Page 106 of Memory of Ashes

Amelia ran her fingers over his bare chest, tracing the intricate tattooed lines that followed the contours of his muscles, moving carefully around the buried fragments beneath his skin. He seemed carved from something harder than flesh, yet here, with her, he had allowed himself to be unguarded. He let her touch what he kept hidden from the world.

He searched her face once more.

She drew him closer, desire tightening low inside her, throbbing between her thighs. She pressed against him, and he moaned into her mouth before easing into her in one slow movement.

The length of him filled her, emptying her mind, leaving no room for anything else.

She clung to his back and wrapped her legs around his waist, drawing him deeper as she buried her face in his shoulder to stifle her cries.

With each thrust, the pleasure gathered inside her until a whimper slipped from her.

It was his undoing.

His rhythm faltered.

He pressed his forehead against hers. His dark, wavy hair fell across her face as their bodies arched together. She felt him tense and pulse inside her, and the sensation carried her over with him. Her fingertips dug into his back as pleasure swept through her. She bit her lip, but a cry still escaped as he unearthed something in her she’d kept buried even from herself. His hands held her as she came apart beneath him.

He lowered himself carefully against her as they both fought for breath.

The world had stood still for those moments of pleasure. She wished they could stay like this, but the reality of their situation dawned.

The sounds of the men outside the tent grew louder, and she knew they were preparing to move out.

“I think we need to get dressed,” she said.

Casyl kissed her again, slowly this time, his mouth lingering on hers.

He lifted his head. The rawness in his expression made her feel more exposed than her nakedness.

In that moment, she didn’t know whether she could give him up—whether she could watch him return to his world without knowing if she would ever see him again.

“I love you,” he said.

She was about to say it back when he put his finger to her lips.

“Don’t,” he said. “I know. Let’s not make this harder.”

Tears ran down her face. This couldn’t get any harder.

She gently moved his finger from her lips. He would not stop her from saying it.

“I love you.”

Outside the fabric walls, the activity in the camp grew louder, taunting her with its reality. Men called to one another as they gathered weapons and saddled their horses.

Casyl lay beside her, one hand resting against the small of her back. Neither of them said another word. She didn’t know how long they had left alone together.

Amelia listened to his heartbeat until the order to move came. Only then did they gather the clothes scattered around them.

Chapter 25

Amelia

Shouts went up outside the tent. Casyl shoved the tent flap to the side to see what the commotion was.

A scout had returned to the camp.

They scrambled up and hurried to Elthar’s tent, where the scout was giving his report. Ruven was there, and when they arrived, he gave them a knowing look.