Page 104 of The Crown’s Temptation

Shit. She must still be weak. In trying to secure the castle, he had forgotten. Before he could make sense of it, she leaned forward and fell into his lap.

That smell. Fuck.

"Asharin—"

"Shh." A low hum came from her throat. He felt like he was floating.

"My life outside Morrath is gone," she whispered. "Colsar promised to protect me and time after time he has failed."

"He has failed," Teorin repeated.

"But you⁠—"

"I have been there. Whenever you are about to die, I have been there, Asharin⁠—"

Before he could finish her lips were on his. He did not know if this was real or perhaps a dream but it felt too good to stop. She reached for his pants and pulled them down and the reasonable part of him surfaced just long enough to say "You may regret this."

She cradled his face in her hands. "The magic here in Morrath makes what happens in the dark hard to remember. Axar has said it happens to some humans." A pause. "But right now what I need is you. It has always been you. And maybe this version of me is braver than the daytime version.” She paused. “But perhaps if you are patient the two will reconcile."

He could be patient. In truth, he would take any part of her she was willing to give. It was pathetic, and he knew it, but it was true.

“So what do I do in the daytime? Pretend this does not exist?" He exhaled. "You are not the type of woman I would hide in the dark, Asharin. And whatever this is I know it does not change the fact that you do not trust me and I understand why."

"What are you asking me, Teorin?"

He drew in a breath as she reached down between his legs and began stroking.

"I want you in a way I cannot explain. But if we do this. If you give yourself to me this way, Asharin⁠—"

"What?" she breathed.

"I will never let you go. And I will kill anyone that thinks they can take you from me."

More humming in his ear. He still felt like he was floating, her smell everywhere, her hand moving.

"Kiss me," she said.

She tasted exactly as he had imagined she would.

"You have been the only light I have ever known in this darkness," he said against her mouth. "I do not know that you understand how dark it is."

She kept stroking. The hum continued. He kissed her again.

"Teorin. If I am your light. If I am your everything. If I am what you want. Are you willing to prove it? To show me you are better than your brothers."

"Yes," he breathed. Her smell was overwhelming. He wanted her in a way he could not explain.

"Asharin—"

"Fuck," he roared as he came in her hand, gripping her shoulder.

He hoped he hadn’t left a bruise.

She slowly lifted her hand and smiled softly. "Let me prove myself, Teorin Rathmor."

She brought her hand to her mouth and began to lick with a low sound in her throat. Something in his chest came undone. She wanted him. This whole time she had wanted him. She wanted him enough for this.

She smiled quietly. "I need sleep." A pause. "Can we sleep in your chambers tonight?"