20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

"The fae realm is as lovely as it is dangerous. Never step across the threshold for fear that you will become lost to its charms." – Lord Rhett, First Lord of Sídhetír.

I could not breathe. I could not see. I could not perceive anything but a crushing pressure squeezing me within an inch of my life. As fast as the pressure appeared, it vanished. The gate spat me out, and I took my first stumbling step into the fae realm—my mother's realm.

It was unlike anything I'd ever seen. A great scar stretched in front of me, jagged and rough with harsh mountains in the distance. On each side was barren, gray land without even a hint of life. The air was stagnant and cool, yet warm at the same time. The sky was twilight, neither bright nor dark.

To the right of the gate, the sun shone bright and unending. To the left hung the moon and the stars glimmering in the sky. The world had been perfectly split in half. The sun side was full of life and heat, and the night half had snow on the ground in places and brown leaves and dying grass in others. The seasons all existed at the same time.

Neverending night and day ruled each half of the fae realm.

Cethin tugged me into the night. "Come. I have a home not far from here."

"What is this place?"

"The seam. Where night and day meet."

He placed my arms around his neck, enfolding me in his embrace. His wings spread once again to lift us into the air. My eyes wandered the barren stretch that turned into night-kissed land. The grass was silvery in places and brown in others. Trees laden with fruit I'd never seen grew sporadically. Flowers bobbed in the slight wind, which held a touch of autumn warmth, though snow fell from the sky at the same time.

This whole place was impossible.

The flight went on and on, but I didn't speak, because the longer we flew, the more a pit grew within me, clawing at me, carving me out. Sídhetír was gone. I'd never left it before. I had lived in Sídhetír, and I expected to die in Sídhetír. Never had I been without its steady presence. A presence that had grown so slowly over the years, I failed to notice until now—when it was gone.

Eventually, Cethin landed, and I wiggled out of his embrace to gape at my surroundings. Blue flowers with long yellow stamens and deep green stems and leaves covered the entire glen. The wind brushed the petals, and silver pollen twinkled in the air like stars. Rugged mountains framed the horizon while trees with deep orange and red leaves surrounded the clearing, lending an air of privacy.

In the center of the glen stood a castle unlike any I'd ever seen before. It consisted of turrets with arched walks between them and the keep and ample balconies hanging from the sides. What made it truly unique was that the entire structure was crafted from frosted glass.

"Is that your home?"

"Our home, and yes."

Cethin held out a hand, and I slipped mine within it. Our steps were slow as we crossed the field of flowers, which matched the tattoos on our skin. I didn't speak, nor did he. The silence wasn't heavy; instead, it was peaceful. My earlier panic slid to the recesses of my mind, allowing me to exist in the moment.

When we stepped inside, a grand hall with a sweeping staircase and a glass chandelier greeted me. It was surprisingly light inside. Every surface reflected the candlelight and enhanced the bright light of the moon coming through the walls. My gaze blindly wandered over the rugs and fine-carved furniture as we went upstairs to a bedroom—Cethin's, I assumed.

A four-poster bed rested on a dais. The four wooden posts had thin spirals of silver topped with pinecone finials. Sheer curtains hung from the corners, open, which allowed me to see the silky black sheets and deep blue blanket that glimmered like starlight. There was no fireplace, but the room was warm enough with thick rugs covering the glass floor.

He directed me past the bed and to a door that opened into a sprawling washroom. A bath, which more closely resembled a pond, sat against one wall. Stones framed the edge, and a flowing stream spilled into the bath. Steam came off the water and filled the air with moisture, fogging the glass walls and the full-length mirror.

With gentle hands, Cethin began to divest me of clothes. "You're shivering."

Was I? I hadn't noticed. I didn't assist him as he undressed me. When the tin fell out of my pocket, he lifted an eyebrow, but I didn't remark on it. I lacked the energy to do so. He set it and my iron key to the side, using my shirt to hold it.

The warm water lapped at my calves, drawing a groan from my lips. I clambered the rest of the way in and sat on one of the many ledges inside. The water was so deep in the center that I could stand and still have my shoulders covered, and it was long enough that I could swim back and forth should I desire to.

Cethin settled next to me and grabbed a towel from the side of the pool. Methodically, he began to scrub me from head to toe, and I allowed him to, not moving. I felt as if I hovered above myself, not truly existing inside of my body. Even his touch seemed distant.

He grabbed a glass bottle glinting with gems and poured some of the liquid into his cupped palm. The floral scent I associated with Cethin tickled my nose. His fingers gently worked the oil through my hair, scrubbing my scalp in circular motions.

Carefully, Cethin pushed me off the ledge and forced me to lean back as he washed the oil from my hair. When he was done, he touched the closest glass wall, and it turned transparent, allowing me to see the sprawling field of flowers. This time, when he settled beside me, he hauled me onto his lap.

"Do you want to discuss what happened?"

"No," I answered in a barely audible voice. I didn't want to talk. If I did, I feared the same anger and panic would rip through me, though, thankfully, here my emotions didn't hold the same power as they did in Sídhetír.

Cethin held me in his embrace as the warm water stole every ounce of tension in my body. I leaned against his shoulder, turning my face into his neck. He kissed my forehead.

An immeasurable amount of time passed. I couldn't even guess, for the sun never rose. It seemed night always reigned in the land of the dark fae.

"Come," he said, helping me to my feet. "You need to sleep."

I offered no resistance. With a towel Cethin gave me, I dabbed my skin and tousled my hair. He tossed it aside when we were done and pulled me into the bedroom. I climbed onto the bed, laying on my stomach, head on one of the many feather pillows.

