Page 20 of Storm of Ink and Blood

The book also warned against physical relationships between paramadhar and their destined Aazheri, known as a masatara, but as long as Zarya was willing, he didn’t care about the rules. He’d always been good at breaking them, and this would be no exception. But first, he had to earn her forgiveness.

Abishek wanted to meet her. And what kind of father wouldn’t want to meet his only child? It was a natural desire, and Rabin was determined to bring them together. They were the two most important people in his life, and he’d met them both through independent events. He’d become their only link, and he was sure part of his purpose was to bring them together.

He ignored the disquieting voice that reminded him of everything Row had claimed about his mentor. Abishek had put those lies to rest. Row’s opinion of his king had been tainted by his love for Gi’ana’s queen. He was an unreliable character witness, and Rabin had spent years with Abishek and trusted him.

He wasn’t deluding himself that Abishek wasn’t ambitious and ruthless when he needed to be, but he wouldn’t harm his own daughter. There were limits to what everyone was capable of. The king had shown him too much kindness and understanding for Rabin to believe that.

He flipped to the chapter about mind walking. This is what he and Zarya had done in the dream forest without realizing it. And the good news was that one could control the process. Sleep or unconsciousness wasn’t required of either party, though it was often encouraged, as pulling someone from their surroundings and into the mind plane without warning could be risky.

They’d only be ‘taken’ from their normal surroundings for a few seconds—time moved differently in the mind plane—but even that could be dangerous under the wrong circumstances.

Rabin had waited months to find her in the dream forest, but he’d woken up disappointed every morning. Armed with his new knowledge, he’d take matters into his own hands.

Dressed for sleep, he wore only loose pants on his bottom half. He rubbed a hand against his bare stomach as he scanned the page again. A fire crackled in the hearth, casting orange shadows across his large bed chamber. He’d waited until late at night to try this, hoping to catch her in slumber.

Like much of Andhera’s castle, his room was decorated in hues of black, with a giant black bed pushed against the wall and towering floor-to-ceiling black curtains. The tiles were covered in massive woven silk rugs pieced together with colorful threads.

He inhaled a deep breath and blew it out, fogging the tall windows that offered unobstructed views across the horizon. Moonlight gilded snowy peaks that sparkled in the distance, and the stars sat heavy in the sky like a million silver flames.

He closed his eyes and pictured the dream forest. Those tall trees and that deep violet sky. He pictured Zarya. Her brown eyes flecked with tiny points of green and the long fall of her thick, midnight hair. He imagined the luscious swell of her hips and her long legs, toned from hours of training. He licked his lips, remembering the taste of her in his mouth and her breathless noises when she’d come apart on his tongue.

That night on Ranpur Island had been a defining moment of his life. He summoned the vision of her panting under him, dark strands of hair strewn across the pillow as her nails had dug into his biceps while he’d fucked her mercilessly into the mattress. The way she’d felt coming around his cock, her tight wet pussy clenching against him, had been nothing short of transcendent. And the flavor that had filled his mouth when he’d bitten into her neck had been like drinking in golden nectar delivered by a divine hand.

It had been at that moment he’d known she was it.

He had to see her again. He had to explain himself.

The key to creating a mind plane was to empty one’s thoughts of everything but her and their destination. This could be difficult for some, as the mind tended to wander, distracted by the mundane details of life, but Rabin had no trouble thinking only of Zarya. He’d already been doing it for months. It was nothing to fill his consciousness with images of only her.

He realized now he’d been the one to force the connection when Zarya had been suffering with her blocked magic. He’d felt her pain and her agony like a distant echo twisting in the back of his chest and sought out Abishek to convey his worries about the woman in his dreams who had still been a mystery to them both.

Thankfully, the king had immediately recognized the signs, offering him an enchantment that would break it. And then Rabin had spent days trying to join her, desperate to help, eventually opening the connection without understanding how. Now, he realized it had been his singular focus on finding her that had been the catalyst.

So he continued to imagine her and the forest, directing his mind inward as he felt his breath slow and his heart thrust against his ribs. It took only a minute before a warm breeze of air dusted the back of his neck, and he opened his eyes, exhaling a shocked breath.

He’d done it.

Above him, that violet sky sparkled with its dense blanket of stars. They felt so close it almost seemed like he could reach out and scoop up a handful to carry in his pocket. The leaves rustled softly, and the moon hung low, a bright glowing orb, the edges smearing into the night.

He stepped softly, wanting to keep his presence a secret for now as he waited. Not sure how long it would take, he concealed himself in the shadows, hoping against hope this would work.

After a few minutes of tense silence, he began to worry he’d done something wrong, but then a soft rustle drew his attention. Through the shadows, Zarya emerged, wearing a white sleeveless top and silk shorts. Her long hair hung in messy waves around her shoulders, and her brown skin glowed in the gilded moonlight. She was absolutely fucking breathtaking, and his heart stopped.

“Hello?” she called, her voice uncharacteristically tentative. She stepped lightly on her tiptoes towards the center of the clearing where they had met so many times. “Hello? Ra⁠—”

She cut herself off with a shake of her head. Had she been about to call for him?

Rabin studied her, trying to assess her state of mind. Was she happy to return here? What would she say or do if he revealed himself?

Zarya stood in the center and turned around and around, studying the shadows. Was she looking for him? She remained planted in the center of the clearing as if she feared searching too deeply. What conflicting thoughts warred in her mind?

She blew out a breath and pushed her hair back, peering up at the sky and watching the stars for a long time. His admiring gaze traced over the lines of her profile and the arch of her neck that he’d dreamed of sinking his teeth into every night while he slept.

He wanted to suck on the swell of her breasts and bite her nipples peaking against the thin material of her top. His fist clenched as he thought of smoothing his hands over the curve of her stomach and her ass. He drank her in, his cock stiffening with wild desire, memorizing every detail as she continued to search the clearing.

He’d already decided he wouldn’t reveal himself tonight. He’d only wanted to see if he could create the mind plane, and he wanted to see her. This was enough.

Now, he knew it was possible, but he’d try to bring her to Andhera next time. The book said creating any environment was possible with the right focus. He wanted to give this to her, encourage her to understand it, and release her fear of this place.