40. THIRTY-FIVE

THIRTY-FIVE

Kian

Idrewina long breath, plucking at the cuff of my shirt. “I don’t know. It just scares me. You know, I never really cared about many people the way that I care about her. I mean, obviously, I love Lachlan like a brother, and we watched out for each other when I was in that cursed village. But with Wren, I love her. It’s an all consuming love, and the thought of her going on her own to destroy that relic terrifies me.” My heart throbbed painfully as the memory of the vision slipped in front of my eyes. “I hate it. I absolutely hate it. I don’t know what I can do, but every vision that we’ve had says that I can’t do anything. That helpless feeling is the worst feeling I’ve ever had in my entire life.”

Blair blinked, her glowing white eyes softening as she nodded. “Kian, we have had many visions about this war. Some similar, and some different. We have forced visions, and we have not seen a vision where any of Wren’s mates accompanying her would have a good outcome. I know that you’re worried about her, but you also need to think about her and her feelings. If something happened to one of her mates…” Blair adjusted her hood over her face as I saw a hint of her nose. “She would be devastated. Every vision I’ve had about one of you dying has been brutal. You all mean the same to her, and she would give up her life for any of yours. I don’t think you understand that.”

“I do understand.” I forced my hands through my hair as panic welled up inside me, threatening to swallow me belly first. “I would do the same for her. I would always do the same for her. I don’t want her to lose any of us. I just feel helpless.”

“You are helpless right now,” Blair stated, not sugarcoating a thing. She was brutally honest since I’d met her, but there was a protective sense about her that I loved and sought comfort in. She reminded me of my mom, fiercely loyal, protective, and valued life.

I let my hands fall to my sides as I paced her office. “But we didn’t even see the dragons attacking that one day Roak showed up. And a dragon in his normal form tried to abduct Wren! We didn’t see a thing about it, and we were caught completely off guard.”

Blair stood, smoothing out her black gown and practically gliding over to me, placing her hand on my shoulder and squeezing tenderly. “Being a seer and having the gift of visions is a blessing from the Fates. However, our power is not omniscient. We don’t always see the dangers coming at us. I don’t know why. I don’t have that answer, but I think it’s a way of the Fates keeping balance. If we knew absolutely everything, it wouldn’t be fair. It would throw balance off scale. Do you understand balance?”

“Balance is something that I had been taught my entire life, but not to keep it. No. Claude taught us keeping balance in the form of resurrection was to keep everything alive. He taught us how to tip the scale of balance off. He’s the reason that village was so warped, but I’m sure that the leader before him, his father, was just as bad.” I looked away and pushed my glasses up the bridge of my nose as I closed my eyes and nodded. “I understand balance. It doesn’t mean I like it, but I do understand it.”

“I knew you would.” Blair let her hand drop. “I see how much you love your mate, and I see how much she loves you. I also see a future just like you, where you, Wren, and the rest of her mates live through this war and find your peace.”

My heart felt like wild magic in my throat as I nodded. “Now go to your mate. I have a feeling she needs you right now.”

“Thanks, Blair.” I smiled at her before I turned on my feet and left her office, letting the bond tug me toward my mate.

I entered Rowan’s office to see him buried in paperwork as usual. I cleared my throat. “You would think paperwork wouldn’t be necessary when you’re in the middle of a war.”

He groaned, leaning back in his chair as he glanced up at me. “I’ve always had paperwork, and it was rather a surprise to me that war makes for even more paperwork.”

I chuckled, wiping my palms down my pants. My eyes flickered to his bedroom door, knowing that she was on the other side.

His lips curved into a smile as he followed my gaze and nodded. “She’s in there. I just got out of bed with her. She made me take a nap, and when she fell asleep, I had to get up.”

“You didn’t sleep with her?” My eyes widened before I stumbled over my words. “I mean, not like sleep with her. Not like that. I mean like sleep with her. Like closing your eyes and getting some rest.”

Rowan tilted his head. “No need to ramble. I did get some sleep with her, but I woke up first. Your familiar is in there with her as well.”

I smiled at that. I had told Nightshade to keep an eye on her for me, and he was more than happy to do so. That squirrel was obsessed with my mate, and if he wasn’t my familiar, I knew the rest of the guys would have already buried him.

A bitter taste coated my mouth before I swallowed it down. They would never do that to me or Nightshade, though.

I nodded respectfully to Rowan as he waved me on, and I crossed over to his door and went inside, shutting it softly behind me.

Wren was sprawled out in the bed, her white hair fanning out around her as Nightshade curled up on her belly. He was fast asleep, moving up and down with her breaths.

I kicked my shoes off at the door and moved toward the bed. Nightshade’s little ears twitched, and he raised his head off her before shooting me what looked like a little smile.

“How long has she been asleep?” I sat down on the bed next to her.

