Chapter Forty Three

Everett

The journey back to Korth was full of silence.

Nobody could process what they had experienced in that cave.

From the woman who claimed to be a queen to the dying man who had once been a hound.

It was all news that they didn’t understand.

Nobody spoke their questions out loud. It felt like the group was full of silent tension that only made things more awkward.

The worst of it all was the silence that consumed Aerilyn. Her expression was blank, he was unable to read her then. She was the most impacted by the entire encounter.

The Chosen One.

It didn’t make any sense to him.

Who was the man referring to when he said that she was the only one who could defeat them? He couldn’t help but wonder if he had been referring to Azazel, but that hadn’t made any sense since Azazel stood beside them as he died.

There had to be another threat out there that they didn’t know about.

He knew the queen they’d seen was a part of the threat.

The way the hounds didn’t attempt to attack her. Instead, they seemed to almost listen to her. That didn’t seem possible when she didn’t hold any weapons. She didn’t have the Sword of Aleksi, so he was unsure how she would have control over the creatures.

The moment they made it back to the palace, he knew that he needed to get Aerilyn alone so that they could discuss everything in private.

She had been off since the entire thing and he knew the situation was something they needed to talk about.

The other thing in the back of his mind was the message that had been brought to them.

Roman needed his help.

His brother had begged for his return after the hounds had attacked Orissia. Something in the world was changing and nobody could deny it any longer.

Once they were in the palace walls, everyone seemed to split in different directions to return to their posts.

Aerilyn didn’t say a word as her hand took Everett’s already heading back to where they had been staying.

He heard Azazel call after her in protest, knowing the king also was desperate for a conversation with her.

“Not now, Azazel.

I need rest,”

her voice was even tired as she spoke.

He seemed to understand and nodded his head once.

That was the only protest he had before they found their way back to their room.

Everett felt his skin crawling with the need for answers, but he didn’t speak until the door was shut and they were finally alone.

“What the hell just happened?”

He whispered before her arms flew around him, hugging him tightly.

He let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding, sliding his arms around her as he returned the hug.

Her body was shaking, he noticed as he grasped her small frame tight to his own.

He hated that this entire thing had happened.

He constantly hated that he couldn’t turn time back so that she had never experienced the entire journey since they’d left Orissia. She didn’t deserve any of it.

“I’m not special, Everett.

I have no idea what that man was talking about.

I can’t be some chosen savior.

That isn’t me.

As much as I want to be strong and save everyone from these fucking hounds, I’m not the one who’s going to end it all,”

the raw emotion in her tone was like a knife to his gut.

“I’m not sure what that man meant or where that queen came from, but you are special Aerilyn.

I saw it when you saved all those people.

Your powers are different.

I’ve never seen anything like it.

There’s something different about you that we can’t deny. I’m not sure what type of war that queen meant, but whatever happens you won’t be doing it alone.”

He tried to do everything he could to reassure her.

He knew that her fear wasn’t simply going to disappear, but he had to try to help her in whatever way he could.

“I didn’t ask for any of this,”

she whispered, her grip on him only tightening as they continued to speak.

His mind was running too fast, trying to consider all of the thoughts within his chaotic mind.

He didn’t know how to solve the problem that was laid out before them.

It was all out of his control at that point.

“Whatever happens, we’ll face it together.”

Aerilyn pulled away just enough to look at him and the moment their eyes met he wanted so badly to take away every ounce of emotion that was consuming her.

Her pain had become his and he had no idea when that had happened.

He spent his entire life with a fortress around his heart, refusing to let anyone in.

His void of emotions had left a hole deep within him.

She had been the one to fill it. She’d been the missing piece that made him feel full again.

“We should return to Orissia.

My brother’s message has been weighing on me and now that the trials are over we might have a better chance at escaping.

We’d be safer there within the walls,”

he began, trying to convince her of the importance of leaving the enemy kingdom.

Her lips pressed together in a tight line and he could see the debate in her mind.

“He’s never going to let me leave.

Now that he knows I’m some secret weapon, Azazel isn’t going to let me go,”

he hated the words that left her lips.

He knew it was true, but it was a truth that he wasn’t willing to accept.

“We can find a way, Aeri.

We have to.

We can’t stay here.

It’s not safe anymore and Orissia needs us.”

Aerilyn’s eyes lowered, her emotions being concealed quickly.

He wanted to keep talking, to keep trying to convince her, but he knew she needed a moment to think over what he was saying.

For her to return to Orissia meant that her entire life would change.

She would never be able to go back to the person she used to be.

He would have to beg his father to allow them to even return to the kingdom without the sword. He knew the information that they had was going to be more worth to the kingdom than the damn sword at that point.

“I agree.

We need to get back to Orissia.

As much as I despise your father and his actions, the kingdom needs to know what is happening outside of their walls.

