He felt familiar and warm.I broke the kiss first.
‘Come.’He pulled me to sit astride him.‘I had almost forgotten how breathtaking you are.’He looked at my evening dress and played with the hair hanging loose around my shoulders.
Cillian’s hand brushed over the silver armlet that I had worn every evening.‘Do you like it?’
‘It’s beautiful – I adore it,’ I murmured, a warm glow filling my chest.‘I’ve missed you.’My fingers gently tugged at his newly grown beard.‘This suits you.’I grinned.‘My big, burly bearded blacksmith.’
He chuckled and caressed the outside of my thighs with his rough palms.I moved off his lap to sit beside him.
His brows furrowed and his smile wavered.
‘Torgrin said you missed me.’
‘Very much,’ I admitted, squeezing his hand in mine.
‘He also told me your mother’s killer is here.’I faltered at his words.His fingers pressed into mine.‘We will come for him when everything is done.’
I leaned in to kiss him, but my heart wasn’t in it.
‘What is it?’he asked with a searching look.
I stared into his golden eyes.‘Nothing,’ I whispered.
‘You don’t have to pretend with me.’
‘I’m not pretending.’Was I?Cillian was here and I had missed him, but something wasn’t the same.I wasn’t the same.
‘It’s all right, Caris.I knew it would happen eventually,’ he sighed.‘I would have to be blind not to see.’
‘What do you mean?’I asked, confused.
His sad smile pulled at my heart.‘Nothing, my love.’
I lay on top of Cillian, listening to his steady heartbeat while enjoying the feel of his enormous arms wrapped around me.
‘Will you be staying the night?’I asked hopefully.
‘No.I came here to do something.’
‘And here I thought you were just here to see me.’I crossed my hands on his chest and rested my chin on them.
‘Hmm, I am an easily distracted, lovesick fool.’His warm brown eyes met my wide ones, and he chuckled.‘You could give me a hand if you like?’
I jumped up off him and straightened my dress.
‘I’ll take that as a yes?’He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and stretched his arms before he reached for the colossal hammer propped up beside the bed.
‘Where are we going?’I was wondering if I needed to change or if I could just grab my cloak.I seized my dagger and slipped it back into my boot.
‘We are going to Bethel’s bedchamber.’He headed to the door.
‘What?Why?’I was confused and disappointed we weren’t going far.The castle’s luxurious surroundings had begun to feel like a pampered cage.
He held my bedchamber door open for me with a raised eyebrow.
I sighed and headed down to Bethel’s room.
Cillian held his finger to his lips and pressed his ear to the door.I did the same.I could hear that Bethel was not alone.A masculine moan reached us, and I tilted my head in question as Cillian lifted his hammer.He swung the door open and aimed his hammer at a familiar young man.Fox Boy had his breeches down around his ankles, and Bethel was on her knees with a mouth full of his cock.
