Chapter 9

I step forward, only to be jerked to a stop. Glancing at the hand on my arm with a frown, I turn to scowl at Vaeril. His grip isn't tight, but he also isn't letting go.

"Clarissa, Alina ," he starts, his eyes wary as he scans the forest behind me. He's unable to feel the magic himself, only the second-hand reverberation through the bond. "This could be a trap."

"He's right, you can't just go running off into the forest," Naril chimes in with a disapproving scowl.

Stepping back, I shake off Vaeril's hand, not quite believing that they're trying to stop me from going to Grayson. I know how to look after myself, and I know Grayson's magic. He's calling to me. For whatever reason, he needs me to go to him . The bond between us has been strained for so long, and now I have the chance to go to him. I'm not going to let them keep me from my mage. I'm sure Vaeril can feel all of this down the bond, his brow furrowed as he watches me.

"Can someone explain what's going on?" my aunt demands, looking between us, her frustration evident on her face. She's just evacuated the area in preparation for a potential attack based purely on the fact that I sensed something different, so I don't blame her for wanting to be updated.

"Grayson, my third mate is here," I inform her, ignoring Eldrin's low growl and the taut expressions on the elves' faces at his name. "He's in the forest, I need to go to him." The explanation is brief, but the need to reach him is making me twitchy.

"Why isn't he coming to you?" Suspicion lines her eyes as she takes in the tension of the elves surrounding me.

"He's a magician," I clarify, looking over at Eldrin, who's practically vibrating with anger. He's the only one who's not met Grayson yet, and I'm sure it's going to be explosive when they finally do, if this is any indication. "The elves and the magicians don't exactly get on." We both know this is a huge understatement, but she hums in agreement as she looks at the elves again, her eyes landing on Eldrin.

"You're sure it's him? His magic can't be mimicked?"

Her question is an interesting one, one I've not thought of before. Can magic be mimicked? I play the thought over in my mind as another wave of his magic reaches me. It's gentle this time, like a finger trailing down my spine. It's intimate and loving and all Grayson. The bond in my chest thumps. Magic may be able to be mimicked, but you can't mimic our bond. Unbidden, a smile spreads across my face and I nod, making Eldrin growl and stalk away before he slams a fist into the nearest tree. Ignoring him, Revna turns to the other elves with a shrug and raised eyebrows. "Then you can't keep her from him."

"No," Eldrin barks, stalking back towards me. When he's angry like this, he seems huge, his golden eyes almost glowing as his face twists, his scar making him look savage, but I don't back away, that's exactly what he wants. I hold my ground and show that I'm not afraid of him, until he reaches me and we're standing toe-to-toe.

"Eldrin…" Naril steps closer, but I hold out a hand to stop him, not taking my eyes off his raging brother. Vaeril is nearby, he wants to step in, but he knows I can handle his friend in a way he's never been able to understand.

Crossing my arms over my chest, I raise an eyebrow as I wait for Eldrin to say whatever has him so wound up. Something in his face changes when he sees he hasn't scared me off with his rage. "I don't trust him," he grinds out, and I nod my head.

"I know," I agree, reaching out and taking one of his hands in mine, squeezing it tightly. "But I do." His eyes flick over my face, and he realises I'm still going.

"Don't go."

My heart breaks a little at the vulnerability in his voice, and I know this isn't about the fact that Grayson's a mage and Eldrin's an elf. He's asking me to choose him, but I can't choose, and I thought he already knew that.

"Eldrin, this doesn't affect how I feel about anyone else, but he's my mate. I have to go." I beg him with my eyes to understand, to hear the double meaning in my words. That I choose him just as much as I choose Grayson. His gaze hardens, and for a second, my heart feels like it stops as I think he's going to reject me, but a determined expression settles on his face and he nods, crossing his arms and retreating to the treeline.

The others have been watching in silence with varying expressions of confusion. Naril regards his brother with a raised eyebrow before turning to look at me with an accusing spark in his eyes. He knows. He's worked out that whatever relationship Eldrin and I share has moved on to something far deeper than friendship.

Tor is standing by my side with a frown, but he doesn't seem as concerned as the others. Placing my hand on his arm, I look at him with a question in my eyes, pleading with him to trust me.

"I'll go with her," Tor announces. I begin to protest, I don't need anyone to come with me, but he stops me with a finger on my lips. "Only as far as I need to so I can see it's him and that you're safe, then I'll leave," he placates, then turns to the others. "I'll keep her safe."

I realise that although I don't need a bodyguard, it will make everyone else feel better if Tor comes with me, so I bite my tongue and nod my head. With a few murmured goodbyes and a quick kiss from Vaeril, we depart without much of a fuss.

