50. Chapter 48 Arden

Chapter fifty

Chapter 48: Arden

A fter the worst night of pain and sickness I've ever experienced, I wake in my own bed with my mates surrounding me. One person is very notably missing, and my heart sinks. Having Zorvan with me while I was sick—the things he was saying to me—I thought we were getting somewhere. I started to allow myself to believe that he wanted to fix things.

"I'm glad you're up," Emyth says from his place in the chair in the corner of the room. He speaks with a soft voice, letting the others sleep.

Once I'm out of the bed, I cross the room to him. "I'm glad that I'm not vomiting anymore," I say, making him smile.

His hands drift lazily up my hips and around to my ass, and he pulls me into him. He rests his cheek against my middle, and sigh happily when I run my fingers through his hair.

"I probably smell awful. At least let me change."

"I don't care. I just need to hold you for a moment." He pauses then asks, "Would you like to get a bath with me? We can get away from these boneheads and have some time to ourselves."

"Oh...uh..."

"You don't want to?" He moves back so he can look at me. He's disappointed.

"I just...I do but until we've spent some time getting to know each other a little better and..."

"I'm not asking you to fuck me, Arden."

My cheeks are scorching hot. "I didn't think you were but being naked together might—"

"I won't let it. Let me help you get cleaned up before we prepare to swear you in."

I glance at the others then nod my head. "Okay. Let me get some clothes."

I use the bathroom and brush my teeth, then grab clean clothes from my closet. Once we're inside Emyth's room, he shuts the door and locks it. When he turns back around to face me, he's wearing a devious smile.

"Emyth," I warn. "You promised."

"I never said anything about kissing you."

He stalks toward me and pulls me into him and kisses me in a way that steals my breath away. In everyday conversations, it's easy to forget what his abilities are. But when he kisses me, I can taste the deadly energy pouring off of him. He's danger tied up in a beautiful, icy blonde package.

When he's content with kissing me, he steps away. "C'mon. Let's wash the last several hours off of you."

"I told you I stink," I say playfully.

"You actually mostly smell like Zorvan," he says casually.

I hold my forearm up to my nose and inhale. Sure enough, I smell like bergamot and cinnamon. I follow Emyth into the bathroom, and he starts the bath, and lights the coals. Then he approaches, and pulls my nightgown over my head, completely exposing me to him.

This is the first time we've done anything this intimate and butterflies flutter in my stomach. His fingertips graze down my bare sides and I shiver beneath his touch.

"You are so beautiful. I cannot wait to pin you between me and Lysander."

"Emyth," I warn.

"I'm just letting you know what my plans are for you eventually. You're in no shape to do anything that physical today. You were so sick last night. You need to get bathed, and eat, and replenish your strength. That doesn't mean I can't take a moment to appreciate my mate."

"This was a bad idea," I say with little to no conviction in my voice.

"I think it was the best idea I've had in a long time."

He pulls his shirt over his head and shoves his pants to the floor, allowing me to drink him in.

"You're beautiful, too, you know?" I chew my bottom lip.

"That's a new one," he says, pulling me toward the bath. "Handsome, sure. I've been called 'cute' a couple of times by people who didn't know any better. But beautiful?"

"You're like a work of art," I admit.

He steps down into the hot water and holds out his hand for me to steady myself with. Once my feet are both firmly in the tub, he sinks down to his shoulders and shifts so he's kneeling before me. He bites softly at the flesh of my thighs, then he pulls me down so I'm straddling his lap.

I'm desperate to feel him inside of me, but I need to stick to my word. And I need to know that he's going to respect my boundaries.

"I've missed you so much." The sly grin is gone, and his face has morphed to one of sadness and longing. "I know that we had only started to really court one another, but I had been so used to your presence. You came here, and fit in with us so quickly that it was like I had never known a time without you.

"Even when Tavin and I weren't on the best of terms with you, you just fit. I'm never letting you go anywhere without one of us ever again. Not outside of these walls, anyway."

"Being away from all of you was torture," I admit.

"Let's make some time for all of us once the ball is over. We can get to know each other, and I can bury my face between these thighs." He grabs the tops of my thighs and squeezes to emphasize his point.

"You're going to have to fight for that position with Camus," I say with a laugh. "I've never met someone who enjoys going down on a woman as much as he—I'm sorry. I shouldn't be talking about him while I'm here with you."

"You can talk about your other mates as much as you like. Especially if it teaches me how to please you better."

His hard length is pressing at my center, begging for me to shift just a little bit and let him in.

"Fuck I want you," he whispers and grinds against me, careful not to slip inside.

The head of his cock presses against my clit and I moan softly. "Emyth, please."

"Please what?" he asks with a smirk that does nothing to conceal the unbridled need in his eyes. "Please stop or please keep going? What are you really begging me for?"

I don't know the answer to that. What I do know is that he's still recovering, and he needs rest, and I need to not rush another one of my mate bonds. With every ounce of self control I have, I move away from him, and sit on the other side of the tub, putting the distance of about two people between us.

He leans back against the tub and spreads his arms out on the edge. "How long do you want to wait before we complete the bond?" It's not an attempt to pressure me. He just wants to know.

"I just want to get through this thing with Cyndair; focus on one thing at a time. Then we can focus solely on getting to know each other."

"I don't think that will be our sole focus for a long time. After Cyndair, we have to maybe go get your dad, and talk to Ardeth, and see if there's anything that we can do to stop her once and for all."

