“Youare no coward,Abraxas.Tellme what really happened.”Igrabbed his face as he tried to pull away, “Tellme the truth.”
Hislaugh sounded like a death knell. “Whatvalue does the truth have when none would listen to it.”
“I’mlistening,Abraxas.Itrust you,”Iwove my fingers in between his, as he had for me not long ago, “and you can trust me.”
Fora long time, he was silent, but a sigh escaped his lips. “Whenmy mother died, my father never recovered.Ithink that a son is always left wondering so many things about his father, butInever doubted how much he loved her.Whenhe lost her…”Hepaused,Igave his hand a squeeze and he continued, “Heno longer made choices as a king, but as a broken man.Whenthe final fight came,Ibegged him to surrender.Iknew that it wouldn’t be a battle, but a slaughter.Hadeondidn’t care who was in his way, he would destroy them all.Civilians, children, families, fae, and human alike.Ourarmy could fight, but we couldn’t defend them all when he specifically targeted them, andXyrwas in his path to victory.”
“Atfirst, my father agreed.Heagreed to allowHadeon’sarmy into the city, so that he could continue on his quest forMalech.Buthe had lied, ledHadeon’sarmy into a trap, and had our soldiers attack.”Anotherlong silence. “Itwas worse than if they had met in battle.Mycity burned beforeMalecheven attacked.”Iremember my vision, of soldiers and bodies in the streets asMalechscorchedXyr.
Isaw the tear that rolled from his eye, the ghosts still there that haunted him. “Mykingdom was dying, and the manIloved was already long gone.”Ipressed a kiss to his cheek, the salt of that tear wetting my lips.Ididn’t need him to say more.Ijust needed him to know thatIunderstood.Hehad held this pain alone for centuries and let it turn him into something frozen.Buthe didn’t need to do that anymore.
Ikissed his cheeks, gentle caresses to try and wipe away that pain.Ikissed his lips, and felt him shift, his hand wrapping around the back of my neck and into my hair.Heheld tight to me as if he were afraidIwould slip away, likeIwould melt into the mist that hung across the ocean.Histouch became uncontrolled as he ripped at my clothes, his mouth bearing down on my neck and shoulders, his teeth scraping my flesh.ButIcould be that for him,Icould pull all his pain away with my body, my mouth, my soul.
Iwrapped my legs around his hips, and in an instant, he slid himself completely inside me.Ilet the pain guide me closer to him asIkissed his mouth once more, our bodies rocking together.Iopened myself to him, wanting to take every bit of him.Histhrusts became faster, more desperate.Ilifted my hips to him, my body starting to build that beautiful tension.
“Tori…”Ilooked into his eyes, and they seemed so far away.Ifelt likeIwas losing him, that he was but a moment from slipping through my fingers.
“Makeme come,Abraxas.Please,MyKing.”Isaw him then, the fire returning to him as he shifted his hand along my side and over the curve of my ass.Hegripped my hips so that he was pushed up against that perfect spot inside me, and my head fell back.Hecontinued to hit the very end of me as his mouth came down to clamp on my nipples.Myorgasm tore through me, andIclung to him as if he were life itself.
“Tori—”Theplea fled his lips, andIknew what he needed.Ilocked my eyes with his, “I’myours,Abraxas, and you are mine.”Hislips and tongue danced with mine, andIlost myself in him, that familiar golden thread stretched between our hearts.Hislong fingers weaved in between my own, andIfelt him pulse as he found his release.
Welay there, his weight pressed into me, andIwishedIcould stay there, smothered in him forever.Ipushed his long hair aside and placed one last gentle kiss on his throat, which was laid bare for me.
“Careful, little bird.Myneck has been much more sensitive ever since a certain someone almost decapitated me.”Helifted his head, and that mischievous smile melted me.
“Eh, might have been an improvement on your looks,I’mstill considering it.”Henipped my lip in retort, but it turned into a long, soft kiss before he rolled me to him and we drifted off to sleep.
Chapter58
Tori
Afew days later,Abraxasbrought me with him into his study, andSpinnerdemanded to accompany us.Ihadn’t seen him much since we’d returned to the palace, butCiarahad informed me that there had been no sightings of any mice or rats on our side of the castle since.Itseemed that the cats who normally caught them had also gone missing.Iwould have to chat with him about staying in my wing, maybe giving my room over to him.
Butonce we entered the study,Iwas immediately overwhelmed by the gem, its dark tendrils reaching for me, all too similar to that deep sleep that some very small part of me still felt comforted by.Ilonged to run.ButAbraxasplaced his hand on my back, in line with my heart.Ifelt it slow back down.
Apair of scholars stood near the table along withAvlyn.Onea half-fae woman with long golden hair, and deep brown eyes namedAmara.Theother, a human man far past the prime of life, with wild grey hair that stuck out in every direction namedFuscus.
Onthe tableIsaw the gem and swore it pulsed with an eerie heartbeat.Nextto it sat an unbelievably extravagant necklace.Darkmetal had been woven into intricate settings, holding seven blood-red rubies paired with countless black diamonds to create a dazzling piece that would have covered almost my entire chest.Well, six rubies and one empty place meant for an ancient, enchanted gem from a lost kingdom.
Thewoman spoke softly, “Ihave crafted this as you specified,YourMajesty.Thereare fortifying runes in the setting,” she pursed her lips, “butIfear that will not be enough to contain this.”Sheglanced over to the gem, beating on the table.
“Istill have a few tricks up these ancient sleeves,Amara.”Hewas beaming and gave me a quick wink.
Theman spoke with a frantic, enthusiastic voice, “Thegem holds incredible magic.Inall our tests, just bringing it within an inch of the enchantment completely unravels it.Nocounter effect.Nothing.Asif the enchantment were simply removed from the fabric of our reality.”Hesounded thoroughly impressed, andIsawAmarashoot him a soft, loving smile. “It’salmost too simple,Ican’t understand it.”
“Themost powerful magics are often the most simple.”Abraxaseyed the gem, but did not move to touch it.Spinnerclimbed out from under my hair, and both scholars started, but the man immediately leaned in, pulling a strange spectacle out from his pocket, and looking atSpinnerclosely.
“Fascinating, is this the beast that helped you find the gem?”Inodded my head, “MayI?”Hereached out his hand, andSpinnerhopped right over to him.Theman kept examining the spider, andIheard him whisper, “Fascinating,” a few more times.
Amaracleared her throat and gaveFuscusthat lovingly annoyed lookIhad seenAbraxasgive me basically every day.Icouldn’t help my grin as he returnedSpinnerto me and turned back to the gem.
“YourMajesty, while the necklace may be able to hold this, it will be very obvious that this is no normal ruby.Evensomeone with very little magical knowledge will be able to sense it.”
Abraxas’ mischievous smile blossomed, but he said, “Iwill take care of it from here.Thankyou for your assistance,AmaraandFuscus.”Theyboth bowed and took the dismissal.IsawFuscusgrabAmara’shand as they left, looking more like father and daughter than husband and wife.Iwas suddenly very glad thatAbraxaswould age at the same rate as myself.
“So, what’s the plan,Abraxas?”Avlynstepped forward, keeping away from my shoulder that heldSpinner.Abraxasstill had that grin on his face as he opened a drawer on the side of the room and pulled out a great vellum scroll.Herolled it out on the table to reveal an intricate glyph designed with runes and other markingsIdidn’t recognize.
Avlynran their fingers over the border of the design, “Aglamour?Ithought this magic had been lost to you?”Theyweren’t trying to woundAbraxas, butIsaw the sadness reflected in both of their eyes.
