7. Seven

Seven

Corentin

"You have to stop. You're only making it harder on yourself and her. She doesn't blame you for anything. We don't blame you for anything. There was nothing we could've done differently," Tillman says in a harsh whisper, his glare pointed directly toward me.

Never fails that he tries to make me see his reason.

But this time is so much different.

Two of the last three times, my actions, or lack thereof, have caused someone to get hurt, even worse, died, the argument was I was young, only a teenager, and I can't shoulder any blame for what happened. I wouldn't hear it. My lack of action was inexcusable.

This time…

This time is unforgivable. We nearly lost her. For good.

"First of all, get the fuck out of my head. Second, how can you possibly believe that?" I sneer at him, then move my gaze back to Willow.

In minutes after taking another healing vial and eating the entire bowl of soup I had the kitchen bring up, she was out like a light. Sleeping peacefully laid across Caspian's chest with Draken on one side and Tillman on the other.

Perfect, safe, exactly where she should've been the whole time.

"I won't, just like I won't get out of hers right now. Now isn't the time to fall apart and shut one another out. And how can I believe it? Because that's what she believes. She has complete faith that Elementra sent her there for a reason, many reasons, despite the personal cost to herself. If she feels it that deeply, who am I to question her?" he states with full conviction.

It's a rhetorical question that doesn't need an answer. We aren't in any position to question her, but that doesn't mean I can't take some of the blame, some of the responsibility for this. I could've made sure the wards were strengthened more. I could've made sure Mr. Blythe had better protective measures around himself. I could've not been so fucking stupid to believe the enchantment around the gym was ours.

"Corentin, just stop."

"Don't tell me to stop, Tillman. We aren't children anymore where you just get to pry down my walls and hear what you want to hear, then call me out about it. I have a right to think whatever the fuck I want to think right now," I say sternly.

"You have to stop thinking that way. It's only going to hurt her and yourself. Listen and believe me when I say, there was absolutely nothing you could've done to change this outcome. Willow was the only one with the power to change anything," he fires back.

"What do you know that we don't?" I ask and immediately grit my teeth when he shakes his head at me.

"I've tried to stay out of most of her thoughts that revolve around what she learned and what all happened. She wants to be the one to tell us and I'm respecting that boundary, but there's no doubt in her mind that what happened had to happen. So you need to believe that and let this go before you upset her any further."

His words gut me like a fish.

The looks, feelings she's been sending my way haven't gone unnoticed, and no part of me has wanted to or has purposely been trying to hurt her, but I can't bring myself to embrace her. That's what my bond and my heart want more than anything. To wrap her in my arms where she's safe, protected, cherished, loved, but I can't because I can't shake this feeling.

Loss of control, failure.

A soft sigh permeates the spreading silence, and we all turn our attention to her as she nuzzles down deeper into Caspian's chest, extending her arms out to grasp an arm each of Tillman's and Draken's. When her leg stretches out, her foot moving across the sheets, searching for something, a deep frown takes over her brow when she doesn't feel it.

I know it's me she's looking for, but I can't.

Getting up and crossing the bed, I lean across Tillman to lay a gentle kiss to her forehead until the wrinkles smooth out, then give his shoulder a squeeze. I hear what he's saying, and I know he's right, but I need a minute.

I need to collect myself before I snap. I refuse to allow that to happen. Especially with her here.

"I'll see you all in the morning," I whisper, rushing from the room before any of them have a chance to try to stop me.

Pulling out my communicator as I emerge at the fork in the hallway, I stand there, weighing my options. Go to the lounge and drown the feelings away in whiskey or go to my room and get some work done.

Work wins.

Despite the fact our Nexus protectively surrounds her, I'd never forgive myself if something were to happen and I was too drunk to react in time.

Cold emptiness seeps into my very being as I cross the threshold and stare around at the lifeless room. There's not a shroud of anything in here that brings the slightest emotion out in me other than despair. It's become nothing more than a glorified closet at this point.

