Page 172 of Veinblood
“There’s no harm in admitting that you are in a hurry to return to the man you love, Ellie.”
Rolling my eyes, I bring my horse to a stop outside the stables set in one corner of the plaza that surrounds the Lirien Tower. One of the stablehands comes out and takes the reins. I ask after his mother’s health, his sister’s children, and he smiles in delight while he tells me about them.
“Go.” Mira slides down from her own horse. “I’ll make sure everything goes where it needs to. You have far more important things to focus on.”
“Thank you.” I give her a quick hug.
“Try not to get too loud. Remember that you aren’t the only people in the Spire,” she calls after me as I hurry toward the entrance. “You’re going to have to face most of them at some point over the next few days.”
My cheeks burn, but I keep moving forward, until I’m inside and taking the stairs two at a time. Servants nod as I pass, greeting me with genuine warmth and smiles, but I don’t stop.
Our quarters finally come into view, the doors standing open as they always do when I return. Sacha is rising from his chair by the window when I step inside, and the sight of him makes my breath catch and my heart skip a beat.
Those dark eyes that seemed so cold and dangerous when we first met hold nothing but heat and love now.
“There you are.” That deep rich voice washes over me, and he crosses the floor with a fluid grace that makes heat bloom low in my stomach.
“Finally!” I step into his arms, breathing in the scent that means home, safety, and belonging. “I missed you.”
One hand lifts to cup my face, thumb brushing over my cheek as he tips my head up to press his lips to mine. The kiss is soft, gentle, but underneath it I can feel the barely restrained hunger that makes my pulse quicken.
“Not nearly as much as I missed you,” he murmurs against my mouth. “How was Vorith?”
“Well. She says the harvest was exceptional this year.” I lean into his touch. “But I’d rather talk about that later. There are other things I want to focus on right now.”
“Soon.”
“Soon?” I pull back to look at his face. There’s something there that makes my stomach flutter with unease. “What is it? What’s happened?”
He takes my hand in his, and leads me to the chairs by the hearth. “Nothing bad, Mel’shira. Do you remember a promise I made you?”
“Promise?” I blink, frowning.
“I promised to look in the archives to see if there was anything about your past.”
My breath catches. “What did you find?” My voice is barely more than a whisper.
“As expected, the Authority kept detailed records. In all the information they kept, Telren found details about you and your parents.” His voice is gentle.
The room tilts around me, and I sink into the chair he guided me to, my hands gripping the armrests. “You know who they are?”
“Theren and Lyanna. They lived in a settlement called Drakemere, about three days ride northeast from here.” He settles into the chair across from me, never breaking eye contact.
“Lyanna.” I picture the woman I saw when Nyassa first returned my bracelet. “Lyanna and Theren.” I savor their names.
“They would be proud of who you’ve become.” His voice is soft. “Of the choices you’ve made, the strength you’ve shown.”
“I hope so.” I wipe my eyes with the back of my hand, then look at him with a watery smile. “Thank you. For remembering your promise.”
“It was important to you.” He stands and extends his hand to me, drawing me to my feet. “Now, shall we move to more immediate concerns?”
“Immediate concerns?”
His quiet laugh sends shivers down my spine, and he takes my hand to lead me into the bedchamber. “I’ve been thinking about nothing but holding you for three days.”
The moment the door closes behind him, his mouth crashes against mine with three days’ worth of hunger, hands tangling in my hair as he backs me against the wall. I gasp, and he takes advantage, deepening the kiss until I’m dizzy.
My fingers find the ties of his shirt, desperate to feel his skin against mine.
