Page 119 of A Thread of Breath and Bone

When he lifts me into his arms, I barely register it. “Let’s get to bed, love.”

The world fades before I can answer.

I drift instead—floating on a familiar sea. The water is warm, impossibly gentle, holding me without effort. Above me, the sky stretches wide and endless, painted in unfamiliar stars that don’t frighten me the way they should.

Ryker is there. I don’t see him at first—I feel him, the steady presence beside me, the calm certainty that I am not alone. When he appears, it’s seamless, as if he’s always been part of this place.

We float together, side by side, the water rising and falling beneath us like a shared breath. There is no war here. No prophecy. No fear. Only warmth. And us.

Safe—for now.

Chapter 42

Raea

I wake more relaxed than I have been in a long while, Ryker’s lips tracing slow, unhurried kisses down my spine. His breath is warm against my skin, sending a shiver through me as I stretch into the sheets.

He smiles before leaning in to kiss my shoulder, then rolls me onto my back. I barely have time to grin before his mouth is on mine, his hands roaming, pushing the silk of my camisole upward as his touch sets my nerves alight.

His lips trail along my jaw, down my neck, lingering over all the places he knows will make me melt. I let out a soft breath, my fingers knotting in the sheets as he presses a kiss to my collarbone. His presence alone is enough to make my thoughts scatter.

He slides down my panties, allowing me to kick them off.

Gods, I love him.

Not just for the way he can unravel me with a look or a touch—but for the way he makes me feel safe, seen, and completely his. The kind of love that doesn’t need words. The kind your soul just knows.

Ryker grins, brushing his thumb along my ribs⁠—

There’s a knock at the door between our room and Clara’s.

Ryker deflates, groaning into my neck. I giggle.

There’s another soft knock before we hear Clara say, “Anders…Raea?”

Smiling down at him, I say, “Better get that.”

He mutters something about having a moment of peace before rolling out of bed. He tosses me my panties as he searches for pants.

“I’ll get it,” I say, kissing his bare shoulder as I wrap a robe around me.

He disappears into the bathing chamber as I swing open the door. Clara stands outside, clutching her new doll to her chest, her hair a tangled mess. The moment she sees me, she wraps her arms around my waist.

“I miss Mother,” she whispers, her voice wobbling.

My heart aches, but I guide her inside, settling into the sitting area. She crawls into my lap without a word, resting her head against my chest as I smooth a hand down her back.

“I heard you went to the beach with your new tutor,” I say, hoping distraction will help.

Her face brightens. “My tutor, Kaia, let me swim in the ocean! Mother never lets me swim without Anders. Then we picked shells, and she taught me new words in another language.” She grins. “She said if I learned them all, I could get a new doll. And today, I get another toy.” Her eyes sparkle as she leans closer and whispers, “And I get to climb into a secret treehouse.”

I can’t help but giggle at how cute she is. I feel Ryker watching, so I look over the sofa into the doorway that leads to the bedroom. He’s leaning against the wall, hands tucked into his pants.

Clara grins. “Anders! Do you like my new doll?” She holds it up for him to see.

“Mm-hmm.” He pushes off the wall, walks over, and kneels in front of the sofa until he’s eye level with her. He holds out his hand, fisted around the shell he picked for her.

“Got you something, little tidefish.”