Page 77 of Maleen

He chuffs with amusement. “Easy. Now, stop hanging around my scales; you’re going to scuff them up. Go be with your mate.”

A low chuckle escapes me as I push off his leg and make my way over to the others, pushing his words about balance to the back of my mind until tomorrow. After days of travel and today’s revelations, we need a night off to not think. Which is something I never thought I would hear myself say. I’m not going to borrow tomorrow’s problems when I can live in the moment for once, and that’s exactly what I plan on doing.

Rav senses my nearness and turns her head toward me, her face lighting up in a way that makes my stomach tighten with nerves. She smiles and holds out her hand to me, and I swear that mix of her sapphire eyes and devastating smile could bring a realm to its knees.

I take her hand in mine and settle next to Jesper who nods and winks in my direction before scooping Rav up and placing her in my lap.

“Your turn to be the throne for our Queen. I need to relieve myself,” he states before bounding into the forest with far too much energy.

Rav laughs, her back shaking against my chest, and I marvel at the fact that my mate, the female I was always attached to whether it be a fledglinghood friend, a crush, an annoyingly frustrating cadet or like now, the light of my soul, is mine. After everything we’ve been through and all the bullshit I put her through.

She twists her neck to look back at me and whispers, “You know, if you keep thinking sweet things about me, I may have to do something about it.”

I brush my lips against her ear. “And what would that be, Princess?”

She shifts her ass and I bite my lip to muffle the sound that wants to escape, my canines piercing my lip.

It hasn’t been just the two of us in so long, not since the night we made our bond official. Our promise to each other is written in the stars for the Fates and all to see, and fuck do I want her. No, I need her.

“Why don’t we escape into the forest, away from all these ears, and you can find out?” she whispers back.

“Deal,” I mumble, nipping at her ear, my hands skimming her waist, but as I go to pick both of us up off the ground, her shadows pull us through and drop us atop a pile of moss in an alcove, somehow protected from the snowy ground. “How did you know this was here?”

“Ember and I found it while scouting after we got here. I stored it here just in case.” She taps her temple.

The noise from the others celebrating and resting at the encampment reaches my ears and I nearly sigh out in relief that we didn’t venture too far from everyone else, just in case. With that worry off my chest, I grip her cheeks gently between my hands, bringing my face down to meet her lips with mine. The kiss ignites my soul, and the taste of her lips feeds me like nothing else in this realm. I swear I could live off her kisses alone.

She leans back, pulling me with her and guiding me between her legs. “I need you, Talyn.”

“If you don’t shadow your clothes off of you, I’ll burn them, and I’m pretty sure you don’t want me to do that…” My hand slides up past her waist to her breast, where her nipple is pebbled. I pinch it, causing her to gasp. “I know you’re very fond of the armored corset.” I smirk when our clothing vanishes a moment later, appearing beside us in a heap, leaving my mate flushed and needy beneath me. “Fucking Fates, you’re perfect.”

I dive back in, kissing her again while my hand finds its way between her legs only to find she’s already drenched and ready for me.

She moans. “Jesper kept teasing me the entire time. I swear he does it on purpose.”

“Remind me to thank him for readying you for me.” I press my tip to her and nudge it into her entrance. “It’s been too long since I’ve had all of you just for myself, and I don’t think I can hold back.”

“Fuck me already, Tal. I need to feel you inside—” She gasps as I thrust hilt-deep inside her, her nails digging into my shoulders, urging me on.

Her body clenches around me as we move in a frenzied tandem. All want and need, pure primal instinct of needing to claim your mate and make sure the realm knows that they’re yours.

The base of my spine begins to tingle but I hold it back, needing her to come first. Needing her to fall apart in my arms. “Come for me princess. Now.”

She bites into my shoulder, muffling a scream as her body tenses and shakes around me, her cunt milking me dry as I fall with her until we are nothing but breathless heaps on the moss next to each other.

A soft sigh leaves her lips and she nuzzles against me. “I needed that with you,” she mutters softly. “I feel like things have been so crazy lately we haven’t had much time to just be us.”

“Me too. I’ll sneak you away more often.” I pull her close, not nearly ready to let her go.

She giggles and for some reason it makes me feel like I’ve conquered the tallest mountain. “Oh, yes please. Especially during those damn royal meetings.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” I murmur.

We lay there for a moment, watching the fireflies light up the alcove, before she sighs. “We should probably head back before the others start getting impatient.”

“Let them be. They’ve had more time with you. Another few minutes won’t kill them.” My fingers run along her smooth skin, soaking in her presence.

“I suppose you’re right.” She grins up at me, leaning in for another kiss, when my hairs stand on end.