Page 50 of A Crown of Hopes and Sorrows

Valerian froze, pulling up away from me. “I’m hurting you.”

“Val.” I cupped my hand against his cheek. “Please… I promised you I’d tell you if I wanted you to stop. And I will. But I don’t want you to.”

He swallowed and pressed a kiss to my collarbone, which sent a shiver down me. I clenched his shoulders and drew him to me. And our bodies joined again, the warmth of him coating me.

I clasped my hands into his flesh and breathed him in, felt the weight of his body against mine, quivered as his fingers traced over my flesh, his movements lingering whenever I whimpered.

Once sweat slaked both of us and we trembled from the pleasure of it, Val cried out, his face crumpling, and pressed his forehead into my shoulder. He tucked against me in the hay, his dark lashes fanned out over his cheeks. When my heart slowed, I shifted towards him, but his gaze already fixed on me, his lips pursed, his brow furrowed.

“What are you thinking right now?” I asked.

He parted his mouth to speak, but a door to the stable opened, a salty breeze trailing in with it. Stable hands spoke, their voices echoing around the space alongside the nickering of a horse.

“Shit,” I whispered and sat up. Val peered over the side, and I peeked out behind him, attempting to stay in the shadows. The two men grabbed supplies off a shelf and headed towards the exit. I picked up my clothes and began pulling them back on. Valerian lifted my dress and brushed it out, smoothing the wrinkles, but it still looked thoroughly rumpled. I snagged it over my head. “Sorry. I should return to my room before our guards realize I’ve slipped off. They’re already on edge.”

The stable hands exited the barn, the door thudding shut behind them. Valerian bowed his head, his shirt crumpled between his fingers.

“Val.”

“Forgot the shovel,” someone said from below, and more footsteps echoed up to us.

“You should go.” Valerian swallowed. “Getting caught… like this…”

“Yeah.” I grabbed his hand. The last thing we needed was rumors about us. They could reach my father and brothers before I could speak to them. Or, worse, Galeson or someone connected to him. And what if that affected his country’s alliance with Niria? Plus, there was Valerian’s mother and the other stablemen he worked with. We had to keep things quiet until we had time to think about how to tell others. “We’ll talk tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow.”

I nodded and waited for another moment to make sure silence stretched around the stable before I climbed down the ladder and slipped through a side door and back into the shadows of the yard.

20

Apollo

The hallway Hyacinth and Zephyrus had disappeared down together sat huddled in darkness as the party continued humming and tittering around. I cleared my throat hard and turned to a window.

I should attempt to make connections for our cause, or at least try to overhear discussions, gather the perspectives of attendees. But I had tried all night. And fuck if I knew how to execute a plan. Already the politicking caused a headache to build in my temples.

And then Hyacinth had left with Zephyrus.

Alone.

I should carry on.

Continue working the room.

But I couldn’t do it.

My heart ached.

“I have to say,” a silky voice that rumbled like a purr whispered, “it surprised me when I heard you would be here, Apollo.”

I turned to face the woman who had bundled her dark curls up. She wore a creamy gown with a furred cape that highlighted her porcelain complexion. “Kalliope.” I cleared my throat and bowed. “I should say the same to you.”

Her eyebrows rose. “Oh.” Her eyes darted around the room for a moment. “Is that right?”

“Was I to expect you?” My blood coursed through my veins. Damn it. This was probably some other detail I’d neglected to pay attention to. Shit. I was terrible with specifics.

Kalliope’s lips pinched. “I should have known that damn Zephyrus is a liar.”