I want to rage. I want to destroy it. Send every particle of anything flying across the walls just to feel something other than this soul-wrenching guilt. The longer I stand here in the doorway glaring, the higher the temperature of my blood rises, with it, the life, the burning heat of my gift comes bubbling to the surface.

No. Fuck no. Not again.

Five…four…three…two…one.

I force my body to find some semblance of control. Throwing my gift back in its cage, I order my feet to move over to my desk. Don't look anywhere but at your desk.

Multiple missed calls, messages, updates flood in as soon as I unlock the communicator and I throw myself into it. Letting the time pass by in a blur as afternoon falls to night outside my window, I deal with the aftermath of the day and begin planning, preparing the things that need to happen next.

Reading through the reports that continue to come in, my throat closes as the realization of what truly transpired today becomes clearer and clearer.

Ninety-six hostages were brought into the healing wing. Some are far worse off than others, but there're some who just recently had been moved into the same prison Willow was in, and they'll make a full recovery easily. They'll possibly be reunited with their families tonight or tomorrow.

Thirteen out of the twenty hostages who were taken from Crestwood were amongst the group that was rescued from the Aquaria hotspot and those thirteen are still coherent enough to confirm that the other seven were still alive and as well as you could be in that situation, when they were separated.

San and Nikoli are already starting to work on detecting the ingredients in the Bane of Essence tonic, while Jamie helps in the healing wing for now. Gaster's already recruited multiple highly gifted earth elements to start rebuilding the training fields and gym, plus has suspended classes for the remainder of the week.

Over and over, I read through everything. The daunting, undeniable realization hits me like a ton of bricks directly to the heart.

None of this would've been possible without her sacrifice. Without her willingness to give herself over, every positive thing that's come from today would've never happened.

It's a pill I can't seem to swallow.

Every part of me rebels at the idea of being grateful, proud of this outcome because look what happened to her. It's a nasty thought, one that goes against everything I believe, everything I stand for, but nonetheless I think it.

I wish she wouldn't have. Everyone else be damned.

Slamming the communicator down, I decide to call it a night, convincing myself that sleep will fix the loss of control I'm experiencing and when I wake up tomorrow, I'll be fine.

I know it's a lie. I feel the pressure my gift is putting on my skin, my mind. I know until I satisfy its need to be let completely loose, it'll continue to cause this reaction in me. It doesn't fucking help that the sheets on my bed are the exact same as hers, crafted to perfection by Tillman, yet they're rough, and no matter the tossing and turning, I can't get comfortable.

I try every trick in the book, from counting down, running through my to-do list, checking off things that've been taken care of, prioritizing what needs to happen next, but nothing works.

Lying there with my eyes shut tightly, I sense Caspian rather than see him, the scent of Willow everywhere on him, making my bond thrash in my chest wildly, but I don't bother opening my eyes, hoping that if he thinks I'm asleep, he'll just leave. When my bed dips, I almost crack, knowing good and well this little shit is not about to crawl into bed with me, but then he speaks.

"Sleep tight, little Primary." He and his shadows disappear back where they came from, and I hold my breath.

Five, four, three, two, one.

"I know you're awake," she whispers.

"You should be in bed, your bed, sleeping, princess," I say, blinking my eyes open, allowing them to readjust to the dimly lit room.

"I couldn't. Not without you."

Tangling my fist in the sheets, I try to regulate my breathing, my bond, myself because I know she feels it all, and she shouldn't be worrying about me. She needs to be worrying about herself healing, sleeping, and doing absolutely nothing else.

"I'm fine, Willow. Let me take you back to your room," I say calmly, but as I go to sling the covers off me, her hand gently holds me in place.

"Don't shut me out, Core. Please, I need you, and I know you need me."

"I don't—"

"Don't…don't say those words to me," she pleads.

There's no doubt she knows I was getting ready to say I didn't need her, and that's a fucking lie. The biggest possible lie I could ever say or think. Of course I need her. I need her more than my next breath.

I have her hauled up and pressed to my chest faster than she can take another breath. No matter how I may be feeling right now, I refuse to take my emotions out on her.

