Eight Samkiel

I darted under a hanging branch, turning quickly through an overgrown patch of trees. I leaped over the fallen log, hearing her paws beating the ground behind me. Fuck. I dodged left, then right, and then there was silence. She was fast. Too fast. I smelled the river up ahead. I had a mile left and focused on propelling my legs harder. The muscles in my abdomen burned, but I ignored it. I had been stabbed before. This wasn’t new. I’d been damn near bitten in half and survived, so I knew how wounds healed. It had been long enough for me, so why did my side still sting?

I ducked and sat, sliding on my ass. I rode the slope down and landed on my feet. A quick look back showed massive jaws snapping closed at the top of the hill, her piercing red eyes glowing from the darkness between two collapsed logs. I couldn’t help but grin. I had seen the new path a few days ago when she caught me here and knew it would buy me some time. A low growl rumbled from her throat, and I knew she was proud but pissed.

The slap of water against stone greeted my ears. I was so close. I jumped up, sprinting toward the river’s edge. The small creatures of the forest scurried into hiding, their skittering heartbeats telling me my Ig’Morruthen was not far behind. My hand whipped a pile of overgrown brush out of my way as I ran faster. Sunlight dipped between the trees, and I could smell the rushing water as it flowed and toppled off the end of the world. Small patches of wild grass grew along the bank, and a burst of energy shot through me. This was the furthest I had made it since we started this game, but my victory was short-lived as a massive dark form tackled me from the side.

Air rushed from my lungs as we toppled over one another before coming to a stop. I groaned, pain slashing through my abdomen. The massive, dark wolf hovered above me, her piercing red eyes boring into me. Her lips were pulled back in a snarl, exposing glistening fangs. A low growl rumbled in her throat right before I felt teeth around my ankle, dragging me over the small rocks and back toward the brush, away from the river’s edge.

Just past the thick brush, she released my leg. Her form melted and flowed from her beast back into her lithe form, her dark hair spilling over her shoulders as she looked down at me.

I sat up a bit, bracing myself on my elbows as I glared up at her. “Ow.”

“Your enemies won’t be kind to you.” Her eyes darted to my side. Part of my shirt lifted to show the still bruised flesh beneath it. “We have seen that much.”

I huffed and pushed myself to my feet, wiping dirt from my pants. “Yes, but I thought you’d be. You’re not my enemy.”

I saw the tension in her shoulders, even if she tried to hide it beyond one of those adorable little smirks. “In our scenarios, I need to be.”

I glanced toward the river’s edge, past the brush of the forest. “I made it closer.”

She snorted a laugh, her arms folded as she looked between me and the river. “Barely.”

My eyes narrowed. “I don’t remember you being this hard on me the last few times we’ve tried.”

A look crossed her face quickly as she buried whatever thought crossed her mind. She squared her shoulders. “I want you to survive with that wound,” she said, nodding toward my middle. “I can’t go easy on you. It won’t help, and you can’t go light on me either. You could have used a burst of power small enough to throw me off, but you didn’t.”

She was right, as usual. Achingly beautiful and brilliant, she was definitely deadly in more ways than one. The only problem was I wouldn’t use it. I could have tossed her away from me, but burning her in the process was out of the question.

“I won’t risk hurting you, even if we are training,” I said.

“Well, that’s the problem,” she snapped. “How will either of us get better if we hold back here? I’m not fragile, Samkiel. You, above all, should know that.”

“I never said you were.” My brows furrowed. “Where is this coming from? You were fine this morning. Is this about the queen? You told me to flirt.”

“What? No.” She shook her head and sighed as if just realizing how harsh her tone was. “I am fine. I’m just saying that we can’t stay in this floating city forever, and you can’t leave if you can’t even outrun me. What help are you if anything other than me gets a hold of you?”

“Dianna,” I said, raising a single brow. “You’re being mean.”