"You're probably right. But it's still too soon. I want to really get to know you, Em. I want to know the healed and healthy version of you. I want to know the version that's excited that I'm here, and not suspicious and angry.

"And honestly. I want to be able to wear all of your mate marks with pride, and not have to cover them with clothing because I have to keep it a secret from the world. I want to be able to tell everyone that you're mine," I say, cheeks flushing.

He moves across the tub and knees between my legs before tipping my chin up so I'm looking at him. "I am yours. I belong to you and Lysander, body and soul, and I cannot wait to tell the world you're mine . Now get out of the tub."

"Why?" I ask with a laugh.

His eyes darken, and his tone sends a wave of anticipation through me. "Do it, Arden. I won't ask you again."

I push up on the edge of the tub, and perch there. "What are you doing?"

"Get out," he commands, and stands to follow. He pulls me to the bed and kisses me, roughly palming my boob with one hand and squeezing my ass with the other. Then he pushes me back on the bed, and pushes my legs apart and trails his fingers up my legs until they're resting on my hips. I'm shivering from the cool air on my wet skin, but my body is flushed from need.

"Emyth," I whisper.

"If you really want me to stop, I will, but I think you'll regret that." He says before placing gentle kisses up the soft flesh of my inner thigh. He glances up at me occasionally, a question in his eyes. I don't stop him.

He spreads me open for him and moves his tongue tentatively against my clit, eliciting a moan. My sounds spur him on and his mouth moves like magic against the apex of my thighs, He stares up at me as he sucks on my clit and gently bites at my flesh.

I gasp and fall back on the bed, gripping the bedspread in my hands. I'm getting close, and the urge to have him inside of me is strong. I'm nearly about to throw everything I said out the window when he slides two fingers inside of me, and curls them against my g-spot, making me cry out, and come for him.

"Fuck!" I gasp, gripping a handful of his hair and riding out my orgasm while grinding against his face.

Once it's done he pulls back, and climbs up my body. "I can't believe I let you live here for nearly two months without doing that a single time. You are intoxicating."

He kisses me, and aside his erection pressing against me, everything about him is soft and tender. "That was amazing," I finally whisper when he breaks the kiss.

"Let's actually get you clean, and get back to the others," he whispers with a smile, and a final kiss.

***

After a proper bath, we return to my room. Zorvan is back and talking with the guys. I skirt past all of them and go into my closet to get dressed. I drop the towel on the floor and reach for a dress as comforting hands wrap around my waist.

"Sneaking off with Emyth without me?" Lysander whispers in my ear. "I hope you took it easy on him in his fragile state."

"We didn't really do anything," I say with a blush.

"Then why could I smell and taste you all over him when he kissed me?"

"Okay we fooled around a bit," I admit and pull away to put my dress on.

"Next time make sure to wake me," he says as he helps me get dressed. "Are you sure you want to take on this role, Arden?" he asks just as we're about to leave the closet.

"You don't think I should?"

"I think that this is Zorvan's way of keeping you here, even if you don't want to be," he says quietly.

"I never wanted to leave Feldorn, though. I wanted to stay here with all of you, and this ensures that I get to do that."

"Then let's go get you ready to swear in."

***

As the sun is setting, we walk just into the woods. The ceremony needs to be performed under the stars. I'm wearing a simple flowy dress, and Airen made me a flower crown just for the occasion. Camus and Livarius each hold one of my hands as we walk into the woods.

There's a small clearing just through some trees at the rear of the castle. The cloudless night sky allows the moons to illuminate the clearing. Bugs somewhat akin to fireflies dance through the air, only their lights shine every color of the rainbow.

Zorvan stops and stares up at the sky as we all stop behind him. He takes a deep breath then spins to face me. "Are you ready?" he asks.

"I am."

The others form a small circle around us, and Zorvan pulls a ring out of his pocket. "Let me see your hand."

I place my hand in his and that buzzing returns, pulling me to him and begging me to leap into his arms, but my feet stay firmly planted to the ground.

"This ring is symbolic of your duty to this kingdom: infinite and unbroken. You can obviously take it off, but I request that for any formal gatherings you wear it. It gives you power within the walls of the castle. Your station is below only mine and the keepers."

He slides it onto my finger, and I laugh. "In the earth realm, when people commit themselves to each other they exchange rings rather than mate marking each other. It's a symbol of their union."

He smiles down at me, but his eyes are sad. "Elliotte," he says and Elliotte approaches with a dagger in his hand.

Zorvan positions my hand so it's facing him in the air, and he holds his an inch away. Elliotte pulls a dagger from his belt and places it between our hands. Zorvan locks his fingers with mine, and Elliotte draws the blade down, chanting something as he does. As drops of blood slide down our forearms and hit the grass, Elliotte steps back and takes his place in the circle.

Then Zorvan says, "By the Stars and the Moons, I declare you, Arden, my head of council. The only way to dissolve this union is by agreement of both parties, death, or an act of treason or betrayal. You will sit by my side and help me do what is right by my kingdom from this point forward."

The magic of the bond winds its way up my arm and through my body, and I desperately wish it were the mate bond attaching us and not some duty bond. For a second I swear the stars shine just a little brighter, and then Zorvan pulls his hand away from mine.

I frown and shake my head. "How was Falmir able to sit on your council if it requires the council member to not commit treason?"

"Probably because he didn't outright commit treason. He went against my word a few times, but while he was on my council, he didn't do anything aside from pass information to his mother which is to be expected.

"But good riddance. What do you say we all go celebrate?" Zorvan asks.