Cethin flopped down beside me. "What can I do?"

"Nothing."

"You need to talk, Aidan, and I want to listen."

He was right. I needed to, but I didn't want to. How could I articulate the emotions crashing through me? They changed so rapidly that I couldn't even get a grasp on them. A pendulum swung in my mind. On one arc I was angry, another I understood Lord Byrne's reasoning, and then I was furious at my brothers while being grateful they were mine. Also, I was numb—utterly numb. How the hell did I explain that I felt everything and nothing?

What I wanted was something real. Something I knew to be true.

"Can you grab the tin you pulled from my clothes?" I asked.

He lifted an eyebrow, but he slipped back into the washroom. When Cethin returned, I rolled to my back and held out my hand. He deposited the tin into my waiting palm.

"What is it, my Aidan?"

Heat rushed to my cheeks. I opened the container, and he peered inside.

"Ah. I understand." Cethin pursed his lips. "You are emotional right now. This may not be the best time."

I pressed close to him, burying my face against his chest. "I need this, Cethin. I need you."

"I don't want to take advantage of you."

"You're not," I said. "I need something true. I need to quiet my thoughts. And most of all, I need you, Cethin. If you don't want to, I understand, but I want this."

He pressed a kiss to my forehead. "Do you wish to fuck me?"

I nodded.

A slight smile tugged on the corner of his lips before he captured my mouth. The pressure was soft and undemanding. I set the tin down to grip his sides. Cethin straddled my hips as his tongue swiped the seam of my lips. I opened my mouth in response, allowing him inside. The gentle brushes of his tongue made me moan and demanded a response.

As my tongue met his movement for movement, I started to rock beneath him. He cupped my cheeks, thumbs sliding over my skin. "Cethin," I groaned against his lips. One of his hands slid into my hair, fisting.

My cock steadily filled until it pressed against him. The tip wept with pre-cum, covering my stomach. Cethin wasn't far behind me. His hips began to rut into mine, making our cocks slide against one another.

"Fuck," I said as my balls tightened.

Cethin opened the tin and scooped up a generous amount, then reached behind him. He released a sharp breath.

I tightened my hold on his sides. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, dearest." His hand moved faster and his breathing increased. I trailed kisses over his neck. "I'm preparing myself for you, don't worry."

"You seem to be enjoying yourself," I muttered between kisses.

He chuckled. "I am."

My hands continued to trace his skin as Cethin slid his fingers in and out of his hole. I ran my fingers up his stomach and swirled around his nipple. He growled, hips bucking. I pinched the nub, and Cethin released a guttural groan. I pinched and teased one nipple before moving to the other, and all the while, he swore above me.

I slid down his stomach and grasped his cock, sliding my hand lazily over his shaft. The slit of his cockhead glistened with pre-cum. I swiped the bead away with the pad of my thumb and placed the digit in my mouth. The liquid had a bitter tang, but I liked it.

"Fucking hell," Cethin growled.

I drew his mouth to mine and shoved my tongue in between his lips so he could taste himself, making him groan. His warm hand, slick with lubricate, pumped my cock several times before he broke away from my insistent lips.

Cethin went up on his knees and grabbed my cock, angling it toward him. Slowly, he lowered onto me. I moaned as the head of my cock slid inside him. I'd never felt anything like it. The tight, warm pressure of his ass was so perfect, I feared I would come instantly. I clamped down on the growing pleasure. I was not ready for this to end.

He lowered and lifted off my cock, taking more of me each time until the backs of his thighs rested on me. His ass squeezed me tight, dragging an animalistic cry from my throat. I'd never experienced anything even close to this before. I held his hips tightly, trying not to dig in, but I couldn't help it.

"Cethin," I moaned.

He began to move, riding my cock with steady movements. I grunted. Cethin's head tilted back, his long hair tickling the sensitive skin on the inside of my thighs. "Moon above, Aidan. I'm so full."

All I managed was a strangled, "Fuck."

Cethin began to pick up speed. I planted my feet wider to thrust up to meet each one of his downward movements, so I plunged deeper inside of him. He swore. He pounded down against me and I arched up into him, as we found our rhythm. My skin slapped against his with the force of our fucking.

My mouth hung open as uneven breaths intermixed with swears and cries slipped out. My balls hugged the base of my shaft, and pleasure charged down my spine with every passing moment, gathering. My cock was so hard it hurt. I wanted to hold on, to make it last longer, but I couldn't.

"Cethin," I ground out, trying to warn him.

"Hold on, dearest." His hands splayed on my chest as he rode me even faster and harder. I pumped him in time with my thrusts, loving the feel of his silky skin against my palm. Cethin moaned. His eyes slammed closed and his hole squeezed me impossibly tight. Ropes of cum burst from his cock, splattering my stomach. I thrust into his tight ass to prolong his pleasure until I could hold onto mine no longer. I came with a loud shout, tendons in my neck straining, as I ground into Cethin, gripping his hips.

He collapsed onto me, and my spent cock slipped out of him. His cum was wet between us, and yet I didn't feel the need to move. I ran my hands through his damp hair and pressed my lips to his temple. Cethin groaned, lifting his head and meeting my mouth for a lazy kiss.

His black eyes found mine, and I held his face in my hands as I said, "Thank you."

"I should be telling you that."

"I meant when you came to Byrne Manor for me. You came when I needed you."

Cethin kissed me again. "I promised you I would."

"Still."

"I love you, my Aidan. I will always come for you."

My heart thrashed against my ribs. "I love you too."

Cethin grinned, crushing his mouth to mine.