"I'm sorry. I'm…struggling with everything that happened today." I clench my teeth as the words taste foul coming from my mouth.

Struggling.

I'm not supposed to struggle.

We, me and the guys, each have a role to play in this Nexus. Each of us fits a responsibility perfectly and it's what's kept us so strong, so close. There've been times where one of us has slipped and the others have had to pick up the slack, but never have I fallen down so hard I can't pull myself out of it quickly. But not today…

"Are you mad at me?" Her sweet voice cuts through my muddled thoughts and I release a deep breath, looking down at her.

My gaze traces every bruise, the watery eyes, the guilt, the love, and judging by the wild thud of my heart, pounding so hard against my rib cage, it's going to fall out right into her palm any second.

"As irrational as it is, yeah, princess, I am. But I'm madder at this situation as a whole," I admit hoarsely.

Nodding, she doesn't get defensive, she doesn't try to argue her point of why she did what she did. Complete and utter understanding reflects at me in those silver eyes and that settles part of the turmoil rolling through me.

"I am too, and I'd also be mad if it were any of you. What has you the maddest?"

Myself.

"That's what I don't understand. I can completely understand being mad at me, all the circumstances, but why are you so upset with yourself, Corentin?"

I'm tempted to call her out about being as bad at listening to my thoughts as Tillman, but I don't. It's a deflection from being honest with her, and it's unfair.

"I…my gift…" I struggle to find the words I'm searching for, and that ignites another fire in me. I don't know how to explain this properly to her, so she understands what I'm feeling without thinking of me as the biggest fraud in all the realm.

"Because I failed, again. I failed you. I failed the guys. I'm barely hanging onto my gift by a thread. I've pushed myself to be as prepared, as planned, as controlled as I possibly can so we can avoid things like this, yet it continues to happen, and every single time, I'm just shy of stopping it. Then I lose control like a damn child. My gift tries to take control, let loose, and I can't allow that to happen."

"What do you mean?" she asks quietly.

I want to tell her about every time I've failed so miserably, the results were devastating, but at the same time, I don't. There're parts of my mind screaming for me to change the subject, turn it around on her, get her to tell me every single thing that happened.

The gentle stroking of her hand on the side of my neck calms the pounding pulse and I sigh.

"The day Caspian was kidnapped, I was with him. We were in the forest, playing our version of hide and seek with our gifts. Even though the point of the game was to stay away from one another, I was always supposed to stay close to him. It was my responsibility to keep him safe, keep an eye on him. That day, I let him get too far ahead because I just wanted him to hang out with me. We weren't…seeing eye to eye during that time. That's when the rebels came for him.

"It was a setup and by the time I made it through the forest, following the sound of him bellowing my name, I was too late. I was feet from him, my arms outstretched, ready to grab him, but I was too late. While my parents organized an immediate search and rescue, rather than helping prepare a plan to get my brother back, I lost my fucking mind in my room. My gift burst free and destroyed everything. Nearly blinded one of my dads when they came to check on me. The entire duration he was gone, I walked around with a halo of light surrounding me because I couldn't pull my gift all the way back in. I could barely think straight.

"The afternoon we rescued him, the only reason my mom allowed me to go was if I swore I'd stay by Aunt Tilly's side. Stay close. But when we realized we were severely outnumbered, I convinced her I'd be more help outside than inside with her. When the fire seared her back, we took off. I was right beside Tillman, but I couldn't reach Aunt Tilly.

"Instead of supporting my best friend, lending a shoulder he so desperately needed or consoling my mom who lost her best friend, the sister who laid down her life for her nephew, again, my gift surged out of me, and I spent hours destroying my room and everything in it.

"Then one morning, my uncle came here and told me how much he loved me, how proud he was of me. It wasn't unusual for him to say those things. He was just as involved with us and our lives growing up as any other adult. He asked me to have breakfast with him, said he wanted to discuss a few things with me. I asked him if it was important or if it could wait.