Her eyes softened, and she stepped closer, unfolding her arms. Recently, her attitude had seemed to get the better of her, more so than before. There were days when she’d snap, not meaning to. It was worrisome because Dianna was not mean, not to me. At least not anymore. I knew something was bothering her deeply. The only problem was she would not tell me. No matter how many times I asked, she blew me off, and other times, she quite literally blew me.

The tension left her shoulders, and I wondered what had happened to bring it so fiercely to the surface. We had been getting along so well lately, and to have her come at me again like this worried me. Was it something I had done, or was it that secret she refused to share with me? These were questions that I would address.

Dianna reached her hand out, and I grabbed it. She tugged me to my feet, and I twisted, brushing away pieces of the forest floor.

She sighed before plucking a leaf from my shirt. “I’m sorry. I just need you well if we plan to leave here, and holding back isn’t helping either of us.”

“Okay.” I nodded, watching her.

Her eyes flashed, and my pulse quickened. One look, and gods above, mean or not, I was fucking putty.

“Did I hurt you?” she asked on a whisper.

“Do you mean emotionally or physically?”

Her smile was small, still picking at the forest debris along my sleeve. “Which one hurts the most?”

I shrugged nonchalantly. Pain was suddenly not on my mind, not when she looked at me like that. “I mean, the fall wasn’t the best,” I said.

Dianna took another small step, her breasts damn near touching me, and I could see her nipples tighten beneath the thin, dark material covering them. Her hand splayed on my chest, and she pushed. I took a step back, hitting the tree behind me.

“I’m sorry if I was too rough with you. With both things.” She picked another small blade of grass off of me, and even that small touch made my breath catch.

“Thank you for apologizing,” I said, my body heating with her nearness. “I understand where you are coming from and the need to be stronger, heal, and test my limits.”

She nodded, sliding her hands over any part of me still covered in debris. “You almost made it,” she said, taking another tiny step toward me, her hands coming to rest against my chest.

I cleared my throat. “Further than the last few times.”

Her hand slid down my chest, dipping lower. I didn’t even feel the slight twinge of pain as she crossed my abdomen. She cupped me through my trousers, and I grunted, my cock twitching under her touch. “Want a reward?”

“What do I get?” I panted. “This is by far the closest I’ve gotten to the river. I think it should be a very big reward, especially given you crashed into me.”

Her bottom lip protruded ever so slightly as she opened my pants. “Poor baby, let me fix it.”

Words and all coherent thoughts left my brain as she knelt in the brush before me. Her eyes, those godsdamn eyes, made my heart race as she glanced up at me. Never breaking eye contact, she reached inside my trousers and fisted my cock, dragging it out in one solid move.

Dianna’s lips curved in an absolutely wicked smile, and I nearly groaned. “Already slightly hard for me, huh?” My body jerked as she placed a single kiss against my bare hip and nuzzled her cheek against me, her breath a warm rush over my shaft as she said, “Let’s see if we can make it harder, yes?”

Her tongue darted out, flat and thick, sliding along the underside of my cock. A soft moan left my lips as she watched me. Now I knew why she’d pressed me against the tree. It was the only form of stability I’d have while she tortured me into oblivion.

My hips moved, chasing her mouth as she licked one side, then the next in long, devilishly wicked laps of her tongue. She watched me through her lashes and delicately traced the side of my cock, my body twitching with each lick. She wrapped her hand around my base, squeezing and releasing rhythmically before stroking. The veins pulsed along my length as she did exactly what she said she would and made me fucking hard.

I groaned in earnest as she flicked her tongue underneath the head, my cock jumping in her hand at the sensation, but it was the wicked smile and kiss she placed atop the crown that drove me fucking mad.

“I thought I was to be rewarded,” I groaned. “Not tortured.”

Her laugh was downright evil before she leaned forward and took my cock in her mouth. My head fell back against the tree, and I twined my fingers in the silky tresses of her hair. She took me deeper and deeper, sucking and swirling her tongue in that feverishly skilled way that drove me mad.

Dianna braced her hand against my thigh, swallowing me damn near whole. I didn’t care who heard my moans and gasps as Dianna devoured me. She pulled back, sucking at the head, her luscious lips wrapped tight as her hand stroked my shaft in tight, rhythmic circles.

