let the moment stretch before I finally close my eyes and start trying to figure out how toopen the gates to the flow of my magicandrelease my grip on it.
Since I’m not sure what to do, I just begin by reaching for my magic. I can feel it there inside me, flowing through my body. On a whim, I try to visualize a pair of doors opening in my chest.
