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I sobbed. Unwelcome memories of the past bombarded my mind. I had begged the gods for a do over. All they’d done was give me a bargain that would cost me the one male who seemed to care for me for the first time since Mother passed.
“Daliah, my Lightheart.”
I snapped my head to Zhèmson, the endearment both catching me off guard and doing things to my heart I never would have thought possible.
I was always the one enchanting males.
I was never the one being enchanted.
He brushed my cheek. Something fluttered in my heart, a name for what I felt.
I perished the thought.
Zhèmson brushed the tip of his nose across my knuckles. On instinct, I reached a hand into his hair, massaging the roots. He groaned against my palm.
“It pains me your payè would be so dishonorable. If it bears any weight, I want you to know, I’m so very sorry any of that happened to you, my brilliant Temptress. My fiery Lightheart.”
My chest squeezed.
“Zhèmson,” I sighed.
A tear coiled down my cheek. He shot forward, catching its fall with a kiss. Then he kissed my cheek again. And placed another along my jawline.
My body seized. I trembled with need, hungry for him to brand me with more than these teasing kisses. We’d been dancing around our attraction to each other for a while now. I was ready to have more. I bit my lip, wrestling down a groan.
“Mm.” The sound was little more than a growl. “Your past grieves you.” He leaned in, planting a feather-light kiss on my forehead. “I know what will fix it, my Lightheart.”
Zhèmson rose to a stand, tugging me with him. He smiled, handsome and bright, leaving me breathless.
“Come with me. I have something to show you.”
Zhèmson
I soared over Urien, with Daliah perched on my back, nestled between the column separating my wings. For the first time, I flew her over the garden directly to the rivers of the Isles.
“Skies. This has been here the entire time?”
I chuckled, pleased by her surprise. I’d made it my personal business to outdo every new secret with something else more magical.
“Zhèmson.”
Lowering to the ground, I nudged her temple with my nose. Prying myself away, I kicked off my sandals. Daliah shucked hers off, too. I beamed. Already I was rubbing off on her. It did something to me to see the pain on her face from earlier replaced by her resplendent smile. I gestured at the rivers.
“Daliah, welcome to one of my favorite pieces of this paradise.”
“I’ve never seen the oceans. Father had sworn to take me as a young child, but never did. When Mother and I fled to Kairyen, traveling so far was off limits. How I’d dreamed of seeing such a large body of water! I thought it’d be blue or green. But this is clear as glass with shimmers of lavender and gold!”
She squealed. My hearts did stupid little flips at the sound.
“Water soothes my fôrs, so I come here regularly to let my spirit breathe. Come, Lightheart.”
Without hesitation, she walked over to me, hair swinging. With Daliah at my side, I wrapped an arm around her waist. She tensed. I could feel the heat flushing through her body. She reached for me, her nails digging into my tunic. I loosed a labored breath, fighting to control myself. I gave her waist the smallest squeeze and told myself that was enough. For now.
Turning to the river, I lifted my wings and clapped them three times. Ripples danced across the surface. The waters took on their own life and began rolling with great waves. Then the head of an ivory whale popped out, its snout open in song.
“Zhèmson!”
I laughed, rubbing Daliah’s waist in reassurance.