If they can find a way to get past the borders of Orissia, they could start another kingdom away from your father’s wrath.

This entire world could change,”

her voice was full of a new tone of hope.

Her eyes finally lifted back to his again and he could see the emotions changing in her expression.

“We can be the ones to fix this.

You and I are going to save them all,”

he whispered, lifting his hands to her cheeks.

She leaned into the touch and he felt his heart warm.

“You’re going to sit on that throne beside me.

I want you to be my queen.

As long as you’ll accept that position,”

his smile grew as he tried to put aside everything bad that was happening around them.

“I never expected such a title, but if it means that I get to spend the rest of my life at your side then I will take it,”

she bit her lower lip.

The motion made his chest tighten.

He tried to hold himself back, wanting to tear all of the clothing from her body.

“I never realized that before you, I wasn’t living.

I felt no emotion, I was empty.

When I left the walls of Orissia I was expecting to end up dead.

I had never once thought that I would fall in love.

You’ve brought light into my life, no matter how tragic it has become. You are special, little thief. You were sent here to breathe life into me.”

He let all of his feelings finally go.

He had told her he loved her in the moments he thought he was dying, but he didn’t allow every emotion out.

He wanted to be completely transparent with the woman and explain to her everything that he was feeling for her.

The way her face only seemed to light up led him to believe that her feelings were similar.

“I was alone in Orissia.

I woke up every day in a building that was falling apart with no food or money in my pockets.

I had no purpose before my name was called.

I didn’t expect to survive this long.

I wasn’t sure if I wanted to. You gave me a purpose. You showed me that there was more in life than I had expected,”

her feelings fell from her lips and he felt his knees growing weak.

Her weight leaned into him as he watched her eyes move to his lips.

“I’ve never loved before.

You gave me a reason to take down my walls.

I love you, Aerilyn.”

He couldn’t wait a second longer, clashing his lips into hers.

She didn’t take any time to kiss him back, their lips locking in a vicious fight.

The times they’d kissed before had never been full of the urgency they experienced then.

One of his hands slid through her hair, gripping it tightly to keep their mouths pressed together while the other hand slid over her lower back to pull her body against his.

Her hands roamed his chest, making a shiver run down his spine. He could feel her fingers fumbling with the bottoms of his shirt, tugging at them all until his shirt fell open exposing his chest to her.

Everett took her bottom lip between his teeth, biting down as he tugged on it.

She let out a soft groan that only convinced him to keep moving.

He let go of her body, yanking his shirt off.

He used the moment of their lips being apart to unzip her leathers and pull the top over her head.

She stood in her bra and bottoms, half of her body exposed to him. As much as he wanted to stand and admire her, he couldn’t hold himself back any longer.

He closed the space between them again, yanking her hair to expose her bare neck to him. He dragged his lips along her throat, letting his tongue move along with each delicate kiss.

Her chest rose and fell quickly with harsh breaths and he knew from the movements that she was just as desperate for this as he was.

“I miss your taste.

I miss the sounds you make.

It feels like it's been too long since you’ve moaned for me,”

his voice was raw as he began to take steps toward the bed.

He led her carefully to ensure she didn’t stumble.

When they were close enough, he lifted her by her thighs and threw her the last few feet onto the soft mattress.

A squeal escaped her along with several giggles.

He found himself kneeling on the floor before her, his fingertips looping through her bottoms as he began to pull them down.

She lifted her hips slightly for him and he smiled up at her, getting the clothing off of her body. He threw the slacks to the side, running his hands over her bare legs. He let out a heavy breath, his mind racing with thoughts.

Everett ran his lips over her thighs, slowing down the kisses along the inner part.

The way her body naturally arched up into his mouth made his pants feel tighter than usual.

He swore to himself as he planted a kiss against the warmth of her panties.

The gasp that escaped her told him everything he needed to know.

He smirked up at her, as his fingers slid into her panties and found their way to the wetness that was coating her.

“Already warm for me? How pathetic.

All I have to do is kiss you and you’re already so needy.”

Her cheeks flushed at his words and he felt a satisfaction from turning her on so easily.

He felt control over her body in a way he couldn’t begin to explain.

His thumb pressed against her clit, rubbing a delicate circle.

Her head fell back against the bed, a whimper leaving her lips.

He groaned in return, moving to slip the underwear from her hips. Once she was fully exposed before him, he returned to rubbing the small circles.

“Take off your bra for me, pretty girl.”

Aerilyn didn’t protest as her hands slid behind her, unclasping the bra and letting it fall from her chest.

His eyes hungrily took her in.

Her perfect breasts were finally exposed to him.

She lay fully naked like a meal before him.

“Such a good girl,”

he growled, feeling the dominance taking over his mind.

She gasped as he put more pressure on her clit and picked up his movements.

He used his other hand to palm his cock within his pants, unable to take the tightening in his pants much longer.

