Page 102 of The Seeker

I fought not to grimace, the memory of how it felt to be there a few days before to collect the book, rising to the forefront of my mind. But one glance around the mill, and the dirt floors with a light dusting of hay, had me relenting.

It was time for me to build new, positive memories in the Ralheim keep.

Otho encased my hand in his, pulling me into his side before guiding us through the dark streets of Ralheim. We’d decided to hold the meeting in the evening, so students in school and parents who worked in shops could also attend.

The streets of Ralheim were quiet, though I could hear a few far-off shouts coming from one of the side streets that housed a few pubs. I’d never visited—mostly because it was too dangerous to drink with the secrets Milo and I held—but I’d heard stories from other students at the university. The market square was long empty, and Emmett and Cyr would have returned home already. The fountain in the center of the square was still bone dry, but I hoped we would be able to replenish it soon, once we read the book with the water magic to everyone in town.

The twin moons were high in the sky, illuminating the stones as our feet clicked against them.

Otho guided me past the open gate of the keep and I turned to him, questions in my gaze. “I never moved into the palace. I sleep in the barracks most nights,” he whispered, guiding me through the wooden door that had started this journey almost a year ago. It was still dark in the interior, but unlike the oppressive dark I imagined inhabited the keep, it felt like a peaceful, welcoming dark.

The barracks had saved me from death once before.

We’d barely stepped over the threshold when Otho pushed me up against the wall, his lips finding mine in another heated kiss. “Longest walk of my life,” he breathed into the crook of my neck when he finally pulled away long enough to speak. The evidence of his arousal pressed into my stomach.

We didn’t have to go far—his room was only a few steps from the main entry door, along the wall I vaguely remembered holding Karl’s office when I arrived here during the dead season. He didn’t bother to light the sconces, or a lamp in his room, guiding me on my back into his bed after pausing to remove both of our shoes.

His hand roamed, pausing to squeeze each of my breasts before gripping the hem of my shirt and pulling it over my head.

The sound of more fabric rustling reached my ears and when he pressed against me again, I felt the warmth of his skin on mine and a gasp left his lips. “I missed this so much,” he exhaled. “I missed you so much.”

I didn’t have all the fancy words Otho did, so I spoke with my actions instead, my hands dropping to his waistband, fighting to undo his trousers in the dark.

“Runa—” he started.

“Let me,” I panted. “Let me show you how much I missed you.” I won the battle against his pants, pushing them down his long legs.

I didn’t hesitate, finding his erection with my hand before scooting down the bed to take him into my mouth, my bare chest pressed to his legs.

“Oh, Hel, Runa,” he moaned above me, sending shivers right to my lower belly.

I worked as much of him as I could into my mouth—though it was difficult—using my hand to work the part of him that didn’t fit.

His breathing grew more labored, his hips jerking erratically until he reached down and stopped me.

“I don’t want tonight to be over that fast. My turn.”

Before I could comprehend what he was saying, he was moving me, my legs once again off the bed, and he was kneeling between them.

He made quick work of my pants, gripping one of my ass cheeks in each of his hands, pulling my weight forward until his tongue could delve into my heat.

I lost myself to the sensations he was creating. Though they started where Otho’s nose pressed against my clit, they spread throughout my entire body, a warmth I couldn’t name. It was comfort, safety . . . It was home.

I’d enjoyed having him in my mouth so much that it didn’t take long until I toppled over the edge into bliss, my hips flexing against Otho’s face as I rode out my orgasm.

It wasn’t until I could breathe normally again that I realized I might have suffocated Otho who was still pressed to my sex.

“I’m sorry,” I breathed, attempting to move myself away from his face.

“Don’t be.” He chuckled. “If I died this way, it would still be the happiest day of my life.” I playfully slapped at one of his hands which still rested on my ass.

“Now, crawl back up on the bed so I can take what’s mine.” His growl of direction left me speechless, but my body obeyed, his hands guiding me the entire way.

He climbed back on top of me, using his elbows to keep his weight off me as he ground his hard cock against my throbbing clit.

I moaned at the sensation.

“That’s it. That’s my Runa,” he hissed before lining himself up and thrusting inside me.