As we leave the campsite behind us, a sense of guilt settles over me, like I'm drawing a line and leaving the elves behind, but I push it aside. Grayson is my mate, I'm not doing anything wrong. Tor walks silently beside me, and I watch him from the corner of my eye. He's standing close as usual, his arm swinging as he moves so it brushes against mine occasionally, but his gaze is trained ahead, his eyes scanning the forest for threats. For a race that's known for its brutality and ferocity in battle, of all my mates, Tor has always been the peacekeeper, and I think that's one of the things I love most about him.

"Thank you." I don't explain why I'm thanking him, I don't need to, he can feel it through our connection.

Pulling his gaze from the trees, he meets mine with an unusually serious expression. "I will always help you where I can, Clarissa. Always, never doubt that." If I hadn't already loved him, that would have changed my mind. His eyes stay locked with mine for a second longer, then he looks ahead, scouring the forest for any potential threats once again. He leaves me speechless, but thankfully, he isn't waiting for me to respond. "He's your mate," he states, and it takes my brain a few seconds to realise he's talking about Grayson. "He obviously needs to see you alone for some reason, and the elves weren't going to let you go by yourself." I hum my agreement but don't say anything, not wanting to open conversation about ‘the elves,' or more specifically, one elf in particular. I know we will have to have this conversation at some point, but now is not the time.

We fall into a companionable silence as we walk deeper into the forest. It's almost completely dark now, so we've had to slow down, but just ahead, the orange glow of a small fire comes into view. Reaching for Grayson's bond in my chest, I gently stroke it, gasping at the jolt of feeling that's sent back to me in return. Tor curses next to me, feeling it second-hand through his connection.

"Clarissa?" Grayson calls out in the distance, and I see a figure move in front of the orange glow.

"Grayson!" I cry in delight, immediately starting forward, but I stop when I remember Tor. Torn, I turn to look up at him, but he smirks and gestures for me to go. Grinning, I jump forward and press a kiss to his lips, pushing my love and thankfulness for him through our connection, then I pull away with a laugh.

Facing the orange glow, I tug at the bond between Grayson and me, and I begin running towards him. As soon as he sees me, a joyful smile spreads across his face, and he leaps over a fallen tree, racing towards me. His arms wrap around me, lifting me from the ground and holding me close. The tightness that's been constricting my chest since he left me last time lifts, and it feels like I can finally breathe freely. Happiness fills me, and for those few precious seconds, we just hold each other, breathing in each other's scents. At the back of my mind, there's a dark thought hovering, reminding me he'll have to leave again soon, that he's only here for a short time, for a specific reason. He will never be able to stay with you. This is all you will ever get, these fleeting moments. These thoughts are toxic, so I push them away and make the most of this time with him. After all, any time with him is better than nothing at all.

Slowly, he lowers me to the ground, presses his forehead against mine, and gazes into my eyes. "Clarissa," he whispers, saying my name like a prayer. "I have so much to tell you." Pulling away, he smiles at me and takes my hand, leading me over to the fire he's started. He has a small tent erected, and there's a pot set over the fire, so it looks like he's been waiting for a little while.

My heart sinks, and I take a seat on the fallen log, facing the fire for something to do. I knew he sought me out because he had news. Why else would he be here? But I hoped to spend some more time with just the two of us, knowing he would probably have to leave soon.

"Oh." I try to keep the disappointment from my voice, but I know I don't manage it when he glances up from where he's tending the fire. "Yes, I suppose you will have to return to the guild soon, they will be expecting you," I reason, looking down at my hands in my lap. The journey from the guild to here is long, having to travel the whole width of Morrowmer.

Grayson laughs quietly. "Clarissa, that's what I need to tell you." He stands up and walks over to me, kneeling in front of me and placing his hands on my knees. "I'm not going back." I stop breathing, not quite believing what he's saying, my heartbeat pounding in my ears. When I don't react, he smiles. "I'm staying with you ." He puts emphasis on the last word, his eyes glowing in the firelight. "The guild—"

I don't let him finish his sentence. Surging forward, I wrap my arms around him and press my lips against his. He groans into my mouth, returning my kisses with a frenzy I've not experienced from Grayson before. His hands slide along my legs to my lower back, picking me up in one swift motion. Circling my legs around his waist, I shamelessly grind myself against him and bite down on his lower lip.

