Chapter Thirty

Everett

Everett felt like he was being put on display when the maid dressed him up in a suit.

The feeling reminded him of the way his father would keep him beside his throne like a prized possession.

He was always discarded and rarely acknowledged as the heir to the throne.

When he entered the dining hall filled with Korth’s court, he felt the same way.

The dirty looks that they all threw his way made him straighten his posture.

He was used to the hatred, but it never failed to creep its way into his mind.

He flashed a charming smile at them as he found a seat at the table.

He leaned back in the chair, putting his arrogant mask on his face.

He heard the whispers between them and forced himself to ignore them.

His eyes only flicked towards the door in hopes of Aerilyn walking through the door.

If the woman hadn’t been with him in the situation, he would’ve lost his mind at that point.

He refused to give in to the chaos when she was at his side.

He only hoped to escape once the trial was over.

He wished he could find a way to get away with Aerilyn to keep her safe from what was to come.

He knew she could defend herself, but neither of them knew what Azazel had up his sleeve.

They had been separated for the first trial and he only prayed it wouldn’t happen again for the last one.

The doors swung open and his posture straightened, his attention refocusing to the entrance of the dining hall.

Blaise and Brinley entered the room with their arms linked to each other.

They both scanned the room before Blaise’s eyes met Everett’s and he gave him a small nod in acknowledgement.

The two approached him and found seats at the table across from him, leaving the spot to his left open for Aerilyn.

“Where’s Aeri?”

Brinley questioned as she noticed the empty chair at his side.

“I’m not sure, she wasn’t in her room when I checked.

I assumed she was already here,”

Everett pressed his lips together as the thought evoked anxiety in him.

He tried to remind himself to trust her to be able to defend herself.

She would hate that he treated her like glass.

She was the type of woman who wanted to fend for herself and he tried his best to respect that.

The entire room began to stand, all of their attention directed to the door.

He exchanged a look with his companions before they all slowly stood.

The doors were held open by two guards, revealing Aerilyn standing with a small child’s hand in hers.

She looked stunning.

Her white hair stood out brightly against the deep red dress that showed the shape of her body.

It made his gut clench at the sight.

She looked like an angel sent from Hell to ruin them all.

He let his eyes fall on the child with dark hair, clinging to Aerilyn in a way that showed they knew each other.

Aerilyn smiled at the room before her, but Everett could tell that the smile wasn’t genuine.

She moved across the room gracefully as she found the seat at Evertt’s side, the small girl taking the seat on the other side of her.

“You’re a goddess, darling,”

Everett took her hand, placing a kiss against her knuckles.

The room began to clap as the king entered, the shining black crown standing out against his hair.

His arrogance made Everett want to smash his face in.

He was charming with his people, but Everett knew that mask all too well.

The king found his seat at the head of the table, motioning for everyone to sit.

“You’re a flirt, prince,”

she shot back at him as she bit her lower lip.

It made him want to kiss her mouth more than anything.

The little girl tapped Aerilyn’s shoulder to get her attention.

Aerilyn turned to look at the small girl as she whispered into her ear.

Aerilyn let out a small laugh and nodded her head at the child.

He pulled out the chair beside him for Aerilyn to sit and she took the seat with a smile on her lips.

She pulled out the chair beside her and let the small child sit close to her side.

“Who’s this?”

Everett questioned as he looked between the two.

“I’m Rose,”

she held her small hand out toward him.

“I’m Everett.

Your dress is very pretty,”

he shook her hand as he tried to give a kind compliment to the girl.

“Rose here is the captain of the guard’s daughter.

She needed help doing her hair so we spent some time together,”

Aerilyn tried to explain, but he knew she wasn’t giving the full story.

She gave him a look to tell him that she’d explain later.

“Aerilyn is a princess and I wanted to look as pretty as her,”

the girl let out giggles that made Everett smile a bit.

He didn’t understand the full story, but he couldn’t help but admire the way Aerilyn was with the child.

The little girl was looking around the room with wide eyes, taking in everything around her.

The fact a child was invited to the dinner was enough to say that they should be safe for once.

Azazel was a cruel man, but he didn’t think the guy would go as far as hurting a child.

Or so he hoped.

The group felt smaller without Bastian, but they all tried not to think about the lack of their friend.

In an unfortunate fucked up way, the death brought them together.

It made them realize that they were all in danger as long as they were within the walls of that palace.

It didn’t take long for the food to be placed in front of them, everyone digging in without a word.

Everett made sure the woman beside him filled her plate before he made any attempts to touch it for himself.