My hands fisted in her hair, urging her on as she took and took from me. I felt her moan around my length, and I felt myself rush toward the precipice, pleasure gathering at the base of my spine.

“Fuck, Dianna.” I groaned as my hips followed her every movement.

Dianna purred in response as if she enjoyed every single sound of pleasure I gave her. She cupped my balls, rolling and squeezing gently, using the exact pressure she knew made me wild. My Dianna set my whole body aflame. She always did, even when I was too stupid to realize what was between us. She was my living flame.

Another stroke and everything disappeared. I no longer felt the dull ache of pain in my abdomen, but with her near me, my failures, my vicious, cruel mind reminding me how, even with all my power, I was not enough, went silent. When she looked at me, touched me, and spoke to me with admiration and determination, I truly believed I was more than enough.

With another wicked flick and roll of her tongue, she twisted her hand, and I lost it. My pleasure barreled through me, and I groaned loud enough to shake the damn trees above. My skin flushed, heat boiling up from my toes as my hips thrust forward. Dianna braced herself and leaned into my push, stealing every last drop from me, sucking lovingly as I finished in her mouth.

Dianna’s smile was filled with wicked satisfaction as she leaned back and ran her thumb underneath her lip. I smiled, knowing that even though we played and joked about her rewarding me, I already had the biggest reward life could have offered me. It was her. It was always her.

WE HEADED TO ONE OF OUR FAVORITE SPOTS HERE IN JADE CITY. PAST the winding hills and through a few miles of forest was a field close to the edge of one of the floating rocks they called home. This spot was covered in trees and glittering moss. Two smaller floating rocks hovered above, partially concealed by pink clouds. Dianna loved to watch the sunsets from here, and it was far enough away we could train and speak freely without eavesdroppers. Plus, the view was gorgeous.

I had missed the beauty of the other realms, how oddly unique they all were. The first time we came up here, Dianna had assumed her wyvern shape and flew between the aerial islands, making sure it was safe for us. Then, a few other times, just for fun when we made it up here. I liked to watch her after training as she glided between rocks and clouds. She couldn’t smile in her wyvern form, but her little chirps as she flew seemed like a laugh.

“I wasn’t trying to be mean earlier.” Dianna’s voice cut through my meditation, her pacing increasing tenfold. “I just meant we need to get serious.”

A soft chuckle left my lips as my hands rested on my crossed legs. I took another deep breath, and my side tingled, the small nerves around the edge of the wound healing but too damn slow.

“I thought we were pretty serious,” I answered on an exit breath.

“I meant with training. You can’t save the entire cosmos if you can’t wield a sword,” she said. “It’s been a few weeks. We can start incorporating more pull-ups and push-ups. You know, upper body strength.”

“Uh-huh.”

She turned again, continuing to pace feverishly. “Maybe have you throw a boulder around or something. Really work the obliques.”

I peeked one eye open as she chewed at the flat of her thumb. “All right. And where has this boulder-throwing idea come from, per se?”

She paused, looking toward me as she waved her hand. “Close your eyes. Less talking, more meditating.”

I grinned even as I asked, “This would not have anything to do with Roccurem immediately going back to you after I left?”

I felt rather than heard her stop in her tracks. “What? No. Yes, but no, not when you say it like that.”

I knew I was right. Even with my power at an extreme low since that spear, I still felt the air circulate as he formed behind our bedroom door. I wanted to turn back, curious about what he so desperately needed to tell her when I was away, but the healers and their persistence were unmatched. I also figured Dianna would tell me later.

“Mm-hmm, how else would you prefer I say it?” I asked, trying to keep that part of me that was so damn possessive of her at bay. “You two have been very secretive lately. The small conversations that cease when I am around. I don’t like it.”

“Careful, big guy.” She snickered. “You sound jealous.”

“I am not jealous. That would assume Roccurem is better than me, which he isn’t.”

She barked a small laugh. “There’s that cocky god we all adore.”

