Page 48 of Reign of Light
He breaks the kiss, but doesn’t pull away, as his hooded eyes stay fixed on my face. “Fuck off, Jorn,” he snaps, capturing my lips again in another searing kiss before he straightens, leaving me reeling.
Blinking rapidly, I try to slow my breathing. My lips feel swollen, and it’s hard to ignore the burning desire building deep in my abdomen.
“Still mad?” he asks with a smile. His fingers glide through my hair, tugging at the windblown knots before brushing against my scalp and doing it again. My eyes flutter closed, and he chuckles softly.
“If I say yes, will you kiss me like that again?”
His darkened eyes clearly say he was not finished with me yet, but he keeps stroking my hair and holding me close.
“I’ll kiss you like that every day for the rest of your life if that is what you need to know how much I love you. How much I want you.If I need to remind you every time you’re mad, or every time you’re happy, or sad, I will.”
I swallow down the lump forming in my throat. “Next time, can we make sure Jorn isn’t nearby?”
Weston’s smile widens into a grin as he lets out a deep laugh. “I’ll do my best.”
He weaves his fingers through mine as we stride across the beach. The tension surrounding the last time we were all here is nowhere to be found tonight, as everyone in the crew saunters around, laughing and talking.
“I’m going to check in with Veck and Eirlick to see if they have any updates after today,” Weston says before releasing my hand. He plants a kiss on the top of my head and mumbles, “I’ll find you after.”
Stassia and Auralie are bickering as I approach where they kneel at the the fire pit. Auralie strikes a flint, shooting sparks into the base, while Stassia flaps her hands at the sparks Auralie is creating.
“We need more air!” Stassia snaps as sparks fly once more.
“There’s plenty of air, Stass. It won’t catch if we don’t have any kindling!”
“Let me try.” Stass holds her hand out for the flint rock.
“You already did, so I can do it.” Auralie strikes again, but still no flames catch.
I stand behind them, peering over as they are crouched at the base, still bickering, and stifle a giggle. “Who knew starting a fire was so difficult?”
Both of their heads swivel to look at me, frustrated looks plastered on their faces.
“Why don’t you try then?” Stass says as she falls back onto her heels.
I throw up my hands and take a step back. “I wouldn’t even know where to start.”
“You’ve never started a fire before?” Auralie asks, confusion written all over her face.
I shake my head. “No. The staff always had it started for me.”
“Staff?” Auralie’s head tilts as the muscle between her brows wrinkles.
Stass pins me with a stare, then her eyes widen with understanding. “Oh, gods, you weren’t kidding. When you said princess, you really meant it, didn’t you?”
The last time we were on this beach was the only time I ever spoke of being a princess to anyone other than Weston and Sig. It was just after I fought with Weston in the tunnels, after he lied to me about who he was and used my title as a means to push me away. Stassia noticed, and I said it. I didn’t try to hide it. I was past holding myself back from these friends, this family, by then. But she never brought it up again.
There’s no point in hiding it anymore.
My shoulders touch my ears, and I wince slightly. “The princess of Blackwood isn’t really the one going around and lighting the fires in the castle.”
“No! You’re lying,” Stass says, her jaw falling open. “Your father is thehot king?”
I roll my eyes, and Auralie bursts into laughter. “It was so uncomfortable when you said that. Please don’t ever say it again.”
“Oh, I’m going to say it, because it is the truth.” Stass takes in the look of disgust on my face, but her grin only widens. “Why did you keep this from us for all this time?”
I shrug. “No one needed to know. I didn’t want to be treated differently because of who I was, although…” My eyes lift to find Weston, and I spot him still talking with Veck. His eyes find mine, and he smirks softly, but I turn back to the girls. “Someonedidn’t agree.”