He had begun to care more for Aerilyn’s well-being than his own and that terrified him.

They all ate in silence, knowing what the next day was going to bring.

The tension in the air was palpable as if he could reach out and cut it with a knife.

He could feel the burn of Azazel’s constant gaze throughout the meal.

He knew the king was waiting for his death, possibly even planning it as he took each bite of his meal.

Everett couldn’t bring himself to even look at the man, keeping his focus on his companions.

The only thing that mattered to him was getting Aerilyn out of the third trial, so be it if he lost himself in the process.

The garden was the first peaceful place Everett had seen in the kingdom.

The comfort of the blooming flowers was unexplainable.

He could tell from the look on Aerilyn’s face that she felt the same way.

She had spent her life caring for plants, it had been her safe place.

The night sky was a stark contrast to the brightness below.

The stars overhead twinkled, mimicking the speed of Everett’s heartbeat that sped up within his chest.

The garden wasn’t large, but it held more plants than he could even begin to count.

He didn’t know the names of many of the flowers that varied from red to purple, every color of the rainbow being represented.

Small lights lit the gravel path that led to the center of the garden where a large fountain sat.

The large pillar of the fountain rose twice the height of Everett and only seemed to grow the closer they got.

He grasped onto her hand tight as they moved to the edge of the fountain.

“You know if you make a wish to a fountain, it comes true,”

his voice was soft, his eyes moving to her.

“Where did you learn that?”

She tilted her head in confusion as she examined the fountain.

“It was a myth that they used to say centuries ago,”

he shrugged, unsure of how he remembered such a small thing.

“Well then, we should make a wish,”

she grinned as she sat on the edge, her eyes fluttering shut as her lips began to silently move.

He watched her as she made her wish, loving the expressions she made.

He sat down beside her and pulled her body against his as he delicately stroked her hair.

“What happens if we live tomorrow? If we make it through this, what are we going to do?”

Her voice was quiet, the worry in it making his chest ache.

He hated seeing her like this.

He wanted to take away every negative thing on her mind.

“I’m not sure, darling.

We’ll find a way to get home.

I’m the heir to the throne, I can’t give up on my people.

As much as I adore my brother, he isn’t prepared for being king,”

he didn’t look away from her, trying to provide her with any comfort possible.

“We will survive this, Aeri.

I will do whatever I can to keep you safe.

I won’t let anyone hurt you,”

he slid his palm over her cheek, his thumb brushing her skin delicately.

“Everett, what happens when we return? When you take over the throne… you can’t be with someone like me,”

the girl’s voice shook, her eyes growing watery on the verge of tears.

Everett felt his heart shatter at those words.

“I can’t make you take a crown.

I know that’s a huge responsibility that you may not want to be a part of, but I don’t want to spend my life with anyone else.

I can’t imagine that.

I don’t care what anyone else thinks of you.

You’re beautiful inside and out.

You’ve lit up my world and given me a reason to smile.

You’d make the perfect queen, Aerilyn,”

his words stood genuine.

His father may not be happy to crown a girl who came from the slums.

He had always pushed Everett to marry a woman from a wealthy family that would bring a union between his family and another well-known family name.

He couldn’t read Aerilyn.

She seemed deep in a thought that carried her far away from that moment.

He placed his other hand on her face, cradling her soft skin in both palms.

“I refuse to lose you, my love.

I will do anything to keep you,”

he whispered, searching her eyes for some sort of answer.

“I think I could settle for a palace.”

Everett couldn’t help but chuckle, a smile tugging at his lips.

The small girl returned his smile, reassuring him of the mutual feelings.

“I will make sure it’s suitable for my queen,”

he teased, pressing his forehead against hers.

Their breath tangled together, the closeness warming his skin everywhere.

Every time he touched her, he felt like the world fell into place.

Everything was how it was supposed to be.

He slid one hand down to the back of her neck, pulling her face to his as his lips brushed hers slowly.

She tasted sweeter than any dessert and it was addicting.

He waited until he felt her lips move along with his own before he crashed his mouth into hers.

He felt her hands press against his chest, knowing she felt his heart pounding beneath the surface.

The only thing that separated her skin from his was the thin material of the button-up dress shirt.

His hand on the back of her neck slowly lowered down the length of her spine.

He felt the way she shivered under the touch, only encouraging him to move further.

The slit in her dress that ran up to her hip exposed her bare thigh to him, tempting the man more than ever.

As he moved his hand up her bare thigh, she gasped causing her lips to part.

The sound ran to his core, making every nerve in his body light on fire.

He took advantage of her parted lips, dipping his tongue into the space.