"He gave me a smile and said no, it was okay, and again that he loved me. I knew, I felt that something was wrong, but I ignored it because I was too focused on my studies, and he was interrupting me. A few hours later, Gaster called and said to come to the palace. We did, and that's where he told us my uncle had died. I knew something was wrong and I did nothing but rush him from my room, this room.

"That day, when my gift broke free of the cage I had worked tirelessly to construct for it over the years, I nearly took out the entire east wing, and I couldn't stop. I didn't stop until I almost drained every drop of power left in me. There my mom was, crying and crying over the loss of her last sibling, then to top it off, she had to sit at my bedside, a grown-ass, twenty-six-year-old man's bedside, while I slowly replenished my magic."

Pausing, I close my eyes, fighting against the shame washing over me for the way I let my emotions get the best of me each and every one of those times. I'd been raised, trained better than that, yet the moment shit hit the fan, so did my gift and I.

"I swore I'd never allow myself to lose that level of control ever again. My gift would never take over me in that way again, and I haven't allowed it too, for the most part, until you got here, princess. I feel like I have no control over myself or my gift whatsoever when it comes to you. Between it and my bond, I don't feel like my body is even mine anymore to command. It's theirs. When really, my control, my bond, my gift, my element, magic, everything should be unwavering, strong as steel, and on the same page so I can protect you. Protect you from days like today."

For a long moment, she doesn't speak, and as the silence stretches on, my shame continues to crash into me. At any moment, it's going to suck me up, spin me around, and spit me back out like a vicious tornado tearing through the forest, leaving nothing but devastation in its wake.

"I saw. I saw all three of those times in our awakening," she whispers.

Sealing my lips shut to suppress the groan that wants to leave me, I quietly curse Elementra for that. Of course she would show her the three lowest moments of my life. The three moments that show my truth. I'm not near as in control as I want to be.

"I won't try to lecture you about how two of those incidents, you were just a teenager, and your reactions were normal, because I don't think you'd listen or take it well anyway…" She trails off and I can't help the small twitch of my lip because she knows me just as well as my brothers. The side of her that balances Tillman out, coming through full force. "I do need to say something, though, if that's okay with you, and I just want you to think about it."

"Go on then, princess."

"I believe you've grown enough to know deep down inside none of those events were your fault. There was nothing you truly could've done differently to prevent the outcome. I…I think you keep blaming yourself for what happened because of your actions afterward. You connect the two as one, therefore the entirety is your fault, when that's not true. The blame is completely on the Mastery, at least for Caspian and your aunt, no doubt. One way or another, they would've found a way, despite what you would've done."

Her words spread throughout my mind, trying their hardest to embed themselves and block out the rebuttal on my lips. I've blamed the Mastery. Of course I have, there's no way I couldn't, but I've put myself on the same pedestal of fault as them.

I don't know what to say. I don't want to automatically disagree with her. I want to listen, comprehend, and analyze her words, but when my silence stretches on, she continues in a quiet voice.

"I also think you've concerned yourself with being in control so much, you've isolated your gift into a box with everything and everyone else, rather than it being an extension of you, and that's why when your emotions become so heightened, it tries to take over. Just like my air, like Draken's dragon, like Tillman's mental command, Caspian's shadows. I think you've yet to accept your gift as a part of you, so it fights to protect you, and instead of allowing it to, you put it in restraints," she says so calmly, so factually, I'm taken aback.

I accept my gift as part of me.

As if my gift has a mind of its own and wants to test that statement, it tries to break free, and I immediately shut it down, slamming it back into its cage. The instant realization knocks the air out of my lungs, and I choke back a tortured gasp.

My mind begins replaying every time in my life I've done this, how many times a day I deny its access to be free. I honestly don't know what it would do if I let it out to do as it pleased. It may not do anything but make my body glow.

"Fuck," I mumble quietly.

"We'll work on it. We all will work on it with you, just as everyone's done with me," Willow swears.