‘Wren and Rowan fell asleep maybe an hour ago.’He stretched out his paws, pressing on her chest a little too long.

I snatched him off her. “Stop trying to feel up my mate,” I scolded.

He pouted. ‘I wasn’t this time. I was really just stretching!’

Irritation flared my nostrils before I rolled my eyes. “You get away with far too much, Nightshade.”

“Kian,” Wren murmured, cracking her eyes open and stretching out before sitting up in bed. A grin curled around her lips, and my heart skipped a beat.

This woman had no idea how stunning she was. When I first met her, I was so tongue-tied. I never thought she’d give me the time of day, but she proved me wrong immediately.

“What’s wrong?” Her voice was groggy as she raked a hand through her hair.

“Nothing. I’m just really glad to see you resting.”

“Something’s wrong.”

“No. Nothing’s wrong. Not really.”

Her smile fell away as concern took its place on her face. “Are you worried about the war?”

She sighed before she crawled toward me and moved into my lap. Nightshade moved before jumping into her lap and laying on his back so she could rub his belly, which she did almost on instinct.

‘That feels nice, mistress,’he purred.

I fought the urge to roll my eyes.

“I think we’re all worried about the war,” she said. “But are you worried about the necromancers being there?”

I gave her a stiff nod as I blew out a series of short breaths. “I have seen them there. They bring everyone, including the reanimated.”

There was a roaring in my ears as my heart stuttered, thinking of my mother’s corpse. It was just a husk with no soul, wandering around the battlefield. “She would have been so disappointed in my father. She had told him and me multiple times, never to resurrect her. But he didn’t listen, and she paid the price.”

“Kian, if her soul is not in the body, then she is not paying the price. Her soul is free. Okay?” She cupped my face with the hand not petting Nightshade.

I nuzzled into her palm as I nodded. “That’s a pleasant thought.”

Cute snores escaped Nightshade, and she giggled before scooping him out of her lap and placing him on the pillow furthest away from us on the bed. My familiar was fast asleep again.

“He naps all the time.”

Wren crawled back to me and wrapped her arms around my neck as she straddled my legs and slanted her mouth over mine. She gripped my wrists and placed my hands on the swell of her breasts.

A moan slipped from my throat. Her nipples were hard under my touch. “No bra?”

She leaned forward, and our breath mixed hotly. “Damien stole them all.”

I slipped my hands from her breasts to her back before running them over the curve of her butt and squeezing. My gaze widened as cupped her bare cheeks. She was just wearing Rowan’s shirt.

She unbuttoned my shirt and pulled it off before working at my pants and sliding them down, making me arch my hips and push the pants off my legs, all without breaking the kiss.

She flicked her tongue in my mouth in the most possessive way before spreading her thighs wider and pushing herself on to my throbbing shaft.

I pressed my tongue over the bumped mark in her cheek. The flesh was raised where my mark rested, and she moaned into my mouth as her body tightened around me.

“Kian,” she moaned as she bore down on me, the straddle taking me deeper. Her walls rippled around me, and my magic sparked in my veins before funneling into her.

Her back bowed as she cried out, digging her fingers into my shoulders. My tip tingled inside of her as the magic spread.

She lifted herself up off me and slammed herself back down in a chaotic rhythm as she twitched and moaned. Her body trapped me as her weight pinned me inside of her.

Gazing down to where our bodies were joined, a moan tore from my throat. Her wetness leaked down my shaft as I let her take control. “Fates, sweetheart, you’re soaking me. Please, take whatever you need.”

I loved nothing more than giving her pleasure, but watching her take pleasure from me was something else entirely. Our heartbeats synced, magic melding together as we moved.

“Mmf, Kian!” Her body clamped down on me like a vise, and we came in mutual surrender.

The power of our release sent us both into shivering ecstasy, our screams tangled together, and Nightshade jolted awake.

‘Why do I always miss the fun part?’He squeaked, scurrying over to look at us.

I pointed a finger at him and shot a bolt of magic to his furry tail, and he screeched before hiding his eyes.

Wren moved forward, her face nestled in the nape of my neck as I pulled us under the covers and snapped my fingers as I pulled out of her, cleaning her up.

“He’s just a squirrel,” Wren defended my perverted familiar.

“He’s a familiar, and he enjoys seeing you naked too much. Like way too much,” I grumbled, glaring over her shoulder at him. “The only people who get to see you naked are your mates. Sorry, sweetheart.”

“No, I understand. I think if a female familiar made those comments to you guys, I’d freak out.” She pressed her soft lips against mine.

“Sweetheart, promise me that you’re going to be safe?” My chest tightened, thinking back at the visions that I’d seen.

Blair and I had forced so many of them, and I watched so many different outcomes. Her going alone for this mission was our best bet.

We all had a part to play in this war, and this was hers. After it was over, we would all be together. I saw that future, and I manifested it.