Chapter 60

They'd tried to make me leave, but I'd refused.

I carefully cradled Tristan's broken, ruined body in my lap as the healers labored, sending magic through his flesh and bones over and over again. When one healer's magic ran dry, another stepped up to take their place.

I held him as I watched raw, blistered skin turn pink and plump.

As bones twisted and straightened, popping and grinding while I forced down the bile threatening to spill out between my lips. I couldn't do anything except run my fingers through what was left of his scorched hair and whisper bullshite assurances I couldn't keep.

Zor and Raz wouldn't tell me much.

Nothing, in fact, when they'd dragged Tristan in off the battlefield, except he was alive—almost like he hadn't been at one point—and the healers were on their way. One side of his face was unscathed, the other was shredded by the dragonfire explosion like he'd been ravaged by enormous claws.

He'd even keep that eye, the healer assured me without missing a beat.

And now…And now.

I'd utterly failed him.

Failed Tristan so badly I could barely look at him. We should have searched that battlefield the second the king was dead. Fuck the pageantry, fuck the politics, we'd left one of ours out there, injured and alone…

Tears burned up my throat, my nose, raining down on his face.

Tristan had been alone his entire life and I'd abandoned him. Put his life—his welfare—second.

"I will make you a promise, right here and now," I murmured, running my fingers over his undamaged jaw covered still in ash and dirt. "I will never leave you again, Tristan. I swear. Now let me take care of you like I should have been all along."

Without looking away from Tristan, I asked, "Can I get a wet cloth please?"

I stifled my groan when people scrambled over themselves, practically shoving each other out of the way to reach the washroom. But seconds later, a warm, clean cloth was in my hand, and when my first gentle swipe revealed beautiful, golden skin, something inside me settled.

He'd be okay. Another long, slow swipe, and I ran my fingers down the clean side of his face, over that high, regal cheekbone, tracing a tiny birthmark I hadn't noticed before.

In time, he'd heal. I pressed my palm over his chest, measuring his steady, even heartbeats.

He had his sight. Nothing was damaged beyond repair, and he'd been unconscious during the horrid healing process, the worst of which was over.

When I finished washing his face, I unbuttoned what was left of his shirt, tatters of black fabric, really, peeled the burned, dirty scraps off his muscled torso, and this time, called for a pitcher of hot water. More rags. Soap.

By the time I looked up again the healers were gone.

It was dark outside, but Tristan was clean and there was a fire roaring in the fireplace. He'd keep his eyes. His face would heal, they'd said, but there would be faint scars.

He'd wake in a strange bed, in a wing I'd never been to before, but he was safe.

Watched over by two guards—personally chosen by Commander Zorander Vayle—posted outside. I knew because they'd interrogated every single person who'd gone through that door. I pulled the blankets over Tristan and covered him up to his neck, tucking them in around him as carefully as if he were the most precious thing in the world.

I poured him some water and stood back, then nudged the glass closer so he didn't have to reach.

And then, because I couldn't help myself, I brushed a kiss across his lips.

A promise in the face of all my failures today.

"You saved our lives, Tristan. And when you wake up, I want to love you the way I love the others. I want to taste your kisses and discover your secrets and know everything about you, including why you turned into a wyvern that day in the tunnels."

"So when you wake up, come and find me."

Then I swallowed and turned away, wishing I could do more.

Wishing I'd done more.

Trackingeveryone down in the chaos was impossible.

In the end, Sophie found me trying to evade a throng of overzealous and unwanted courtiers. The only one I recognized was the hapless male Zorander had tackled Crux into during yesterday's audience.

I ended up in my old room, Sophie locking the door behind me with the promise she wouldn't let anyone in except for Martine, the seamstress. Or Tavion. Or Raz and Zor.

Then she'd winked.

I stripped my filthy clothes off, stinking of dungeons and Crux's blood and dragonfire soot, while I filled the tub, then sank in, the hot water seeping into every crack and crevice until the top was scummed with black.

When I padded back out wrapped in a towel, the only things to wear—like the universe was playing some ridiculous joke on me—were those hideous scraps of fabric the Shadow King considered dresses.

I pulled one out, nothing more than dark green velvet and lace, and let it fall over my head, my nipples poking sharply through the fabric as I surveyed the bed, which at least was big enough for us all. Then I blew out a long breath, sat in the chair beside the fire, and let myself rest in a way I hadn't rested for so very long.

Not sleep…just…rest.

