Page 39 of Amidst the Insidious Courts
Yawning, I nod against his chest. “Who’s next on the schedule?”
“Maybe we’ll flip a coin.” He snorts. “Or maybe Lore will just blink you somewhere and have his way with you.” He pauses. “You don’t need to worry about balancing us, Rosie. We’ll organise it. You just focus on resting and building your strength.”
Twelve
Bricriu
Itake my watch from the upper branches of one of the trees surrounding our camp, but I leave the actual guarding to Lox, who circles the gloomy sky above us. As always, my focus is fixed on Rose.
She’s nestled in Jaro’s arms, as she has been all night. The wolf shifter hasn’t taken to fur this time, and he’s currently locked in a battle of twitching eyebrows with Drystan. The latter clearly wants Rose to wake, while the former clearly wants to give her the rest she needs.
Lore is perched on the boulder across the dead remains of the fire, snacking on a handful of echo berries as he watches the two high fae having their silent argument like it’s the best entertainment he’s had in years. Despite his casual posture, he’s hardly unaffected. More than once, I’ve caught him checking the shimmer of Rose’s dust that lingers on his skin, comparing it to the shiny fresh coat Jaro received last night.
“Fine.” Drystan finally growls, his tone so quiet that I only hear him because I’ve borrowed Naris’s ears. “I’ll get the horses ready. You can pass her to me when I’m mounted up.”
So he plans to start riding while Rose is still asleep? What happened to his great plan to start her day with orgasms?
Rose will never believe that the surly fae has a soft spot for her, but he does. Ever since she learned to dampen her aura, he’s stared at her non-stop. Almost like he’s afraid to look away. Now he’s bending his rigid routine for her? That’s basically a declaration of true love from him.
“Stealing her first climax of the day for yourself, dullahan?” Lore prods, not bothering to whisper.
“All that matters is that it gets done,” he replies stiffly, heaving his saddle over the stallion’s back. “And Itoldyou to stop calling me that.”
To anyone less observant, it would appear Drystan is completely apathetic. They’d be wrong. The blackened logs on the ground begin to smoke, and I drop down from my perch, distracting Lore before he can push the winter lord further. Lox lands on my arm, disappearing into my skin in a rush of ink that makes me sigh.
“It’s dawn.” And Drystan needs to stop talking about pleasuring Rose like it’s some horrid duty to be endured before she wakes up and hears him.
My eyes are drawn, once again, to her sleeping form. The tips of her ears are peeking through her hair and she’s only wearing one of Jaro’s shirts, which will bother her when she wakes up.
The oddest urge to replace his shirt with mine strikes, and I squeeze my eyes shut to hold it back.
Firstly, I don’townany shirts—or any other clothing that might prevent me access to my tattoos. Púcaí are often frowned upon for how little clothing we own, but I never considered it a problem until I realised how much I want to coat Rose in my scent.
Maybe I could try wearing a scarf or something.
Somewhere in the back of my mind, I know this is just her fever affecting me. Making me more possessive. The effects are already strong, and when it truly starts in five short days…
Goddess, I want to be there. I want it more than I want my next breath. Last night, when I returned to the clearing, I borrowed Espen’s tongue just to taste the lingering scent of her pleasure in the air. My dick was rock hard for hours afterwards, but I couldn’t work up the nerve to deal with it—even while the others took their leave to take care of themselves.
Her scent is driving me mad.
That’s just one of the many reasons why being close to Rose right now is a bad idea. The list plays on repeat in my mind as Jaro bundles up our precious mate.
“Time for another day of marching through this flowery paradise with our horny goddess,” Lore sighs dramatically. “How ever shall we pass the time?”
“You can pass it with your mouth shut.” Drystan checks the buckles before swinging up into Blizzard’s saddle.
As soon as he’s settled, he holds his arms out for Jaro to pass him Rose. Nostrils flaring, the wolf shifter looks down at his little wrapped-up bundle, muscles bunching as he physically fights the urge to keep her to himself.
“Jaromir.” Drystan’s warning is clipped, a reminder to the wolf that’s flashing in the shifter’s eyes.
“It’s getting stronger,” I murmur, dropping to the ground. “This was a bad idea.”
How many more days must we parade her in front of others? She should be safe in her palace, away from all of them. Away from anyone who might seek to use this against her. Away from Caed.
My hands curl into fists as Jaro finally finds the strength to pass her over to Drystan.
“It was the only option we had.” Drystan arranges her across his body, then strokes a wayward lock out of her face with a tenderness he’s incapable of displaying when she’s awake. “We’ll ride hard today. The sooner we get to Pavellen, the better.”
