20. Dacre

CHAPTER 20

DACRE

T hick steam filled the bathroom as Verena stepped inside. The hot, damp air was clinging to my skin as I reached for her hand, and she took it without hesitation.

I held on to her as she stepped into the bath, and she groaned as she sank down into the heat of the water.

Her eyes met mine as she looked up, her focus on me alone, and the vulnerability in her expression brought an ache to my chest.

Softly, she reached out, her fingers grazing my own. "Get in with me."

I hesitated for only a second because I wanted to take care of her. "Are you sure?"

She nodded, and I took a deep breath and stepped into the bath. The hot water enveloped me as I sank down behind her, her body settling perfectly between my thighs, my arm draped around her shoulders as she leaned into me.

We sat in silence for a while, just the soft splash of the water filling the air as I cupped some in my hands and let it fall over her shoulders.

"I used to love baths when I was little," she murmured as she leaned her head back against my shoulder, seeming to savor the way the water trailed over her body.

"I hated them." I chuckled and a soft, wistful smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she looked up at me.

"I bet you were a handful as a boy," she teased.

"I was worse than a handful. My mother nearly had a heart attack daily because of my mischief, and Wren was so well-behaved in comparison." The thought of my sister brought a pang to my chest, but I forced it away.

"I could see that." She nodded, her eyes filled with amusement. "Wren has always seemed much more levelheaded than you."

"There was this one time when I ventured farther into the hidden city than I had ever been before, despite being strictly forbidden to do so. I ended up lost for hours, and when my mother finally found me, she was beside herself with worry while Wren just smirked at me." I laughed, tracing my finger gently down the slope of her neck. "She, of course, was with me when my exploration started, but left me the moment she told me that we should turn around and I refused."

Verena blinked up at me, her expression soft. "You should learn to listen to her."

"I have." I nodded earnestly. "I've gotten much better at it since then."

A small crease appeared between her eyebrows as she averted her gaze from me. "What did Wren say about me?"

"It was hard to remember exactly," I admitted. "She was too busy slamming her hands into my chest." I absentmindedly rubbed at the spot as Verena turned her attention back to me. "But I think it was along the lines of she was going to kill me if I didn't find you, murder me if I let my father find you first."

Verena shuddered against me. "I wish I hadn't lied to her." She shook her head. "She was the first real friend I've ever had."

My chest ached at her words. She wasn't saying them for pity. They were simply the truth, and I hated that even more.

"You didn't have any friends in the palace?"

She sighed, her eyes losing their luster. "I had people, servants, but my father kept me away from anyone who would realize I was powerless."

I furrowed my brow, trying to understand her pain.

"I had a lady's maid who bathed me, dressed me, and brought me food. She was with me the most after my mother died, and she never left the palace." She sighed, resting her head on my shoulder once more.

"Our kingdom was already in unrest. Our people would have rejected your right to the throne even more if they knew you possessed no magic," I spoke out loud, trying to make sense of what her father had done.

Verena nodded, and I squeezed her tightly, feeling her body tremble against me.

"Talk of the rising rebellion only made things worse." She swallowed and looked straight ahead. "His advisers would warn him of the unrest, and he would take it out on my back with a whip. He thought he could beat the magic out of me, force it from my skin with every drop of my blood."

A storm of anger and hatred consumed me. My muscles tensed and my vision blurred as I envisioned every cruel act her father had inflicted on her, and the desire for revenge burned within me. I yearned to make him suffer in ways that mirrored the pain he had caused her. I wanted to see him grovel at her feet, pleading for mercy that would never come. But I knew deep down that none of this would bring her what she wanted, what she needed.

Freedom.

I gently cupped her face, trying to keep my voice steady. "I'm sorry, Verena."

Her eyes met mine, filled with a mixture of fear and hope. "You stopped calling me little traitor."

Her words shocked me, causing a choked laugh to fall from my lips. "I should have never called you it to begin with."

Her eyes shuttered softly, and I ran my wet fingers along her jaw. "Unless you want me to. I will call you anything you desire." I looked down just as she pressed her thighs together, almost unnoticeably.

I leaned closer to her until my mouth brushed against her ear. "Do you like being my little traitor?"

Her skin flushed a deep crimson, the color spreading from her chest to her cheeks, but she remained silent.

"Tell me, Verena. Do you enjoy being a wicked little thing?" The words dripped with desire.

She remained silent, her eyes squeezed shut and her body trembling as she tried to catch her breath. Her chest rose and fell with each deep breath, the water gently lapping against her breasts.

She parted her legs slightly, her thighs pressing into mine in a silent invitation, and the hunger inside me surged at the sight of her, a desperate longing that made me feel like I could never quench my desire for her.

I reached forward and gripped her thighs in my hands, spreading them farther apart, and lifting them until her knees hooked over mine. Her body arched in response to the sudden movement, revealing the soft curves and dips of her body, and my cock pressed against her ass.

My fingers flexed possessively, squeezing her thighs as I whispered into her ear, "Are you wet for me again, my little traitor?"