I rolled my shoulders. “I’m mildly annoyed at best.”

“Okay.” She snorted. “Whatever you say.”

My lips tilted as she squealed, a rush of water dousing her from the nearby spring. I rolled my shoulders, relaxing once more and focusing. The sun beat against my skin, easing the ache of my muscles. I breathed in, then out, absorbing the energy of the heat. I could feel my power beneath my skin, only a fraction of it remaining, but there nonetheless. It swirled and danced across my skin, sparking at my nerve endings. All of it coursed toward the wound in my abdomen, and a chill ran up my spine. My body kept trying to heal itself, yet something was blocking its ability.

Another twinge of pain had me gritting my teeth, but I subdued the hiss that wanted to leave my lips. Between the teas, medications, and myself, it was a process, a slow one, but a process nonetheless. The barely closed wound stretched from just below my abs on my right side and slashed across my abdomen to end just below my left pectoral. The edges were less of the grayish burnt color that had been so alarming and now were just a fraction paler than my complexion. But it was the small purple veins that had started to spread from it that concerned me. I prayed that the change and the continued pain didn’t mean it was infected. The weeks we had been here were stacking up, and my family had been stuck with Nismera for nearly a month. I had to heal so we could get them back.

My control slipped, and I opened my eyes, breaking my trance. The world came rushing back, the sounds of animals moving about and the wind dancing between the trees. I watched Dianna wring droplets of water from her hair.

“He’s harmless. You know this. Only arrogant gods make me hot,” she says, walking toward me.

“They better,” I joked, letting the humor hide the emotions that threatened to drown me all over again. Until Dianna, I hadn’t known jealousy, but I was jealous as I had been before with that damned vampire. I wanted all of Dianna’s time, her smiles, her laughs, and above all, her secrets. There was something she was not sharing with me, but I didn’t want to pry it out of her. I wished for her to trust me, to love me enough to tell me everything, to share her thoughts and dreams with me. I was just so damned scared to ask for it. If it wasn’t freely given, was it truly love?

“Regardless, there is a bond between you two,” I answered honestly. “Fate does not listen to just anyone.”

Worry creased Dianna’s brows, and that wasn’t what I wanted. She sat across from me and leaned forward, just brushing her lips across mine before pulling back. “Not a bond like that gorgeous mind is probably concocting, but he is my friend.”

That prickle of jealousy eased when she said that word. My Dianna had lost so many friends, both through death and betrayal. I wanted her to have people she could trust and lean on. She deserved that and so much more.

“I know,” I said. “I apologize. I suppose I am irrational, especially when it comes to you. It’s just the mark has not formed. There is no binding letting everyone know you are truly mine.”

“I thought I left plenty of those.” She smirked wickedly.

I squeezed her knee playfully. “I’m not talking about your little love bites.”

She did leave an array of those on me. Small little nips that made my body flush in heat. Usually on my neck, arms, or chest, any place she could reach. Certain kisses seemed to drive Dianna wild, and she would leave a trail of nips and bruises along my neck while my hand worked between her legs. I had missed them when we could not fully be together. No matter how much I enjoyed that, I still ached for the one that should have burned into my flesh, the one that would never heal, never disappear.

I chewed on the inside of my cheek and leaned back, glancing at my bare finger. “You know which one I’m talking about.”

She leaned back, her eyes scanning mine. “Do we need a mark for that?”

I looked at her. “No, but does it not bother you it has not shown?”

Dianna’s gaze dropped to my scar as it often did. “I don’t need a mark for that, and besides, maybe we did the ritual wrong? We kind of did everything backward, and I was evil for a while.”

I laughed, shaking my head. “Never evil.”

She shrugged. “Many would disagree. Listen, let’s worry about healing you first, the mark second, okay?”

I glanced down, absently touching the edges. Those didn’t hurt. It was the center that still felt fresh at times, even if the skin there was closed. “All right.”

“Do you think their tea is helping?”

“Yes.” I dropped my hands, resting them back on my knees. “It’s an effective pain reliever for sure. My theory is the blade was meant to kill me, and even though it didn’t, the price may be that I’m stuck this way.”

