Page 38 of She Who Holds My Wrath

“Well, there you have it. Now, sit down and shut your mouth, Duskwalker,” Virena huffs.

Sariya’s gaze sweeps the table. “So, we’re clear: Velentha is safe, she is trusted, and she is vital to this war. Under no circumstances will any of you attempt to harm her.” She arches a brow at Kaelith. “Right?”

“Understood.” He huffs, folding his arms across his chest in irritation as he sits back down and plucks the blade Aran threw at him from the chair.

She looks at the others, and one by one, they nod. Relief floods my chest and Aran squeezes my waist, smiling down at me as I take what feels like my first full breath since I stepped foot in here.

The next several hours blur together beneath the flickering torch light of the war room. Aran and I recount everything we know. Every scrap of information we managed to gather whilst I was trapped among the Divine Six. The stolen Særathi magic. The spells hidden within the grimoire. What each one does. What they are capable of when wielded by the wrong hands.

The room grows heavier with every word. Questions come from every corner of the table, each one seeming more urgent and relentless than the last. I answer them all, forcing my voice to remain steady as I explain the rituals, the incantations, and the devastation each spell is capable of unleashing. But the moment I am forced to admit that the most dangerous spells are missing from the grimoire, the tension in the room tightens like a noose.

Those are the ones the Divine Six ripped out for a reason. Those are the ones they are already using. Time is slipping through our fingers, and everyone in the room knows it.

By the time the discussions finally end, the air feels drained of all hope. One by one, the leaders rise from the table, their earlier confidence worn thin by the weight of what they have heard. No one speaks of victory now, only strategy and survival. Even the goddesses look… tired.

Aran arranged to reconvene within the week, securing reluctant agreements from each ruler before they departed to their own realms. Sariya and Elyistria included. The moment the last of them vanish out the room to head to the gate, Aran wastes no time. His hands work overtime to manifest a portal, and our chambers ripple on the other side. His hand closes firmly around mine, and the war room dissolves in a ripple of magic behind us as the portal seals closed. He still refuses to let anyone else see me.

“Well, that went better than expected,” he says, kissing my forehead once the portal has fully vanished.

“Thank the gods,” I laugh softly. “Although, hearing the way you threatened them all when we first arrived, definitely had an effect…” I murmur, trailing my finger down his shirt buttons.

He looks down at me, emerald eyes glinting as he smirks. “Oh, really? And just what kind of effect, aeshira?”

I bite my lower lip, slowly undoing his shirt from the collar down. “Seeing you so demanding, so powerful… it gave me a thrill. I could feel the heat in my core building, listening to your every word.” I feel him shudder beneath my touch as I place gentle kisses along his chest, following the line of buttons. “My brave, powerful husband. My strong, fearsome mate.”

“Velentha…” he groans, gripping my waist.

Once his shirt is open, I push it from his shoulders, marvelling at his toned body, at the dark trail of hair vanishing beneath the waistband of his trousers. Heat coils low in my belly as I sink to my knees.

“Let me repay you, for defending me in such a hostile room,” I purr, undoing his belt with slow, deliberate movements. “Let me show you how grateful I am to have such an incredible man at my side.”

“You do not need to repay anything,” he murmurs, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear with a tenderness that feels almost at odds with the violence he’d been ready to unleash moments ago. “I would slaughter any person who dare try harm you, my love.”

“Well then, let me just show you how much I love you.” I smile, his breath catching as I slide his trousers down. “Let me take some of that tension away,” I whisper.

Aran exhales a broken sound as I wrap my lips around him, my gaze never leaving his. The moment I suck, his head drops back—a low, helpless groan escaping him.

“Fuuuuuuck.” His hand finds my hair almost instinctively, tangling in the strands as though he needs something to hold onto to.

Tears fill my eyes as I take him down my throat, never taking my eyes off him. He truly is a breathtaking sight. With a perfectly sculpted face, strong jawline that’s tight with restraint, and striking emerald eyes that are darkened with heat as they flicker down to meet mine. Aran has always been beautiful. Striking, in a devastating way. But seeing him unravel because of me, sends a pulse of heat straight to my core.

My thighs press together, already aching. He drags a slow breath through his teeth, his grip tightening slightly in my hair as another shudder runs through him.

“My… godsdamned…wife,” he growls, the words rough with awe and a feral hunger all at once.

Chapter 19

DAISY

Something cold touches my cheek.

A cloth, maybe? Fingers? I wince, trying to turn away from it, but my body feels like it’s made of stone—heavy and absolutely useless. Blinking takes effort, but when my lashes finally lift, a blurred silhouette hovers over me, the shape of a person bent close coming into view.

“Lyvia?” My voice comes out as a rasp, my throat so dry it hurts.

“No, Your Highness, my name is Melisana.”

I push myself to sit up and rub at my eyes, trying my hardest to smear the damn blur out of my vision. Gods, it feels like that time I got a concussion when Ezra dropped me on my head during a stunt at a huge football game. It’s horrible, but at least my dignity is still intact… I think. After a few more blinks, the haze clears, and the woman above me sharpens into focus. She’s beyond breathtaking. Pale pink eyes, a soft lavender tone to her skin, with matching horns and pale peach hair braided over one shoulder. She looks about thirty, which probably means she’s been walking this realm for centuries. I catch myself staring too long and quickly look away, heat rising in my cheeks.