"Mother above," he curses, looking down at me with a heat in his eyes that has my core clenching, aching for him. I nuzzle his neck as he walks us to his tent, ducks through the opening, and lowers me onto the padded bedding. He wants to say something, that much is clear by his torn expression, but as I shift up onto my knees and undo the clasp that holds my cloak in place, lust seems to win over. Leaning back, he closes the tent flaps behind him and turns his full attention back to me, shuffling closer until I can feel the heat of his body against mine.

We stare into each other's eyes, and by some unspoken signal, we start to undress. We don't touch, but the heat from his gaze is practically scalding, my skin flushing under his regard. He looks regal in his high mage uniform—the thick dark blue fabric with golden epaulettes, trim, and buttons. As he removes it, he carefully folds the uniform, taking his time with unhurried movements, making my mouth water. His chest is bare now, and I follow the slight trail of hair down to his hands, which are removing his trousers. My mouth goes dry as his cock springs free, the head glistening with pre-cum. Now totally naked, we meet each other's eyes, and the calm barrier between us snaps, our bodies colliding in a mass of limbs, tongues, and teeth.

Kissing down his neck, I press my teeth gently against his pulse point, feeling him shudder under me as his hand skims down my body and slides between us, cupping my core. His finger finds my clit, and he starts to gently circle it, making me gasp. My head falls back, and I arch against him, pressing my breasts up against his chest. I feel him laugh, and as I lift my head to look at him, his expression changes. He looks astonished, like he has no idea how he ended up here, but the soft smile that's spreading across his face tells a different story.

"What are you thinking?" I ask softly, needing to know what's caused such a reaction.

His smile widens, his confidence returning as his clever fingers resume their movements on my clit, while his other hand on my lower back holds me close. He leans forward and presses a tender, lingering kiss against my lips before pulling away. "I was thinking that I am the luckiest man in the world." His words make me blush, but he smiles and presses a kiss against each flushed cheek. "That you are the most beautiful creature in existence," he continues, his fingers travelling down from my clit until he finds my entrance, already wet with arousal. His eyes light up, and he carefully watches my face as he gently presses a finger into me, my eyes rolling back with pleasure. "And that I love you." His declaration makes me feel warm and safe, and honestly, like I am the most beautiful creature. At least, I do with the way he's looking at me right now. Reaching up, I wrap my arms around his neck and press long, passionate kisses against his lips, relearning the taste of him.

Moaning into my mouth, he breaks our kiss, removing his fingers from my core in the process. I bare my teeth and hiss as he moves away, my fae nature making its displeasure known. I've been spending too much time around territorial fae males , a little part of my mind chides, wondering how my human mate will take this very elvish display. Grayson raises an eyebrow at the behaviour, but if I had been worried at how he would react, I shouldn't have been, because I see his cock bob slightly. "Lie back," he instructs. "I want to try something." There's a promise in his eyes, so I clamp down on the need to climb on him and demand that he just fuck me.

Doing as he commands, I lie on the bedding and look up at him, wondering what he has planned. That look of hungry admiration appears in his eyes again as he lowers himself next to me, tangling his legs with mine. He raises his hand, and a look of concentration furrows his brow, then he smiles as the tip of his forefinger begins to glow. Magic tingles on the air. Eyes widening, I look closer and see tiny blue jolts of what look like miniature lightning bolts dancing across the surface of his skin.

A flash of concern goes through me. Is he going to use that on me? I examine his face and realise something. This is Grayson. He would never do anything to hurt me.

"Do you trust me?" he queries softly, the magic causing a strange blue light to fill the tent.

I don't need time to think, I simply smile and repeat his answer from earlier. "Always."

His answering smile is completely worth it, his happiness making our bond practically glow in my chest as he leans forward and kisses me. I don't see him lower his hand, but I feel the moment his magic touches me, a light buzzing running over the skin of my arm, tingling everywhere he touches. For a second, I feel my body try to break the spell, but he lifts his finger, and the urge passes as he moves across my chest. He seems to know exactly how long to tease me with the pressure. Lifting and pressing. Every time my body starts to react and tries to break the spell, he pulls away and moves on to another untouched part of my body. When his finger touches my nipple, it's like a jolt of electricity goes directly from the bud to my clit, and I gasp into his mouth, gripping his shoulders tightly. He grunts slightly, and I try to loosen my hold, aware my fae strength could hurt him.

"Sorry," I murmur against his lips, but he just laughs and shakes his head.

"It's my fault for teasing you," he whispers, skimming his hand lower over my stomach. The little jolts make me squirm. "I know what you need." With those promised words, he finally presses his finger against my clit, and I can't contain my cry of pleasure. He whispers something in a language I don't understand, and the tang of magic is heavy in the air. Both of his hands are now free, but the magic is still pulsing against me. Somehow, he's managed to control the magic in a way that doesn't cause my body to try to break it, but my mind is too pleasure addled to comprehend that right now.

