Chapter 40

K axim strode through the Ilkanisa in search of his woman.

He pushed through the ornate terrace doors and came to a sudden stop.

In a silk caftan, Liana lay draped on a divan chair. Her arms encircled a small form.

The dark-tousled little figure curved into her bosom, sheltered from the late afternoon sun with a soft, woven shawl.

His soul flared with love, and Liana’s amber-gold eyes opened at the burst of energy, locking with his.

‘ Sahasí ,’ he growled.

Her eyes came to his, and she smiled.

His chest heated with emotion.

He stalked her way and sat in the lounge recliner closest to them, reaching to stroke her cheek.

‘He wants a sword of his own, a sāb?r , just like his father,’ she informed him once Kaxim settled in, gesturing to the bundle in her arms.

‘It’s never too early to start kísími training,’ Kaxim replied, his eyes gleaming. ‘A kujāa with a sāb?r from a tender age makes for a mighty warrior.’

‘ Sante , my love.’

Her jerked his chin, settling back, eyes on her and Kairo.

The child she’d adopted from the streets of Ilkana.

All of five, the dark-haired sprite was filling out, growing sturdy, and already ruling the palace with his hi-jinks, smiles, and hugs.

Being highly energetic, Kaxim approved of introducing him to a skillset that would sap some of that from him.

His eyes locked with his woman’s, warmed by her soft look.

Then she turned her head, bent her neck, and touched those smiling lips to the tousled head under her chin.

After that, her gaze moved to the yard.

Kaxim stretched his legs, crossed them at the ankles, and didn’t take his eyes off his woman and their precious little one.

They remained in rest as the sun tracked across the clear sky, in reverie, in serene, tender peace.

He broke the quiet.

‘Killen was fokkin’ wise like a kingsnake,’ he growled.

She glanced up at him, eyes soft. ‘What about, kadari ?’

He canted his eyes to the horizon as he spoke. ‘He told me you meant you’d be the kind of woman who’d embrace and heal me. Also, if I loved you and cherished our khamana , it’d hold us both steady in whatever storm comes our way. He likewise shared that all my deep-held desires would come to life with you more than I’d ever imagined.’

‘And have they?’

Kaxim sliced his eyes back to her, settling into the chair, lips curling up for her.

The spiritual tether between Kaxim and his woman was unlike anything he had experienced—an invisible, unbreakable thread that tied their souls together.

It was not just a connection of hearts or minds but something more profound, ancient, and eternal.

It pulsed with life, surging through them like a second heartbeat, a rhythm that was their own.

It blew him away every dawn when he woke to it and intrigued and seduced him all day long.

‘From the moment our worlds touched, there has been an undeniable pull to you. I feel your presence, even from across the longest distances. When you’re troubled, I sense it like a shadow creeping over my heart, and my spirit stirs with concern. When you’re joyful, your laughter ripples through me, filling me with a warmth I never imagined possible. Before you even enter a room, the air around you thickens with the weight of my love.’

Her eyes widened and misted at the moving words.

She engaged their soul connection with a smile and spoke to him through it.

What we share transcends words, kadari. It’s a shared vulnerability, the willingness to lay our souls bare to one another, to let the other see their deepest fears and desires. I cherish the full depth of your emotions—the fierce passion, the quiet tenderness, the unshakable loyalty, even when you try to hide it. I treasure that when you’re troubled, I can reach you through their bond, soothing you without saying a word. And when I’m overwhelmed by all the hats I have to wear, I adore it when you wrap me in your strength—anchoring me to you, reminding me that I’ll never be alone again. For our souls are one.

He stirred, stirred to the core. You are, beyond a doubt, Liana, so sweet, divine, and beautiful.

‘Fokk, I love you,’ he rasped, unable to keep the words in.

‘Kaxim?’ she called even though his eyes locked on her.

She reached a hand, beckoning him closer.

He unfolded his body from his chair and shifted to her, swinging a thick thigh behind her.

She scooted forward, and he settled in, his chest her bulwark and resting place.

He held her and their child close, wrapped in home, warmth, comfort, and nurture.

Pure adoration.

He tugged her chin up to his, glided his lips over hers, and then pulled back, gazing into her amber-gold eyes.

‘This is beauty,’ she breathed.

His mouth turned up at the end. ‘Hell fokkin’ yeah.’

Then Kaxim, ever the stoic warrior, surprised his woman with a rare, tender smile that spoke of his devotion more than words could.

Lost in utter adoration for his scarlet, coquelicot kríffin , whose aura glowed with a mystical íkan radiance, their eyes locked in a transcendent rapport.

A rush of desire mingled with a primal instinct to protect her and, now, their child at all costs.

The world seemed to narrow, their hearts caught in a surreal and inevitable moment. They stared into each other’s souls, wading, falling, and tumbling into the crimson-tinged crevices of their eternal connection.

‘Always?’ he rasped.

She tilted her head, a ghost of a smile playing on her lips. ‘And forever.’

THE END OF ONE INCANDESCENT TRILOGY.

I hope you enjoyed it! If you did, please leave a review …

Each one helps stir up my passion for writing the next one!

Have you read the interconnected series, ‘The Sable Riders’?

Meet the Sable Riders, the meta warriors who came before Killen Sable

(Riv Sable is his father, and his mother, K’élisa, is the woman Riv spent years searching for in the wilds of Pegasi.)

War is brewing in the skies above Eden II as empires rise and fall.

One rising power is the Sable Riders—a crew of six mysterious, lethal metahumans. Known as ghosts in the shadows, they are ex-warriors from the Pegasi universe, where humans fled after the Great Apocalypse. Their home, Eden II, is a thriving moon, the hub of commerce in Pegasi.

While they officially run The Sable Group, designing luxury flyers and racing yachts, their true enterprise lies in high-tech surveillance, mercenary armies, and military ships—silently defending the System. They keep their operations secret, focusing on funding security, charity, and rescue missions.

However, their growing influence attracts enemies, forcing them into a battle for survival. Meanwhile, love finds each of the Riders, bringing passion and joy they thought was beyond their reach. With their partners by their side, they strive for the stars, even as their enemies aim to turn their destiny into ruin.

Get the first three books in The Sable Riders Series Mega Box Set.

Or read all three for FREE on Kindle Unlimited.