She trembled against me as a whimper passed her lips, and she nodded her head slightly, barely grazing it against my own.

"Such a naughty little thing." I let my hand trail up her thigh, my fingers lightly grazing over the sensitive skin. She arched her body toward me, her knees pressing against mine in a desperate attempt to get closer.

But I only widened my legs, forcing her legs farther apart. Her breath quickened as she felt my touch inching closer to where she craved it most, her body trembling with anticipation.

"Please," she begged, and I ran my other hand up her chest and cupped her breast in my hand.

I ran my thumb over her nipple just as I let my fingers from my other hand trail over the seam of her pussy.

I slowly slipped my fingers between her legs, feeling the warmth and slickness that coated her. She gasped, her body tensing, and I savored the feel of her as I slid my middle finger inside.

"Tell me how it feels," I murmured, grazing my teeth over her shoulder as I pinched her nipple harder and pressed my thumb against her sensitive clit. The sensation caused her to arch her back and moan. "Do you like it when I fuck you with my fingers?" I slid a second one inside her. "Or do they make you wish it were my cock instead?" I growled, my cock throbbing at the thought.

"I want all of you," she panted, her hips bucking against my hand. "Please don't stop."

I slid my fingers in and out of her, reveling in the tightness and heat that enveloped them. With each thrust, I curled them inside her while simultaneously rubbing tiny circles on her swollen clit.

She arched her back and moaned in pleasure, her hips bucking against my hand before she reached behind her until she found my throbbing cock. As soon as her fingers wrapped around it, I felt like I was going to explode.

"Stand up," I demanded, my voice heavy with the tension that pulsed through me.

She hesitated but did just as I said, and I climbed to my knees behind her.

I ran my fingers over her ass, kneading and exploring before I slipped by hand down between her thighs from behind.

"Bend over," I instructed, "and wrap your hands around the edge of the tub." Gods, she was so fucking wet. "You let go and I stop."

She complied, her body trembling as she bent over and held on to the edge of the bathtub. Her ass was presented to me, her pussy exposed.

"Spread for me."

She did so quickly, both of her ankles pressing against either side of the tub.

"You are so perfect," I murmured as I slid my thumbs along the seam of her pussy before spreading her open. "Such a perfect pussy that belongs to no one but me."

I leaned forward and ran my tongue through her.

Her body jerked at my touch, a low moan escaping her lips. I could taste her arousal on my tongue, and it only served to fuel my desire.

"Oh gods," she whispered, her hips swaying gently.

I continued to eat her, my tongue dipping in and out, tasting every inch of her. She moaned again as she pushed her hips back against my face.

"So fucking needy," I growled before swirling my tongue around her clit.

Her body trembled, her hips bucking slightly.

I pushed to my feet, wiping my chin with the back of my hand as I stood behind her. I caught a glimpse of myself in the fogged-up mirror above the sink. My hair was disheveled, and my skin was flushed from the hot water.

I looked like a man possessed, and I was.

I stepped out of the bathtub onto the small rug on the floor and reached for her hand. Verena straightened on shaky legs before she followed suit and climbed out with me. Her feet had barely hit the floor before I scooped her up into my arms, her legs wrapping tightly around my waist.

We moved together until she was propped against the wooden door, our bodies glistening with droplets of water.

"Watch us," I groaned as I leaned back and pressed the head of my cock against her entrance. "Don't let your eyes leave that mirror." I bit down on her neck, feeling her slick warmth envelop me as I slowly sank inside her. "I want you to see yourself come while I lose myself in you."

She moaned softly, her eyes widening as I stretched her. Her nails dug into my back as she let out the tiniest little whimper when I buried myself inside her.

She wrapped her legs tighter around me, her nails leaving crescent moons in my skin as I thrust inside her.

"That's it," I moaned as she moved her hips against mine. "Fuck me."

I kissed the side of her jaw, her eyes still glued to the two of us in the mirror, and she trembled against me as she rolled her hips.

She was sin, every part of her damning me.

I reached behind me, pulling one of her legs from around my hip and pressing my palm into her knee as I spread her open wider.

"Yes," she breathed as I hit impossibly deeper inside her.

That one word sent shock waves of pleasure through me, and I began to fuck her harder, each thrust deeper than the last. I could feel her wetness around me, slick and hot, and it drove me wild.

I gripped her ass in my other hand, pulling her closer, her walls gripping me tightly. Her head fell back, her eyes closed as she let out a low moan.

She was breathtaking.

"You're taking me so well," I said before pressing my forehead into the space between her collarbone and jaw. "The gods made you for me. Carved you from the stars themselves until I could no longer bear to gaze up at the sky without longing for you."

Her eyes, wide and unguarded, snapped to meet mine. The raw vulnerability emanating from their depths caught me off guard, stealing my breath. "Whatever comes."

I didn't know if it was a statement or a question, but I knew my answer either way. "Whatever comes, you are mine."

I needed her to feel it, to know that she truly belonged to me.