Just when I think it can't get any better, I feel his finger stroke my entrance, gathering up my arousal before slowly pushing inside me. Moaning, I slide my hands down his back, encouraging him. He adds a second, then a third. The steady motion of his fingers and the on and off pressure of his magic against my clit is a heady feeling. It's almost too much, and just as I think I can't handle any more, he presses his thumb against my sensitive nub, sending me spiralling into an intense orgasm. Once he's fully wrung every ounce of pleasure from me, he slowly removes his fingers, the magic disappearing, and pulls me flush against him, pressing soft kisses against my forehead.

Humming with pleasure, I snuggle up against him, running my hands up and down his back, enjoying the feeling of his cock twitching against my hip. We lie together in comfortable silence for a little while longer, until I realise he has no intention of sating his own desires. Well, that's not happening , I think to myself, pushing up onto my knees and pressing on his shoulders so he rolls onto his back.

"Wha—" Cutting him off, I press my mouth against his as I straddle him. "Clarissa!" He laughs into my mouth and pulls back, cupping my cheek. "I thought you might be too tired after the magic… I just wanted you to feel good. I wasn't expecting anything in return. I don't need sex tonight, I get to spend every day with you. We have plenty of time for that."

Even if I hadn't been determined before, I'm even more so now. Our next kiss is slow and passionate, and I push all my love and gratitude for him down our bond—all of the things I struggle to say out loud, my thoughts of inadequacy he saw past, and all of the feelings I had about him after he rescued me but I didn't think I could act on. In return, he shows me how he views me, how as soon as his eyes landed on me in that chapel at Arhaven, his life changed forever. His eyes were opened that day, and he's viewed the world differently ever since, but his thoughts never stray far from me. Our thoughts mingle until we are one mind, our breathing synchronised.

Reaching between us, I wrap my hand around his hard cock. I squeeze gently and start to stroke, knowing from our joint minds exactly how fast and hard to go. He groans into my mouth, his hand sliding around my body and cupping my breast, tweaking my nipples until I'm gasping. We don't talk, we don't need to. Raising onto my knees, I position myself over him. I rub him over my entrance, using my arousal to lubricate the head of his cock, and then I slowly slide down onto his length. Throwing my head back, I moan as I savour the feeling of fullness, while Grayson hisses his own pleasure. I rock my hips, meeting his lust-filled gaze. Suddenly, he's shifting his weight and sitting up, and if it wasn't for his arms wrapped around my lower back, he might have thrown me off. I groan as he pulls me closer to him, kissing me deeply. He's much deeper in this position, and with us pressed together like this, it's far more intimate. Staring into my eyes, he uses my hips to guide my motions. I bounce up and down on his cock, and together, we move, our gasps and sounds of pleasure loud in the small tent.

My orgasm starts to build until I'm calling out his name and bliss fills my body. His release follows close after mine, and he clutches me close as my body trembles with aftershocks.

Later, we lie together under my cloak, our legs entwined. Our bodies are sweaty, and I can feel his release between my legs. I know I'm going to have to return to the others soon, which is going to be…awkward. However, right now, I push those thoughts away. The lazy smile on my face is genuine as I draw patterns on the exposed skin of his chest with my finger.

He captures my arm, stopping my movements, and twists it gently as he holds it up, examining it. "This tattoo is new. I didn't notice it earlier." The campfire outside the tent offers just enough light for us to see, but I don't think that's the reason he didn't notice earlier.

"It's my tribal tattoo," I tell him, pointing out the symbol of the hawk in the center of the other symbols and swirls that wrap around my right arm. "I received it when I became a member of the tribes."

Humming a sound of acknowledgement, Grayson continues to examine it, brushing the swirls with his finger, making me shiver at his touch. Gently, he releases my arm and sits up, shifting his weight so he's facing me. His expression makes me anxious, and I know our perfect bubble of peace is about to be burst.

"There's something else I need to tell you. It's the reason I'm able to stay with you."

These words shouldn't make me nervous, after all, the outcome is a positive one—Grayson finally gets to stay with me, we can be together. This is a good thing. Right? Then why does dread fill me? Hugging the cloak to my chest, I sit upright and face him. "Okay, tell me."

"The magicians' guild wants to fight alongside you."

I stare at him for a few seconds as his words sink in. "Wait, what?" This was not what I was expecting him to say. I knew the magicians had stopped fighting for the King of Arhaven, but to say they would fight for me… Do they even know what they're fighting for? Taking a deep breath, I decide to focus on the biggest issue. "You know that the elves fight with me, right?"