A haunted look crossed her face. My chest ached, knowing that even the mention of losing me stirred memories in her that would break anyone. Yet here she was, trying to help me, refusing to give in to her fear and all she went through.

My strong, beautiful girl.

“Hey.” I scooted closer until our knees touched and grabbed her hand. Her eyes met mine, the pain fleeing as if she’d returned from whatever memories that had taken her. “I’m okay. You saved me. In the most reckless way possible, but you saved me nonetheless. I don’t know what would have happened had you not gotten there in time.”

I thought it would make her smile, reminding her of just what she’d done, but she only dropped her gaze from mine, looking at our intertwined hands. She ran her thumb across mine and asked, “What do you remember?”

I took a shuddering breath. We hadn’t had this conversation since I had awakened. She had only told me how Roccurem had told her where to go, how he had betrayed Nismera for her, and that I had been asleep for a few days. A part of me knew she wished for me to focus on healing and getting better, and not what I experienced, but I was glad to voice it finally.

My hand stayed in hers, a grounding force I so desperately needed and knew I couldn’t live without. “I remember being held down with those runes by the council. I remember Kaden arriving and . . .” I swallowed. “I remember being stabbed and that blistering pain. It felt as if my entire being had cracked open. I remember the realms opening and how much it hurt. Millions of voices exploded inside my skull. I felt them, everyone at once, and then it disappeared. I remember The Hand leaving. I remember Nismera standing over me, and I felt weak, so damn weak. Then all I remember is you.”

Dianna’s brows creased. “Do you remember the tunnel?”

I glanced away, recalling flashes of light and Dianna’s arms around me as I slipped away. “Very vaguely. I remember being cold and tired, and you holding me was the warmest I have ever felt. It’s sporadic from there, and then I remember waking up in Jade City.”

Dianna nodded, but the smile she forced was anything but a happy one. I did not tell her I remembered telling her I loved her or that she did not say it back. That part I kept to myself, fear a heavy, dreadful thing that told me no matter what we did or shared, she did not love me. There was still so much she kept from me, and like a fool, I was too afraid to ask. My heart could not take it if I spoke those words again, and the look that she wore now formed. How ironic was it that I had slayed beasts larger and deadlier than me and spoke to gods and deities who bowed to me, yet with her, I was utterly and completely terrified?

“That’s all I remember. I’m assuming I passed out from blood loss, and you got us here. How did you, though?”

She shrugged. “Reggie showed up in the last second. Told me where to go.”

I squeezed her hand, seeking to comfort her. She met my eyes again, and I struggled to define the emotions in her gaze. “You are truly amazing, Dianna. Reckless, fearless, and brave. Even if it annoys me.” A soft chuckle left her lips. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

Her smile faded, and she pulled her hand from mine. Uneasiness churned in my gut. I meant to offer her comfort, but at times, it seemed all I did was make her retreat deep into herself and further from me. Even with all we shared, it seemed she still kept me at arm’s distance.

“Okay.” She wiggled in place. “Let’s try more meditation.” She opened her hands, offering them back to me, palms up.

“What is this?” I asked, taking her hands again.

“Well, since I’m such an all-powerful badass like you said,” she winked at me, and I snorted before she went on, “borrow some of my power. Maybe I can help you heal.” She relaxed and straightened her back, a small smirk on her lovely lips. “And then we fight until the sun sets. You really suck with a sword now.”

I threw my head back and laughed, my side aching with the stretch, but oh, it felt good. “I still best you.”

“You can barely lift it for long periods of time.”

“And?” I added, not denying it. “I still won against you.”

“Sure.” She dragged the word out. “You were just on the ground yesterday and the day before because you were taking a little rest in the middle of our sparring session.”

“I wanted to be there.” I leaned forward, bringing her fingers up to press a kiss to her knuckles. “It was all a part of my plan. To have you on top of me.”

“You do not need us to train for that.”

I laughed again. This was better than any meditation.