His free hand undid the leather belt, slipping it from its loops.

“Bend over the bed,”

he felt the command in his tone, watching as her eyes widened.

She didn’t take more than a moment to obey what he said.

He examined her naked frame from behind, running his hands over the curve of her ass.

He grabbed both of her wrists, pinning them side by side before looping his belt around them tightly.

His eyes took in the sight of her bound wrists and exposed body, his cock twitching in his pants.

“Everett please,”

the beg escaped her and he knew she was as desperate as he was.

He forced his pants down along with his boxers.

He wanted to toy with her.

He wanted to make her cum over and over again, but he found himself unable to wait any longer.

He slid his hands between her thighs and spread them further. She whimpered again, her ass arching up towards him. A slur of curses left him as he slapped her ass with his open palm. She yelped, retracting from him for a moment before her ass moved back towards him.

“You like that?”

He questioned, testing the waters.

She looked over her shoulder, nodding her head.

Her wide eyes were full of a desperate need for more and he couldn’t help but oblige.

He ran the length of his cock over the wetness that was gathered between her thighs.

He didn’t even attempt to put his fingers into her to stretch her out. He knew that she would be ready for him. He gave her no time to adjust before pushing inside of her. His entire body shook as her tight walls wrapped around the length of him.

“Fuck,”

he tilted his head back, letting the sound of her cries fill the room around them.

He felt his abdomen press into her, telling him that he was fully inside of her.

He gave her a moment to adjust then before he began to move his hips.

He pulled himself almost all the way out before slamming back into her.

A moan escaped her as he hit deep inside the woman. The sound of her wetness filled his ears, only making him desperate to hear more of it. He chose a pace, thrusting in and out of her.

The mixture of their bodies combined and her moans filled the space around them. He didn’t care if anyone heard them. If anything, he wanted them to know exactly what was going on behind those walls.

Everett didn’t slow his pace as he bent over, his hand gripping her hair.

He yanked her head back, sliding a hand over her lips.

Two of his fingers moved between her lips, filling her mouth.

She groaned around his fingers as he felt her saliva coat them.

“Suck on them for me, sweetheart,”

he cooed, his mind reeling with too many ideas to count.

She obeyed again, her mouth closing around them.

Her tongue dragged over them and she sucked delicately.

He imagined what it would feel like to have that mouth wrapped around him.

He wanted to see the mess he could make of her.

When he felt like his fingers were coated enough, he removed them from her mouth hearing her gasp for air.

His hips continued to pound into her, his cock already aching for a release that he wouldn’t allow himself.

He gathered spit within his mouth as he leaned back, letting it fall from his lips onto her ass.

He sucked in a deep breath as his wet fingers rubbed it over the only hole that he hadn’t yet touched.

A new sound escaped her and it only made him want to continue. He ran his pointer finger against the hole delicately before pushing the tip of it inside of her.

He slowed down his thrusts to keep from overwhelming her at first. Her body squirmed beneath him as he continued to slowly push the finger inside of her.

Once it was about halfway in, he began to pick up the speed of his thrusts once again.

Everett was lost in her body.

The mixture of her moans and the reactions of her body was enough to put him over the edge.

He began to thrust the finger in and out of her, filling both of her holes with him.

She cried out his name over and over, her bound wrists jerking as she slowly began to unravel for him.

He wasn’t able to hold back much longer, knowing that his climax was close. He twitched inside of her, moaning along with her. It wasn’t long before her core tightened around him.

She screamed as the orgasm ran through her body. He thrust a few more times to help her ride out the orgasm before he pulled out of her, letting his cum release onto the curves of her ass.

He moaned loudly with her, his spine tingling as he rode out his climax. His body was shaking as he took a few steps away from her. He took in the sight of her shaking body, loving how she looked in that position.

He grabbed his shirt from the floor and used it to wipe his cum off of her, cleaning up her body.

He unbound her wrists, freeing her from the belt that held her wrists behind her back.

She slowly sat up, her eyes meeting his as she turned to face him.

A small smile began to form on her lips, her arms reaching out towards him.

He didn’t hesitate as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her tight against his chest. He kissed her forehead, rubbing her back in soothing strokes.

“I love you,”

she whispered, her grip on him only tightening.

“I love you,”

he returned.

He slid into the bed beside her, finding his way under the sheets.

She crawled up beside him, sliding her arms around her.

She curled into his chest, her breaths slowing down as he tried his best to calm her down after the high they had both rode out.

“I’d do anything for you,”

her soft voice pulled his attention to her face.

Her expression was serious as she spoke, her eyes searching his face.

“As would I, little thief.

I’d let this entire world end if it meant getting to spend my life loving you,”

he kissed her lips once before pulling her face into his chest.

He could feel her smile.

It made him feel at peace.

Even while the world beyond their bedroom was crumbling, she was the only thing that mattered.