I grabbed her wrists, pinning them above her head, and thrust harder into her, twisting my hips as I did so. Her moans filled the room, her body arching against mine, her nails digging into my hand as she tried to hold on.

She was just as wild and as untamed as I was.

I leaned forward, my lips brushing against her ear as I whispered, "Come for me, love."

She arched her back and cried out, her body tightening around me as waves of pleasure washed over her. I could feel her muscles clenching around me as she hit the height of her pleasure, and with one final thrust, I let out a deep growl as I released inside her.

I stood there, leaning against her and holding her body against the door as we both panted heavily until she slowly slid down my body.

I reached behind me, fumbling for a towel, grasping the soft fabric before I carefully began cleaning her up. She shivered, and I immediately wrapped another towel around her body, shielding her from the cool air that seeped in now that we were no longer entwined.

"We need to get some sleep. Tomorrow will come before either of us is ready." I watched her carefully as I wrapped another towel around my waist, watching for any sign of regret.

But there was none.

She simply nodded before the two of us stepped out of the bathroom and back into the small room. She climbed into the bed, not worrying about clothes, and I did the same.

I quickly tucked a dagger beneath my pillow as I lay down beside her.

The room was dark, illuminated by a single candle, and she lay facing me, her arm tucked under her head.

She looked away from me, her gaze falling to the blanket between us, and I feared what was going through her mind.

I was terrified that she regretted what we'd done—that she regretted me.

"What's going through that head of yours?" I reached forward and brushed some hair out of her face.

"What?" She blinked up at me.

"You look lost in your thoughts." I swallowed and searched her eyes. "Are you okay?"

"Yes." She nodded. "Sorry. I was just thinking."

"About?" I didn't want to push her, but gods, I was desperate to know every thought that passed through her mind.

"My mom." She let out a small laugh. "That's weird, right?"

"It's not weird at all," I reassured her. "I'd love to hear about her."

Her eyes flicked over my face before falling to my chest. "She used to tell me a story every night before I went to bed."

She smiled softly, and I held my breath.

"And there was this one night where she led me through the tunnels while she was telling me a story. I thought we were having an adventure." She laughed, but the sound was sad. "I had never been in the tunnels before, never allowed to venture that far through the palace, but I think she knew I would need a way out one day."

My father had been searching for a way into the palace my whole life, searching for those tunnels.

She tugged on the blanket, pulling it over her shoulders as if it would shield her from the memories that haunted her.

"The tunnels came out right near the base of the waterfall." She pushed her hair out of her face. "There are two trees there, their roots intertwined and wound together." She shook her head as if frustrated by her lack of recollection, but I knew the exact trees she spoke of. "I don't really remember how the story went, but it talked of magic between two people. A magic shared and molded like those trees."

"Like our magic?" I asked, the words catching in my throat. It was a topic we had avoided, and I wondered if we were both fearful of discovering the truth behind why my magic seemed to surge when she was near, why she could finally wield hers when she was by my side.

"I wasn't lying to you about my magic." She searched my eyes. "I had never felt a single stirring of power until you." She hesitated. "And I couldn't feel it in the woods, not until you found me."

My chest tightened at her admission.

"I've never felt magic like I did when you confronted my father." I licked my lips and tried to find the right words. "That's a kind of power that kings kill for, Verena. A kind of power they'd keep caged to make sure they never lose hold of it."

She blinked, apprehension creeping into her eyes.

"Verena, that is the kind of power of a queen."

Her eyes dilated, and there was so much fear staring back at me. "I don't want to be queen."

"Then you won't," I answered simply. "But you can never let your father know of your power." I clenched my hand into a fist, trying to control the sudden fear that coursed through me at the thought. "There's no telling what he'd do with it."

"He'd wreck the world." Her answer was quick as if she had been considering the options for days. "He was already capable of destroying so much with a powerless heir at his side." Her gaze darted away as if she was ashamed of who she was. "I don't want to imagine what he'd do with this."

She lifted her hand, looking down at her flesh as if she were a weapon.

I wrapped my hand around hers quickly, bringing it to my mouth.

"He won't get the chance," I reassured her. "What else do you remember from that story your mother told you? What happened to the two people whose magic melded as one?"

"A kingdom torn in blood, a world turned to ash." Her brow creased as if she couldn't remember the rest.

"But with my soul, I the worship," I finished the line for her.

The corner of her lips lifted into a smile as her eyes lit up. "But with my soul, I the worship." She snapped her fingers. "That's it."

And suddenly, it felt like a sharp blade had pierced through me. The words cut deep, leaving a searing pain in my chest and making it hard to draw breath. I could see the same look of shock on Verena's face, her features mirroring the same intense feeling coursing through her.

"Where did you learn that from?" she asked, her words quiet in the dark of the room.

"In Enveilorian," I answered, my gaze fixed on her face. "It's a vow." The words hung in the air. "A bond between two souls in marriage."

She shook her head as if trying to make sense of my words. "I've seen weddings at the palace. I've never heard it before."

I swallowed before pressing another kiss to her knuckles. "It's reserved for mates."