Page 156 of A Thread of Breath and Bone

I stop fighting, breathless from wrestling him, and let my legs fall to either side of him. “He never mentioned that one.” I giggle.

Ryker smirks beneath me, settling his hands on my hips. “I believe you owe me that kiss, Princess.”

I lean down pressing a kiss to his muscled chest that’s heaving from exertion or excitement, I’m not sure. Keeping my eyes on his, I press another further up, and another, making my way to the soft flesh of his neck where my lips hover. “Thank you.” I suck the skin into my mouth, nearly moaning as the taste of his flesh fills my mouth.

I can feel his heart pounding beneath my palm as I push up, hovering over his lips. His sapphire eyes swirl, waiting to see what I’ll do next. It still shocks me that he’s mine.

It’s hard to believe that less than a year ago, I thought I hated him. His attitude, his cocky smirk—everything I thought he stood for.

I had misunderstood him.

And now… I can’t hate that it all led us here.

I can’t hate that now, when I see the cocky smirk on his face, it does something funny to my insides, and I know he’s so pleased with himself. I can’t hate that he’s confident and strong and unwilling to waver. He knows exactly who he is and what he wants, and he’s willing to wait or take charge to make sure he gets it. And I definitely cannot hate that he has continually shrugged off all other women and the females from last night and treated them like they were mere pests.

He’s always made sure I’ve felt nothing but undying devotion and safety from him.

I’m not ignorant of the fact that there were women in his bed before me, but they had been nothing more than a one-night release. All of it has only benefited me. I am the one who gets his full attention, his full adoration. I am the one who gets to see the real him, fully unguarded. I’m the one who gets to have forever.

Lowering myself slowly, my lips brush his. “Thank you, Ry, for being my overly protective, sometimes possessive, very handsome—” He grins. “—mate.”

He breathes out a laugh beneath me, causing my body to bounce where I’m still seated on his stomach. His hands leave my waist, brushing my hair from my face, the white strands contrasting against his olive skin.

His eyes search my face, studying me like he’s memorizing every pore and committing it to memory. He looks at me as if I painted the night sky myself. I don’t know what I did to deserve such love and devotion from him, but I’m so very grateful for it.

I lean down, pressing a slow kiss to his mouth. We hold for a minute, neither of us moving, before I open my mouth for a breath, only for him to take hold of the opportunity and slip his tongue in.

He pulls me closer as he tastes and plunders. We get lost in each other, a rare moment for us to be alone outside. Sometimes I forget that we are still so young. It’s normal for us to grow up expecting the Lumos Bond after graduation, and for us, more specifically, to prepare for taking over the crown at some point.

Those responsibilities are heavy enough, but now, we have the whole weight of the galaxy. Trillions of lives in our hands.

Ryker’s canines scrape along my bottom lip, not painfully, not enough to draw blood, but enough to pull me back to the present. I pull away, shocked, thrown back into images of last night. The Fae males had joked about biting me, claiming me as they had called it.

Ryker, sensing my emotions, sits up, wrapping his arms around me. “I wish I could take away the memories, but since I can’t…” He brushes back my hair. “I’ll sit with you in them. If you want to talk, we can talk. If you just want to sit in silence, then that is what we will do. You are not alone in this, okay?”

I nod, standing, then reach out for him to follow. He bats my hand away and jumps to his feet. We walk in silence as I navigate to the field. Ryker doesn’t question the path. He just walks beside me, allowing me to feel everything.

I hate being weak. I hate knowing that I let them take something from me. But I wasn’t born without the will to fight back. So let them try to break me. Every strike only sharpens the weapon I am becoming.

By the time we make it back to the training fields, Vaeric is waiting with Riven. I don’t bother with pleasantries. Instead, I pick up the sword Vaeric had crafted for me and close my eyes. When I open them, Vaeric already has his own sword lifted.

We return to the sanctuary a few hours later, covered in dirt and sweat, but I have a smile on my face. Using my Elven senses along with some of my smaller magics changed the game. Honestly, I can’t even fathom fighting a war without the use of magic anymore. The idea that even our Hallo guns could make a difference is insane, but I do miss the feel of their cool steel in my hands.

If I’m being honest, I think I will always carry one when I return to Caelestis. It will still be useful against creatures and can cause serious injury. With the use of both, it would give us an advantage.

I can’t wait to return to training tomorrow. Vaeric and Riven agreed that I could start small with my starfire magic. I need to learn how to call upon it, to manage the amount of output, and how to dispel the buildup of energy.

I have a skip in my step when we leave our chambers, bathed and dressed for dinner with Clara. It’s long overdue, and with our friends still at the temple for another day to adjust—whatever that means—we have a whole night together.

Finn is also joining us. He’s been helping Clara learn about Fae and Elven lives and histories. I can’t be more grateful to know that she’s been well cared for in our absence. When we enter the dining room, we find them playing a board game, and whatever move she made has her in hysterics.

Her blonde hair is braided in the typical Elven fashion with beads and feathers. Has it really been that long since I’ve seen her? Guilt settles over me for only a moment before I brush it away.

Ryker’s emotions practically scream at me, and I can’t help but chuckle as I pat his arm. “She’s fine. She’s happy. Remember to ask questions instead of jumping to assumptions.” With that, I take a seat beside her.

She squeals, throwing her arms around me before checking for her brother over my shoulder. When she finds him, she begs him to sit on her other side. Reluctantly, my mate kneels at her side, glaring daggers at the male seated across from her.

His overprotective brother side is showing, and for some reason, he doesn’t trust Finn. He told me as much earlier, but I didn’t believe it until now.