Page 185 of May: Bloom & Bane

“You close the loop,” he says simply. “His magic needs a path back into you. And his bond needs to feel that you are choosing him—not out of guilt or sympathy—but because you want him. His body will not accept what his mind cannot believe.”

The golden shimmer of Therael’s departure ripples through the air, leaving behind a quiet breeze.

His body will not accept what his mind cannot believe.

“Okay,” I whisper, though I’m not sure who I’m saying it to. “Sage.” I cup his face with both hands. His skin feels like a literal furnace against my palms. “Vaelí, can you wake up for me? Just for a second.”

A painful groan escapes him. His eyelashes flutter open, his glazed eyes straining to focus on my face.

“Eden…?”

“Oh, thank God!” I gasp. My heart hammers in my chest. “I need you to help me get you onto the ground. Okay?”

He lets out a shallow, raspy breath, his feet dragging weakly in the dirt as his knees give out. He’s too big for me to brace, so instead of fighting his weight, I let myself slide off the stone bench with him, guiding his broad shoulders down until we both crash into the thick grass.

He lands heavily on his back, his long legs tangled awkwardly beneath him. His head rolls to the side, his chest heaving from exertion. The meadow responds. Grass curls up around him, cradling his shoulders.

“I’m going to help.”

“Saevúra,” he slurs, barely a sound at all. “M’fine. Just need… to rest.”

“You’re not fine.” My voice cracks. “And it’s my fault. I didn’t know, Sage. I swear I didn’t know⁠—”

The tears come before I can stop them, dropping onto his gray cheeks. “But I’m going to make it better.”

I swing one of my legs over his waist so that I’m straddling his lap. Sage’s breath catches, his hands twitching where they rest in the grass.

“Eden…” he rasps. A sliver of warning bleeds through his voice as he tries to move. “Don’t… M’too hot. I’ll burn you.”

“Let me burn then,” I whisper, reaching for the hem of my dress. I pull it over my head and let it fall onto the grass next to us. The spring air kisses my bare skin, raising goosebumps along my arms. His glazed eyes struggle to focus on me, níva already sliding down my chest.

I take his trembling hands, so hot they’re almost painful, and I press them against the curve of my waist.

He hisses at the contact, a full-body tremor rolling through him.

“Eden—” he chokes.

“Feel that?” My thumbs stroke over his knuckles. I slide his hands down to my hips. “I’m not burning. I’m right here, and I’m going to cool you down.”

His fingers flex involuntarily against my skin, his thumbs pressing into the dip of my hip-bone.

“You’re so cool,” he breathes in delirium. “Like rain, Saevúra.”

“I am,” I whisper, leaning down until my lips brush over his. “I’m your rain, Vaelí.”

His lips are slack against mine. I can feel the desperate flex of his muscles, but his body won’t cooperate.

“It’s okay. Let me do the work.”

I kiss him slowly, nectar sliding down my chest and dripping onto his bare skin. I trail kisses down the sharp line of his jaw, his thready pulse fluttering beneath my lips.

“Eden,” he rasps. “I can’t—I want to—please.”

“I know,” I murmur, sliding my hand between us as I sit back up. His cock is already slick, pressing against the inside of my thigh. I grind slowly, letting the length of him rub between my swollen lips. Each movement causes more níva to leak from my nipples.

“I want you, Sage… I have always wanted you.”

I rise up on my knees, positioning him at my entrance, and slowly sink down.