The next thing I knew, I was crushed against Tavion's chest, his deep laugh rumbling against my cheek before he dumped me onto the bed in a tangled, confused heap. I sat up and dragged my hands down my face, trying to get my bearings.

"We did it, Anaria." He stripped off his jacket then his shirt. "We fucking did it. The king's dead, the Keep is ours. Blackcastle is free. Fuck, all of Solarys is free."

He froze, his pupils narrowing down to pinpoints in his pale green eyes, his temper so close to rupturing. "What are you wearing?"

I ran my fingers down the dress, suddenly unsure. "What was in the closet. My other clothes were completely ruined, and…"

"That fucking bastard gave you that dress, didn't he, when he was trying to sell you off like chattel? Take it off. Now."

Rage coated him like a second skin, waiting to explode, that last word still echoing between us. An order, and one…I obeyed.

I swallowed, peeling the velvet off my shoulders, moving slower and slower, especially as Tavion's expression turned feral. Lupine.

I might have even taken my time, letting the fabric slide like water down over my breasts and shimmying my body until I knelt in a pool of emerald green, my nipples pebbled from the chill—and Tavion's gaze. I swallowed hard when he stripped off his breeches, his cock springing free as he stalked toward me.

There was nothing Fae in that prowl, only wolf.

"I don't care if you stay naked, you will never wear another scrap of fabric from that bastard." A shadow flew across his face. "I will burn everything in that armoire, every last thing, do you understand?"

I tipped my head back to keep him in my sights. "I'll have a hard time making decisions from the throne if I'm naked all the time. Somehow, I think that's going to be a problem."

"Is that so, my queen?" He cupped my chin and pushed his thumb between my lips. "Such a wicked mouth my wife has." I rolled my tongue around the tip and was rewarded when his cock jerked in response.

"The others will be here shortly. I promised—fucking promised, mind you—I'd wait, but I don't think I can leave you alone right now, Anaria. I think I need those pretty pink lips wrapped around my cock." He pulled his thumb out, spread my own saliva across my mouth, then pressed the head of his cock against my now-soaking lips.

Gods help me, but I moaned the second he pushed inside, tasting salt and jealousy and that wild wintery flavor that reminded me of Nightcairn. I ran my tongue around his head, like I'd done to his thumb, and his fingers threaded through my hair, gripping my scalp with tender strength.

He moved slowly, giving me only what I could take, a little deeper each time, and when he finally hit the back of my throat and I swallowed, from instinct more than experience, his groan was the sort of sound that I decided I wanted to hear over and over again.

"Fuck, Anaria. You are going to fucking kill me." Those fingernails scraped my scalp as he fed his cock between my lips and down my throat, stopping for me to swallow before he pulled out again, getting bigger, thicker, until I wondered if I could take any more.

I reached down between my legs and circled my tight bud with a finger, moaning around him as my hips began to move. He caught that wrist and pulled my hand free, tutting softly, so I used my other one, laughing around him, delighted he only had two hands and couldn't stop me.

"I swear to the gods, woman, I am going to teach you a lesson one of these days." His threat was undermined by the fact he was fucking my mouth with a look of complete and utter bliss.

"Uh huh," I moaned around his cock, right before he fisted my hair and drove himself in deeper, his other hand tightening around my wrist, holding me in place. My other hand, though, was currently quite busy. So busy, we both erupted at the same time, Tavion's teeth grinding as he came, me trying not to do the same as an orgasm rippled through me.

Nothing like the mind-blowing eruption one of my males would have given me, but…Tavion slipped out of my mouth then pulled up my other hand, wet with my juices, to his mouth and licked them off, his clever tongue working between my fingers and up the center of my palm until I was panting again.

That's when I realized we weren't alone.

"You said you'd wait, you fucking liar." Raziel was already stripping as he walked from the now-closed door, his eyes filled with banked fire, Zorander right behind him.

Tavion ambled over to the nearest chair, dragged it closer, and got comfortable, legs spread, his cock already hardening again as I scooted into the center of the mattress.

Raz got to me first, a storm waiting to be unleashed, Zorander second, and then I was trapped between them, mouths and tongues tasting as they turned my face one way then the other, kissing me like they couldn't get enough.

I could still taste Tavion on my lips, the city dust on their lips, the faint salt of sweat and greedy want as we chased each other's mouths, fingers pinching and tugging, my hand wrapped around Zor's cock as I stroked him from root to tip, drinking down his groans like fine wine.

I turned into soft, pliable clay when Zor pressed me down to the bed, guided his cock into me, and slammed home, deep and sure. His body churned over me, all power and restrained violence as he thrust and withdrew, his eyes gleaming when he stroked my hair away from my face, a hint of desperation in his expression.