I hold her gaze for a long moment, studying the sincerity reflecting at me, and I relish the small amounts of the devotion she's trying to push down our bond. How she's able to see right through my mask is remarkable and so incredibly frustrating. I'd give anything to hide the worst of me from her, but she'd never have that.

"I'm sorry you had to see that side of me. That's why I left your room, why I didn't want you in here. I'm barely holding it together, princess, and I don't want you to see me like this." Embarrassment crawls across my skin. I hate admitting all of this to her, but she deserves my truth.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Anything," I say immediately.

"Do you truly like having control or do you feel like at this point you have to have it?" she asks seriously.

"Both. I've been controlling since the moment I entered this realm. I don't know if it was the product of being the firstborn and the suffocating pressures that some of the influential adults in my life put on me, or a trait Elementra decided to give me a little extra of, but regardless, I love being in control and feel like I have to be. I may go overboard sometimes, but having control alleviates my…" I pause, swallowing roughly. Just admit it. To her. Only her.

"Anxiety. The fears that come over me when I sink too far in my mind and think about how any decision made by someone else could cost me my brothers sends me to a dark place. My thoughts work against me, conjuring up the worst of the worst outcomes. When I take back control, it soothes those dark thoughts. It calms me down and gives me my power back.

"Having control over any and every situation, having a plan in place so we can get the results that matter, makes me feel safe and accomplished. The order it brings, brings me peace. I love that my control makes me more powerful than most people because unlike them, I can use that power for what's best for you, my brothers, the realm rather than letting beings like the Mastery use their power and control to hurt and manipulate others. I was raised around people, a certain someone, who was controlling too. Punishingly so. I saw and recognized I inherited some of those traits and I swore to myself I'd never use my controlling nature to harm anyone but rather help as much as I could."

It's easy to admit that even though honestly, I know many others hate it about me. I know for a fact my parents have just accepted it, that's why when I wouldn't take no for an answer about taking over the role as Headmaster twenty years early, they caved easily. It drives my brothers up the wall, but they also know it's ingrained in me, and I'll never change at this point. It's why our circle is so small. Not many can tolerate me on a level of friendship.

"It doesn't drive me up the wall, most of the time. It's my favorite trait about you," she says sweetly, I guess thinking that's going to excuse the fact she's still pointedly eavesdropping.

Snorting, I shake my head at her. "I find that hard to believe, princess."

"I mean it. Giving over my control to you, I've never felt more in control in my life. It's a type of safety that makes me feel powerful. Even though it's you calling the shots, not me, I'm at the forefront of every decision. My wellbeing is your priority and that makes me feel worthy, cherished.

"I thought about you so many times while I was trying to figure my way out of that prison. What would Corentin do? If he were here, he'd know, he'd tell me, he'd guide me. I honestly don't know what I'd do without you, Core," she says so softly, so thoughtfully, my entire being flushes.

Fuck, little does she know I'd never survive without her.

"I need something from you," she murmurs.

"Name it, princess."

"I need you to take control now. I need…you to punish me."

My eyes whip down to meet hers as her sweet, desperate tone trails off, and my heart crawls into my throat. Her need, her want, her intentions glare back at me so forcefully, it takes every bit of composure I have to stop from giving in to her call immediately.

Jumping up as quickly and gently as I can, I stand at the side of the bed to put some distance between us. There's an itch in my palm that I try my damnedest to ignore, clenching my fist tightly to hide the slight tremor that started the second the words left her lips.

No, absolutely not. I'm in no way, shape, or form able to give in to her request right now. I won't be able to hold myself back.

"Willow, you're healing. What happened today—"

"Happened. It happened and there's no going back and changing anything about it. My body will heal with time, but it's my soul that's screaming out now."

Climbing to her knees, she sits back on her heels in the middle of my bed and holds my gaze. There's a gentle assuredness to her tone, but it's also tinged with a dire longing. A longing I know so well when it comes to her.

"What's it screaming for?" I ask slowly.

"You. Your brand of control that gives me power over my own body, my own choices, my own life. It's screaming for the balance only you can give me. Please."