The humans and elves have been warring for centuries, with the mages being the humans' greatest fighters. Their only purpose has been to worship the Great Mother and protect the humans from the elves. If they fight for me, they will be working alongside elves, and I don't know if they can do that.

As if proving my point, Grayson's expression hardens and he grits his teeth. "Not all of them." I can't hide my sigh of disappointment. I know it was stupid to wish Grayson would have gotten over his prejudice towards the elves. But since learning I was part elf, I hoped that would make him more open to accepting some of the elves. Seeing my despondency at his response, he reaches out and squeezes my hand.

"I know not all elves are evil," he murmurs slowly, like the words are difficult for him to say. "They've helped you and you trust them, that's enough for me." I watch him as he speaks and gratitude fills me. He's come a long way. He may not trust the elves, but to be able to trust in me, knowing I trust them, that means the world to me. I believe every word he says, but is it enough?

Smiling sadly, I squeeze his hand. "No, but they're still elves. Are the mages going to be able to make that distinction?" I trust Grayson, I trust Wilson, but would I trust an army of magicians who have been trained to kill elves on sight? Their hatred runs deep, and the same goes the other way. I'm not even sure how the elves would take it. Would they be able to fight side by side with men they have been taught to hate? I think most of the elves would accept it if I was to speak with them.

It's the high elves I'm not sure of. Or more specifically, Eldrin. He was captured and tortured for years by the humans. He's never gone into details, but I'm sure the magicians were involved, if his hatred for them is anything to go by. Would he think I was betraying him if I was to accept the magicians' help?

Feeling a headache coming on, I shut my eyes and rub my temples, sighing deeply. I'll need to go back and speak with the others, which I know isn't going to go down well. Another major issue comes to mind. The mages split from the king because of his treatment of his people. I know they want to change how the city is run, but that's not what this fight is about, and they need to understand why we are all here.

"I'm not going to war against the king," I clarify, lowering my hands as I meet his eyes. "The elf queen is my enemy, do they know that?"

Grayson nods, reaching for his shirt as he starts to get dressed. "We've seen the evil the queen is capable of, it's spreading across the land." He shakes his head, his face paling, and I realise he must have seen some of that darkness on his travels. "The Mother came to us, she told us to trust in you, that you will guide us." This surprises me, although I don't know why I'm so shocked. She appeared to Grayson in a vision when he first saved me, so it makes sense that she would appear to him again.

"We know the elf queen needs to die," Grayson continues, snapping my attention back from the past. "If we have to work alongside elves in the process, then so be it." Relief fills me, but I get the feeling he's trying to decide whether to tell me something or not. I stay silent, watching him dress until he just sighs and meets my gaze. "The other high mages will try to convince you to help us once all this is over though."

He doesn't specify what help the high mages want, he doesn't need to, I know already—the king. Frowning, I make a noncommittal hum and pull my clothes on, knowing the time for cuddling is over. My feelings about the king are too complicated to think about now, especially when we've got a war looming on the horizon.

"Do the other mages agree with this?" I ask. Grayson might have decided to trust me when it comes to the elves. I can even believe that a few of the magicians will have strong enough faith in the Mother to put aside their hatred and work alongside their enemy. However, what I struggle to believe is that they all came to this agreement. Who is going to keep them all in check?

That tightness in his jaw is back, so I know I've touched on a difficult subject. "The high mages came to an agreement." The way he says it makes it sound like it wasn't an easy or unanimous decision. He falls silent as he buckles his trousers, but as he reaches for his boots, he sighs and looks up at me. "They're here to talk with you."

I nod my head slowly. I half expected him to tell me this, after all, there were only two real options next—he was either going to ask me to go to the guild, or tell me the guild was here to see me. Seeing as they are propositioning me, I suppose it makes sense they came to me. This whole situation is crazy , my mind protests, part of me wondering how I'm so calm about this. "This isn't just my decision, I don't dictate," I inform him as I finish dressing, working out the logistics of how we're going to manage this meeting without everyone killing each other. "We need to speak with the elves and the high chief of the tribes."

"There's something else." It's his tone that alerts me to the fact that something is wrong. Before he just sounded wary, like he wasn't sure how I was going to take his news, but now, something has changed. That sense of dread returns as I take in his serious expression and the apology in his eyes. "We have a message for you."

"A message?" Confusion and fear fill me, who could be sending me a message, especially one that would cause this reaction from Grayson? "From whom?"

"The king." His answer strikes fear in my heart, and I work to keep my expression blank as I wait to hear the message. "He wants you to return to Arhaven."