Page 130 of Queen of Shadows and Ruin

FORTY-FOUR

Zarya drifted in and out of a troubled sleep as she shivered in the cold cavern. Her back ached, and her nightmares plagued her dreams. She saw her mother huddled in the corner of her tower while Loka stood over her, giving Zarya a sad smile.

She saw the Ashvins and Taaranas as it once stood in all its glory. She saw their temple and the people who worshiped them, offering benedictions as they fell to their knees.

She saw their magic—glittering stars against black night. A door opening high in the mountains. The demons entered, and shadows and darkness swept over the land.

She moaned as she shifted against the moss. Part of her wanted to wake up, but part of her wanted to remain inside the cocoon of her dreams forever.

A rush of warm air coasted over her chilled skin as she exhaled a sigh of relief.

It pulled her eyes open to reveal a violet sky strewn with a river of stars so thick, it felt like she could scoop them up and tuck them into her pocket.

Her mouth parted on a surprised exhale as a tear slipped down her cheek.

The forest.

She pushed herself up into a seated position as the wounds on her back pulled, causing her to wince. At least she’d stopped shivering, but she couldn’t say much else for her state. The moon hung low and large, and the leafy trees waved softly in the breeze.

With some difficulty, she forced her aching body to her feet. Still naked, the grass tickled her soles. She slowly spun in a circle, seeking out the dark corners, with her breath held in anticipation.

Was he here, too? Had the enchantment finally broken?

Everything remained still and silent for several long minutes, but she wouldn’t give up hope. She called for him in her mind, trying to reach for him. He had to be close. Why else would she be here?

When she noticed a shift deep in the shadows, her breath hitched.

A moment later, moonlight revealed a sliver of a face she knew and loved with every piece of her heart.

Rabin emerged from the darkness, also naked, his brown skin gleaming in the starlight. He kept his head down as she watched him approach, her gaze sliding over the contours of his shoulders and chest and stomach and then to his erect cock, bobbing as he walked, the tip shining with the hint of his arousal.

As he drew closer, he lifted his face, and she inhaled sharply at the sight of his glowing red eyes.

He was here physically, but where was he in his mind?

“Rabin,” she whispered. “Are you there?”

He blinked, watching her carefully, like a predator assessing a weaker opponent. She studied him with her breath held, wondering if she should run. Wondering if there was anywhere she could run.

A growl rumbled in his chest before he prowled towards her on sure steps. His pace never slowed, and she found herself retreating, having no idea what to expect. Her breath squeaked when she came into contact with the trunk of a wide tree, the wounds in her back causing her to whimper.

He stopped at the sound, his gaze assessing and his head cocking with a feline sort of grace. Wincing at the ache, she clung to the bark as he drew closer, looming over her and planting his hands on either side of her head.

“Rabin?” she whispered as he stared down, his eyes glowing brightly as he perused her from head to toe. She felt that look as it touched her face and her throat. Her breasts and her stomach, then dragging lower as a growl rumbled in his chest.

Without warning, he reached out to grip her arm and flipped her around so her stomach was against the tree. He pressed himself against her, and she sighed at the familiar warmth of his big body. Gods, how she’d missed him.

He gathered her hair in his hand and pushed it over her shoulder, exposing her back.

She tried to contain her agonized moans as his hand drifted over her shoulder and then ghosted over her wounds. She gritted her teeth as her skin burned from his touch before he placed his hand flat against her back. She gasped as a tear escaped her eye, and then heat seared her skin, almost too hot to bear.

Relief came next as she felt the wounds begin to knit together.

The Bandhan.

Kishore couldn’t break their bond. Their connection had been the will of the gods. No mere mystic could shatter destiny.

She felt the dragon on her shoulder pulse as Rabin healed her wounds. Her skin flushed hot, and the cuts sealed up until the pain melted away. She tasted the salt of her tears on her lips as her head tipped against the tree while she sobbed from relief.