He waited until he felt her tongue meet his, the clash of the muscles making his grip on her tighten.

He wasn’t sure how much longer he could contain himself around her.

“Aerilyn, if you keep touching me like this I won’t be able to control myself.”

“Take me back to our room,”

she looked up at him, her eyes wrecking him.

He didn’t have to debate her words, quickly scooping her up into his arms.

She squealed, the sound so perfectly adorable that it made him chuckle.

He carried her against his chest to the room that they’d been sharing since she had been attacked.

He didn’t set her down as he kicked the door shut behind them.

He turned, pinning her body up against the back of the door with a force that he hadn’t meant.

Everett’s hands slid down the curves of her hips, trying to memorize every inch of her.

The dress she wore left too much fabric between them.

His fingers slid under each strap, tugging them down her shoulders.

Her eyes lifted to his and he felt like he would break under the look of her gray eyes.

He felt her hands press to his chest, her fingers fumbling as they began to unbutton his dress shirt.

Everett pressed himself further between her thighs, feeling her legs lock around his waist.

She continued to undo the buttons as he rubbed his hips against hers, feeling himself growing hard as another small gasp escaped her.

Her sounds were even more beautiful than an entire symphony.

He had never felt so much need for someone else.

It was enough to consume him entirely.

He slowly set her down, grasping both of her hands in his as he led her towards the bed.

He didn’t stop until the back of his knees met the edge of the mattress.

He slowly sat down, wrapping his arms around her.

His fingers found the laces of her dress, slowly untying them as he loosened the tight corset that held her dress on.

Aerilyn helped him, pulling the gown down until it fell to the floor.

She didn’t meet his eyes as she stepped out of it, kicking it to the side.

He studied every inch of her, his heart racing in his chest.

She stood before him in only panties, her arms wrapping around her figure.

He quickly grabbed her wrists and forced them to her sides.

“I want to look at my pretty girl,”

he frowned as he studied her.

She only squirmed under his gaze.

He loved watching her, clothed or not.

“You’re so perfect,”

he whispered before kissing her stomach.

He trailed the kisses up her chest until his mouth found her lips once more.

He kissed her as if the world didn’t exist, getting lost in the way she tasted.

“I’ve never done this,”

she mumbled against his lips, causing him to pull away slightly.

He cupped her cheeks so that she was forced to meet his eyes.

“Do you want this?”

He questioned, searching her gaze for answers.

She nodded her head as if she were afraid to say the words.

“I need to hear you say it,”

his tone came out a bit more stern than he’d intended.

He refused to make her do something she wasn’t ready for.

Nobody had touched her, she was still pure.

That meant she was giving a part of herself to him and he refused to take that if she wasn’t all the way in.

“I want it.

I want you, Everett. Please,”

her bottom lip shook slightly as she spoke.

He could tell she was afraid, but he couldn’t blame her.

“I’ll take care of you, Aerilyn.

You don’t have to be afraid,”

he made the promise to her, kissing the tip of her nose.

She smiled at him and nodded her head, a bit more confidence shining through.

“The only problem I have is the fact that you’re still fully clothed and I’m almost bare.

I don’t think that’s very fair,”

she pouted her lips and he couldn’t help the smile that had overcome his face.

With those words, he finished undoing the final few buttons of his shirt and let it fall to the floor.

She stared at him with wide eyes, reaching out as she ran her fingers over his chest and down his abdomen.

He loved every moment that she touched him.

He wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to get enough.

“Now those,”

she motioned to his pants and he obliged, slipping them down his hips.

He sat before her in only boxers, matching the same bareness that she was.

She smiled back at him before stepping closer as she slid into his lap.

The girl straddled him, running her fingers through his hair.

He gripped her hips, closing any space between them.

She rocked them ever so slightly which evoked a groan from his throat.

Her cheeks were flushed as she began to find a pace of grinding herself against his lap.

His fingers dug into her hips, using the grip as the only way to ground himself.

He was going to lose his mind because of that girl.

Everett ran a finger over the waistband of her panties before lifting his eyes to hers, waiting for permission.

She gave him a small nod of reassurance.

He stood with her in his arms, switching their positions.

He laid her down on the bed, looping his fingers through the panties as he tugged them down.

He tossed them aside before he hovered over her.

“You tell me if you need me to stop,”

he warned her as his fingers ran over the space between her thighs.

She gasped in surprise, nodding in response.

It seemed that she was at a loss for words and he couldn’t complain about that.

He leaned down, pressing a kiss on the top of her breast.

