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A blissful sigh escaped her lips, and she leaned into me, groaning as I worked over a particularly tense spot. “But I want you with me.”
I kissed the top of her head, inhaling her rosy scent like it was my own personal drug. “Once this war is over, we’ll go away somewhere, just the two of us, and you can have every part of me you want all to yourself.”
“After we’re married,” she teased, a soft laugh escaping her.
I couldn’t help the grin that spread across my face, but I let her win this one. She deserved it after the performance in the Crystal Realm. Her body loosened as I continued to work. Then, I scooped her up and carried her to the soft pallet in the center of the space. Her arms looped around my neck, holding onto me as desperately as I held onto her. Gently, I placed her gently among the blankets, tucking them up to her chin. Her eyelids were heavy, drooping, and I knew she wouldn’t be awake much longer.
“Rest. I’ll be back shortly,” I murmured, kissing her lips, then her forehead.
“Where are you going?” she half-whispered, half-yawned, doing a little shake and then snuggling deeper into the pile.
“To speak to Drazen and ensure the fire is truly out.” I straightened slowly, and she nodded into sleep, her breath deepening almost immediately. I lingered longer than I should have before drifting outside and under the stars.
As I searched for my general, I found myself at the fringes of the camp, near the animals. Endre was there, slipping between piles of stored goods. Silently, I followed him, wondering where he was going and what he was doing.
I didn’t trust the motherfucker not to turn on us. He’d shown his loyalty when he’d left in a hurry with Kazimir after he tried to kill my mate. And, as much as I hated it, I was pissed at him for hurting Liliana too. The female had grown on me, and she and Izidora were nearly as inseparable as we were.
But I’d never tell her that.
Endre grasped a ladder, hefting it under his shoulder and picking his way carefully so as not to knock anything over as he traversed the supplies. He seemed not to notice me, but I still stuck to the shadows and lightened my steps. When he broke through the stacks of boxes, I lingered behind the one at the end, watching as he approached a weary-looking olyphant.
The massive gray beast was still soaked in blood, his flappy ears drooping on either side of his head. One mighty tusk was chipped and broken. With great care, Endre braced the ladder’s feet on the ground, then leaned the top two rungs against the olyphant’s hide. The beast sighed but made no other protest. Gingerly, he ascended the rungs, and I narrowed my eyes when he stopped about three-fourths of the way up. Silver light danced beneath his fingers, and ruby returned to ashen skin. The olyphant made a contented noise, shifting his weight around as his shoulder wound closed.
“There, all better now,” Endre murmured to him, rubbing soothing circles over the freshly healed wound.
He descended the ladder with as much care as he’d climbed up it, constantly checking on the olyphant to ensure he wasn’t hurting it.
“He’s been doing that every night, you know,” a voice said from behind me. I glanced over my shoulder. Liliana stepped closer, her eyes fixed beyond me.
“Has he?” I said skeptically, lifting a brow.
“Yeah. He really likes animals. Even healed some of the kutya, even though one nearly ripped his leg off.” She shrugged,pretending like she didn’t care. We both knew that was a lie, but I didn’t comment on it.
“I don’t trust him,” I stated flatly.
“I know you don’t,” she replied. “But you trust me, right?”
“I do – for now. That is always subject to change,” I warned, my voice threaded with a hint of violence.
Silence stretched between us as Endre turned his attention to another wounded creature.
“Drazen is with the other Dragons,” she finally said with a weary sigh.
I nodded, taking one last look at the two Night Fae in our midst before striding off. Liliana remained there, watching, and I wondered what she would do when we returned to the Iron Realm with two males desperately in love with her.
40
“Bring the traitor to me,” I commanded the sentries stationed outside the council room in Este Castle. The leather-clad males did not hesitate as they raced off in search of him. Bracing myself against the doorframe, I surveyed the comings and goings down the stone-lined halls of my home. I watched as servants scurried about, taking care of their assigned tasks, while nobles and rich merchants from Vaenor traipsed the halls, all pausing to bow to their king.
The females dipped into obscenely low curtseys, allowing me a view of their cleavage in their low-cut dresses. None of these high born could keep up with my appetite, and not a single spark of interest flickered in me as they batted their lashes and continued on their way. At the thought of my whores sucking and fucking it later, however, my cock twitched.
Murmurs drifted from those gathered in the council room, but I ignored them. Their opinions no longer mattered. My seat on the Night Throne allowed me final say in all matters – including this one.
Especially this one.
Feminine shrieks filled the halls, followed by the sharp sound of a drawn sword. The voices were indistinct, but I could tell the argument was heated nonetheless. Crossing my arms across my chest, I waited for my guards to handle the situation. A sharp slap and rough thump silenced the cries, and my kingsguard dragged a limp High Lord Tibor Zadik down the hall.
“High Lady Renata put up a fight. We had to knock her out, my king,” the first one said.