Subtly releasing my breath, I command my body to stay still and not reach out to grab her. It's both wired and completely calm. Just by her offering me full control over this situation, everything within me is settling. My gift has stopped thrashing, my bond is preening, my mind has quieted for the first time all day. She may believe this is her balance, but really, it's mine. She balances me so completely.

"Swear to me you're in no pain. I won't be the cause of any more," I croak out.

"You all washed away the pain. I swear it."

Prowling to the end of the bed, I don't take my eyes off hers, giving myself another moment to collect myself as much as possible and give her time to change her mind. She won't, though. I see the gleam in her silver depths. She needs this as much as she wants it.

As much as I want and need it.

"Crawl to me, princess."

I relish how her eyes widen and her pupils dilate, desire flooding her senses the second the order registers in her ears. Even through the oversized shirt she has on, I see her perky nipples growing hard, straining against the fabric, begging for freedom.

As she lowers herself to all fours, I don't budge. I don't move. I stand statue still as she slowly makes her way to me. Taunting, teasing. The only part of me that reacts is my painfully hard dick, and there's nothing I can do to stop it. Seeing my princess on her knees, coming to me like I told her to, is the sexiest fucking thing I've ever had the pleasure of witnessing.

Reaching my hand out to help her up once she approaches the edge of the bed, in one swift move, I slide her shirt off and have her kneeling, almost completely bare before me. It's a beautiful sight to see.

A deep, satisfied hum leaves my throat as her chest heaves in anticipation, waiting for my next command. I'm in no hurry to deliver her punishment, though. I let my eyes feast on her. I already have every mark on her memorized, every bruise, every cut, every part of her, is branded on my brain, but still, I retrace every one again.

When her creamy skin is healed back whole, my fingers, mouth, tongue can replace every mark with one of my own, but instead of pain, it'll be unrestrained pleasure.

Fuck, this woman is my undoing.

Gripping her around the waist, I spin her until her back is flush to my front, and gather her hair around my fist, leaning my body in close to hers. My lips leave a trail of kisses up her shoulder and neck, and I press my cock against her so she knows what she's doing to me, the reaction she's bringing out in me.

"Chest to the bed, arms out in front of you."

Her breath hitches slightly, but she obeys, doing exactly as I say as I guide her body down.

Lightly, teasingly, I run my fingers from the base of her neck up the arch in her back, and over the curve of her perfect ass. I nearly groan at the feeling of her body trembling beneath my hand. It's a brutal battle to fight my own desire to shiver from the touch of her skin on mine because that's all I want, all I crave, to feel every inch of her on me.

Linking my thumbs in the waistband of her silky blue underwear, I force myself not to rip them away, and when she presses herself back into my hands, I completely pull away. This wait, the anticipation, will be the only true punishment she'll receive from me. She'll never know anything other than pleasure when it comes from me, but she'll have to abide by my rules if she wants what I swear to give her.

"My way or no way, princess. You do that again and I'll drag this out even longer," I warn.

Her little whimper has me on the brink of cracking apart, but her body stills, so I slowly peel her underwear down her thighs. The sight has my cock throbbing, the evidence of what she needs dripping between her legs right in front of me, and I take a calming breath before I cave, give in to her pussy's begging.

"Five, just like last time, princess, then I'll give you what you want."

A muffled, sultry moan is all she responds with, but that isn't good enough. I need her words. I need her to say she understands me.

"Tell me you understand, Willow."

"Yes, I understand." She pants and her fingers tangle in the sheets.

"Good girl."

My hand comes down on her ass not even a second after the praise, and the moan that escapes her has a small piece of the tightly coiled, tense energy that's had me in a chokehold all day loosening. Soothing away the sting with my hand, she withers beneath it, and a smug smirk crosses my face.

My sweet, strong princess loves her punishments.

I spank her two more times in rapid succession, her moans growing louder, morphing into frantic pleas, and I give in to the sound, sinking my finger deep into her soaked pussy with no warning. And she accepts it with great pleasure.

