“Nothing but the best for the king,” I said.
“And the queen.” Slipping his hands around my waist, he rested his chin on my shoulder. His warm breath teased my ear, and gooseflesh raced over my skin.
Craning my neck to give him better access, I leaned back against his chest. “I suppose it has some benefits.”
“That it does.” His hands wandered upward, slipping beneath my blouse to trail along my stomach. Biting my lip, I closed my eyes and focused only on his touch. Tomorrow, we would march. Tomorrow, we’d begin our attack. Tomorrow, we had to focus on the war. On everything else other than us.
But not tonight.
Turning in his arms, I stood on my toes and pulled his face down to mine. His lips slanted over my mouth, and I felt his soft exhalation as his whole body melted into me. It was as if touching me filled him with life. With hope. And touching him filled me with such a deep, fulfilling sense of love that it was hard to breathe. No matter how many times we’d felt each other’s embrace before, coming home to his arms always had this effect on me. And the need to explore every inch of his body, to reaffirm what I knew lay beneath his clothes, was so carnal and real I could never dream of denying it.
Lifting me up, he carried me across the room until we reached the bed. We eased down onto the blankets together, each of us stripping the other’s clothes, until nothing but our bare skin remained. Lying down beneath him, I let my fingers trail along the contours of his chest. Felt the hard granite of his muscles as they flexed beneath my touch. Noc was so beautiful. Ardent. The way he looked at me, as if I were the only thing in this world, was something that would fill my dreams for years to come.
As he braced himself on his forearms on either side of my head, he brought his lips to my collarbone. “I love you, Leena.”
“I love you, Noc.”
He moved to my breast at the same time we connected, and I thought I would explode from the pleasure. Heady moans slipped from my throat, and I draped my hands around his neck, digging my fingers into his hair. I never wanted this moment to end. Because right then we were safe. We were happy. We were suspended in a moment created entirely by our love, and there wasn’t anything that could jeopardize it. And as much as I knew it couldn’t last forever, I still prayed to the gods that they’d find a way to stretch time for me, just this once.
We came undone together in a breathless exhale, our limbs tangled and bodies sweat-slicked. There wasn’t a need for words. We said enough with our lingering touches, the soft trails our fingers working along the expanse of our arms. Chest. Stomach. And when Noc peppered light kisses along my neck, his tongue slipping between his lips to tease the soft spot behind my ear, we gave in to each other again. Now was the time to indulge, to feel. To relish in these last few moments of peace before the morning sun inevitably claimed the sky and pulled us from our bed.
I didn’t know how much time had passed before we finally allowed ourselves to rest, but as I nuzzled against his chest and let the drum of his heartbeat pull me toward sleep, I forced myself to hold on to the happiness Noc stirred inside me. I wasn’t sure what the coming days would bring, but at the very least, I had this.
Thirty-Four
Noc
By the time we arrived that third morning, Wilheim was already waiting for us. We didn’t even make it to the train tracks marking the outskirts of the city before we caught sight of Varek’s army. Sentinels upon Sentinels in their full mercury-tinted armor stood before countless soldiers with midnight-blue banners proudly displaying the silver griffin emblem. We’d stopped a safe distance away, but that didn’t put a damper on the threat. With no more than the flick of his wrist, Varek could command them to attack, and they’d be on us within minutes.
Settling into my Zeelah’s saddle, I stared out at the motionless army. When we’d stopped by Cruor to leave behind some of the Charmers, we’d emptied our stables and provided those we could with mounts. Even with Madeline’s existing horsemen, we couldn’t compete with Wilheim’s riders. They sat atop massive, glossy steeds covered in plated armor and gripped broadswords at their waists.
The air was unnaturally still. No breeze dared to disturb the open plains stretching between our two great forces. No birds greeted the midmorning sun with high-pitched trills. It was as if the very earth was holding its breath. It was so starkly different from my last battle outside Penumbra Glades. From the whipping wind and steady cadence of drums echoing through my bones. That show of strength should’ve rattled me, but it’d only emboldened me. The silence we faced now—the unknown—was far worse than any war cry.
Tugging on my Zeelah’s leather reins, I turned my mount around and rode through our quiet troops. We didn’t have unifying colors or armor. We didn’t wield the same weapons or rely on the same skills. The only thing we shared was our mission. Our purpose.
I came to a halt before a brigade decked out in black leathers. Cruor. My family. Slipping out of my saddle, my feet touched the ground and I handed my reins to a nearby assassin. Kost, Calem, and Ozias gave a tight nod as I approached, each one of them wearing the same ebony attire as their brethren.
“It’s time,” I said. Instinctively, I went to toy with the pommel of my sword and my hand faltered. It’d been decades since I carried a physical weapon, but apparently the impending war had a way of stirring up old habits. “Where’s Leena?”
“With the Charmers,” Kost said, nodding toward the troop of soldiers beside us. My gaze cut to them. They’d opted to remain in their regular attire—flowy pants, loose blouses, leather boots—for the sake of comfort. Raven had argued against forcing them to wear armor when the weight of a sword was already foreign to them and would be challenging enough. And when presented with the opportunity to wear mail, they’d politely declined. Hopefully, their beasts would be protection enough.
As far as beasts went… My gaze roved to the Kitska monsters bringing up the rear of our procession. Their appearance alone was enough to strike fear into even the bravest of men. Ruddy red eyes. Drab matted fur. But even more than their terrifying talons and fangs was the aura that simply hung over them. It stank of rage and despair, and while I’d grown used to their presence over the course of our journey, there were many who still couldn’t bring themselves to look at the beasts.
Gaige had managed to subdue a number of them, and his presence soothed their normally aggressive nature. He’d straddled Boo’s massive back and gripped tufts of fur on either side of his neck for purchase. Leaning over, he gave the beast a heavy pat on his neck before whispering something into his ear.
“I’ll be back. Keep everyone calm,” I said, returning my focus to Ozias. He gave a stiff nod as Calem, Kost, and I walked toward the Charmers. Without having to be summoned, Emelia, Iov, and the few others we’d selected for Leena’s mission appeared in a plume of smoke. They’d been watching from a distance, waiting for the signal to join us.
As we continued forward, Charmers parted quietly to let us pass, each one nodding a silent greeting before returning their attention to their bestiaries. Many had them open and were reading through the floating, magical script projected before their eyes, as if making final decisions on what beasts to summon. Leena stood among them and whispered words of encouragement or advice, pausing when she caught sight of us.
She was ready for war and looked the part. Her black, skintight breeches were tucked into silver, thigh-high armored boots, and a single dagger was strapped to her leg. A matching polished breastplate was affixed over her chest, and when she went to wrap her fingers in the chain of her bestiary, she stalled to trace the etching of the griffin over her heart. The queen of Lendria, preparing for battle.
“You’re a sight,” I said, allowing a wry smile to claim my lips.
She answered with a grin of her own as she adjusted her vambraces. “You can thank Madeline. She wanted me to be properly outfitted like you.” Placing her hand on my chest, she tapped the same griffin mark across my armor that identified us as Lendrians. The only difference between our emblem and the one the enemy’s flag showcased was the small crown atop the creature’s head. Only the royal family wore that crest.
Leena glanced at the men behind me and her smile vanished. “It’s time, then?”
“Yes.” I pressed my lips together. “Kaori?”