"I need to see your eyes. I need to see my princess. Let me see you."

I poured everything into my gaze, put it all there for him to see, for him to drown in, and still he looked lost. Adrift.

I laced my fingers together behind his neck, pulled him closer, and brushed my lips against his, trying to taste what was wrong. "I'm right here, Zor. Right here. Everything is alright." I kissed him again and finally he responded, the tension in his body releasing in one long, shuddering breath.

"You and me, Zor. Together. Always." I dragged my fingers down his now-slippery back, churning faster and faster, everything sliding away except this heat spiraling between us, Zorander's half-closed eyes hazy with desire when he slammed into me, groaning as he drove his cock in deeper and deeper.

Something cool wrapped around my ankles, fingers-that-weren't-fingers like…Raziel chuckled from somewhere to my right, a laugh filled with dark promises and lust.

"Let me hold her in place for you, Zor. Make sure she doesn't go anywhere."

"Fuck." Zor's voice turned raspy as my legs were drawn further apart, as he angled his hips to spear me deeper. "Fuck, that's hot." He grunted.

Shadows.

Those were Raz's shadows around my ankles, and that's when everything stopped, my body freezing for one delicious second before the inevitable crash, muscles tensed in preparation for the plummet that would wipe me clean. I smiled up at Zorander, and in that same second, his eyes cleared. "I love you so much. Come over the edge with me."

We fell together, bodies working together to reach that soaring summit, and he erupted with my name on his lips.

When I opened my eyes, I saw a new Zor. Dazed beneath his hooded eyes, a sweet, sated smile on his beautiful face, all these past weeks fell away leaving him looking younger. Softer. "I love you, too, my queen."

The words ricocheted through me, his kiss still on my cheek when he pulled out with a regretful smile. Raz's shadows didn't leave. They tightened, dragging my hands up over my head and my legs further apart, the cool air hitting my wet pussy.

"Gods. Just look at you," Tavion rumbled from his chair, a muscle working in his clenched jaw, one hand working his dusky red cock as his eyes devoured me from afar. "So fucking beautiful, I can't take my eyes off you."

Then Raz loomed above me, dark hair dusting his shoulders. His shadows were everywhere, binding my ankles, my wrists, ghosting across my skin, teasing my already humming body with soft stirs of movement.

"Is this okay?" He cocked an eyebrow but that was worry in his eyes. "I…I've wanted to do this for a very long time. But tell me if you aren't comfortable, and I will stop."

I tested the shadow-bonds, little more than wisps of air, but…they held strong, as if his powerful hands were holding me down. Goosebumps exploded all over me, my nipples tightening.

"Do you like being held down, Anaria?" Raziel's voice was soft, silky in a way it wasn't usually, as if he was searching for a secret he very much wanted an answer to.

"Yes. I think I do."

The shadows pinned me more firmly, pressing me into the mattress, and I moaned even though it wasn't really Raziel touching me, even though all he was doing was looking at me, his mouth partway open as he dragged my legs wider.

Eyes half hidden by those heavy, dropped lids.

The shadows moved me effortlessly, raising my knees and pushing them higher and higher until they were pinned to my chest. I was too exposed; Raz could see my pussy, could see everything. He ran his fingers through the mess, Zor's seed, my juices, then pushed his fingers in deeper and deeper.

Until I moaned.

Loud and needy and gods, I forgot about being exposed and on display for all of them and that straining want returned, my body displayed like this, for his eyes, his fingers, his tongue. His cock.

His big, warm hands skated down my shins, thumbs brushing gently, tenderly…and then he pressed a kiss to the top of one foot. Then the other, his tongue swiping out to taste my skin. "I'm going to fuck you now, Anaria."

"Yes. You are." The words ripped out of me, a demand, a plea, an order from a queen to her warrior, and then he was inside me. One strong thrust that sent my head whipping back against the pillows, my hands and feet writhing against the shadowy bonds.

This was too much.

The not being able to move part of it, and the onslaught of heat and fire roaring through me with every stroke of his cock, his lips on the side of my throat, fingers tangled in my hair, gripping me so desperately.

I tumbled over fast and hard, faster than I'd ever gone over before, Raziel roaring in my ears. I strained against the bonds, this body that was too confining, too small.

"I love you." For a single second we hung there together, suspended, hearts pounding together like they were one, and then plunged into a deep, silky darkness as I hoarsely chanted his name, over and over.