"Corentin," she cries out, slinging her head back until her long light brown hair fans across her back.

"Yes, princess?" I ask tauntingly, slowly working my finger in and out, circling her clit with my thumb, applying just enough pressure to give her a taste but not enough to give her what she wants.

"More, please."

I dig my teeth into my bottom lip to keep from groaning. Fuck, if she had any idea what her begging does to me. In the bedroom, for me and my brothers, she melts like butter, softens up so sweetly. It drives us fucking feral. I hope she never stops. I hope every touch I give her for the rest of our lives has her as responsive as she is at this moment.

As much as I want to drag this out, soak up all that she's giving me, I need this release as much as she does. I said five spanks, and that's what I have to give her. Neither my body nor mind will allow me to deviate from that, so I sink another finger in and lay another smack across her ass. I know she's on the edge, about to come undone beneath me. Her pussy has a death grip on my fingers and her body is tense, fighting off the need to push back against my hand.

"Come for me, baby," I demand at the same time my hand comes across her ass for the last time.

Everything in me relaxes as her moans fill the space in my room. They're a soothing symphony that has every last bit of uncontrolled turmoil leaving my muscles and clearing my mind. All the magic and power inside of me sits idly in my chest, just as calm and collected as I now feel.

"Better, princess?" I ask, rolling her off her stomach and onto her back so I can see her face.

"No." She pants, and my heart freezes in my chest. Everything freezes.

Fuck. I was too rough. I hurt her. I…

"Corentin, that's not what I mean. That was perfect, more than perfect, and I'm fine. When I said my soul is screaming for you, I didn't just mean your punishment or control. I mean you. I need you. Every part of you," she says as a smile slowly crosses her lips.

Standing back tall, I gaze down at her as my now thawed heart beats furiously in my chest and my bond spreads to every pore in my body. No, that isn't how I took her words. I'd never just assume something of that magnitude without her clear consent. She can't mean…

"Yes, I do. I don't want to live another day without your bond flowing through my body. I love you, Corentin. And I love you more with every breath I take. To the realm, you may be controlling, bossy, unwavering, but to me, you're my backbone, my safety, my guiding light. You challenge me and nurture parts of myself I've had to keep locked away. You let me flourish by making my own choices, but you're also ready and willing to take the lead, make the difficult choices for me if I need you to. You know me better than I know myself and you use that to take the best possible care of my body, mind, soul. If I didn't make it clear, this is me telling you. Become one with me. Bond me."

The realm tilts on its side, causing my head to spin as the words I've waited to hear fall from her mouth crash into me. It's so powerful, so elating, my body sways with her demand. At least I thought I was swaying. I don't even realize I moved between her thighs, hauling us both up the bed until I feel her legs wrap around my neck and the orgasm she just had coats my tongue and awakens my tastebuds.

I feast on her flesh until she's a screaming, withering mess that's falling apart once again for me. Climbing up her body, laying wet kisses across her feverish skin, every stroke of her hand sends ripples of yearning burning through mine. I need my fucking pants off. I need to be so deep inside of her that I'm consumed with nothing but her.

Her earth element glides across me, and a hiss falls from my lips as my cock springs free, digging into her stomach. Not where I want it buried, but just the simple touch of her skin against it has me fighting back my release.

"Princess." I groan, my tone laced with lust as I shift my hips, lining myself up to her hot, dripping core. The feel of her arousal slicking the head of my dick snaps my hesitation, and in one thrust, I bury myself inside of her.

Elementra.

Fuck, she feels like home.

Holding myself still, we both sigh as if we're utterly satisfied because this was all we needed, and I cherish the moment between us. I lean my forehead down to hers, kissing her nose, her cheeks, her lips, her chin. I lavish her in my affection because it's all for her, only her.

"Make me yours, Corentin."

Staring into her striking silver eyes, the love, the devotion, everything is so intense I feel it all the way to the depths of my soul. And at this moment, I know this isn't how I want to do this. I don't want to lord over her, watching her wither beneath me. I want something from her.

I want my queen to take her throne.