She pushed her chest towards his mouth and he let out a soft chuckle before he wrapped his mouth around her nipple.

He sucked on the sensitive bud as his finger slid over the entrance of her core.

She was a mess of little sounds that he began to fall in love with.

He didn’t want her to stop moaning for him.

His finger slipped inside of her as he moved to the other breast, giving it the same treatment as the other.

Her insides squeezed around his finger with a tightness that would make any man go mad.

He slowly pumped it in and out of her delicately, not wanting her to feel too much pain.

When that finger seemed to slide in and out with more ease, he added a second one.

She moaned, thrusting her hips up towards him.

He bit down on her nipple before lifting his head to examine her face. Her eyes were squeezed shut, her face contoured with pleasure. He memorized that look, wanting to see it in his dreams.

Everett slowly removed his fingers from her, lifting them to his lips.

Her wetness soaked his fingertips as he brought them to his lips.

He licked it from his fingers, savoring the taste of her.

She was sweeter than any dessert he’d ever tasted.

It only made him crave her even more.

He wanted to explore every inch of her, he wanted to spend the rest of the night memorizing every part of her.

He slid his boxers off, discarding the last piece of clothing that separated the two of them.

He could feel her grow tense beneath him, stopping him from moving.

“What’s the matter, pretty girl?”

He questioned, running his fingers through her hair gently.

“Will you go slow?”

Her voice was small, a weakness that almost terrified him.

“Of course, you stop me if it’s too unbearable,”

he explained before he ran his tip along her wetness to get her ready.

She nodded quickly before he finally slipped inside of her.

He only allowed himself less than an inch to adjust to the new stretching of her insides.

Aerilyn let out a soft whimper that made him freeze.

He kept his eyes locked with hers, waiting for any movement or expression that told him to stop.

He waited several more moments before pushing in a bit further.

She gasped, her eyes widening.

“Are you okay, pretty girl?”

He whispered, running his fingers along her cheek soothingly.

She nodded her head, breathing out before she slowly lifted her hips towards him causing him to slip in deeper.

He pushed himself in completely, hating the cry that escaped her.

“You’re doing so good, I’m so proud of you,”

he praised, continuing to stroke her cheek delicately.

She smiled at him, but he could tell it was forced.

He hated the pain that it brought her.

He wanted the painful part to be over with, but he didn’t rush any of it.

He wanted to savor the special moment between them.

He didn’t move for several minutes, letting her adjust to the size of him.

He wasn’t sure how it felt for a woman, but he was sure the first time wasn’t very pleasant.

Aerilyn began to nod again, wiggling her hips.

He took the movements as a sign and began to slowly move his hips.

He kept his thrusts slow, not wanting to cause her any more pain than he already was.

It didn’t take much longer before she began to relax beneath him.

Her hands slid to his back, her nails digging into the skin.

He relished in the pain, loving every moment of it.

His hips thrust into her, her breasts moving with the motion.

Finally, a moan slipped from her lips.

The sound was more than enough to encourage him to pick up his pace.

He reached between them, rubbing his thumb against her clit to add a bit of pleasure to the pain that pulsed through her.

The moment he began to rub, she came undone.

Her moans filled the room once more, her head falling back against the blankets below her.

Her legs wrapped around his hips as he thrust into her over and over.

He locked his lips with hers, getting lost in her once again.

He couldn’t hold himself back much longer.

He hadn’t felt pleasure in too long, it was overwhelming in every single aspect.

His spine tingled with a threat of release.

He picked up the pace, rubbing at her clit faster than before.

He continued the mixture of thrusts and rubs, watching as her chest began to rise and fall quickly.

It wasn’t long before a moan escaped her and every inch of her body went tense.

Her body began to shake, her grip on him only tightening.

He bit his lower lip as he pulled himself out of her, letting his climax rush over his body.

He let his cum cover the blanket between her thighs.

He moaned along with her, his head falling against her chest as the orgasm consumed him.

He gasped at the feeling, tucking his face into her neck as she clung to him.

Her legs shook as they released their hold around his waist.

There was a comforting silence between the two of them.

The only sound was their panting breaths that mixed together and the scent of their bodies filled his senses.

If he could pick a moment to freeze time in, that would’ve been it.

He would give anything to repeat that exact moment over and over again.

Everything about her was perfect and he couldn’t ever find anything else to compare to what he was experiencing when he looked into her eyes.

“I want to do that again,”

she finally broke the silence and he began to laugh.

His chest rose and fell quickly as he tried to recover from the experience they’d shared.

“You don’t have to tell me twice,”

he smirked before he locked their lips once again.