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One by one, my other mates greeted Lex, then left the cavern. “I’ll see you back at Drakonspear,” Lusca said, pressing a kiss to my hair.

“Stay in the water, fish boy,” I agreed. “I’ll come straight there, and we can play that game with your smallest tentacles.”

“Absolutely not. I know the game you speak of. And I am meant to be the god of your ass,” Skadi complained. “We will play the superior version with my tail.”

They left, arguing over who was in charge when they were in the sea. Kellin and Lachlan both kissed me, then faced Lex. “I’m glad you’re alive, priest,” Lachlan said. “We’ll catch you up on what happened during your nap when Rada gets done taking your virgini—oof! Damnit, woman, did you stab me? Again?” He plucked the small throwing knife out of his arm and stared at me in shock.

Kellin sighed. “No, brother, that was me. If she’d stabbed you, you might not recover.” He handed me my cloak. “Your dagger is inside, in one of the new puzzle pockets Wren made. Skadi tried to get into it for an hour. I’m going to ask her to sew them into my cloak, too. He’s been stealing the special writing quills Mother gave me last month.”

“How rude.”

“Beta,” he said to Lex, then stopped, peering carefully at Lex’s new golden sheen. “You are still a Beta, aren’t you?”

I looked more closely. Lex was still the same size and shape as before, but he did have an aura of power around him now that he hadn’t before. Unfortunately, he also still had on the tattered trousers he’d worn falling into the Alldyns Vug, so I couldn’t check.

“How about we leave and let our mate find out,” Goran suggested before he kissed me, whispered “I love you,” in my ear, then grabbed the arms of both the selkies and pulled them down the passage to the outside.

Serak was the only one left, and he helped Lex sit up while I opened the new pocket and inspected my dagger. It was still the same as it had been when I’d tried to pry Lex out of the coffin on Pict, but Serak and Lex both hissed when I drew it.

“You can’t carry that,” Serak said bluntly. “It’s still tainted.”

“Does that mean Edan is still⁠—”

He shook his head. “No, but it was created from pain and corruption. It can’t be saved.”

“Let me?” Lex plucked the dagger from my hand and examined it, humming, before bowing his head. “Goddess who I love beyond all others, I pledge my life, my soul, my love to you. Accept my sacrifice and use it to bless this blade to your service. Cleanse it for your use.” Then he closed his eyes and ran his own fingers over the chipped blade edge.

“Damnit, Lex!” I gasped as his blood dripped over it. Well, not exactly his blood. It should have been blood, but it was golden. It sank into the obsidian until it glowed the same way Lex did now, with a sheen just under the surface. The panic rushed out of me, leaving me slightly dizzy. “Thank the Goddess.”

“Literally,” Serak said. “She’s still watching over you.”

Lex smiled. “I am sure, but the goddess I just prayed to wasn’t the moon. It was the Goddess of Protection and Poisons.” He winked. “Thank you for prayers answered.”

We both blinked at him. Serak recovered first. “That’s perfect. You can explain what you’ve done. I’ll tell the others.” He kissed my temple and practically ran out of the cave.

Lex and I were alone. “Did you even ask if I wanted a priest?” I was surprised he could understand me through the sobbing. I wasn’t sure why, but being here with him, at last, alive, made it impossible for me to do anything but feel. All the months of terror and grief, all the pain of not knowing if I would ever speak with him again, ever hold him.

“No. I was pretty sure you needed one, though. And I can’t imagine anyone else knowing the heart of their goddess as well as I know yours.”

“I’m so sorry, Lex. I’m so sorry I didn’t get the chance to tell you how much I love you. I was so af-afraid…” Suddenly, I was in his arms as he carried me to the pile of furs and sat, rocking me. I had no idea how long we were there, only that when I stopped crying, the entire room was washed with gold and my heart was a thousand pounds lighter.

“May I kiss you, Mina?”

“You’d better,” I said, and met his lips.

It was our first kiss, which seemed impossible, because it felt like coming home. Like I’d wandered for years, looking for this exact feeling.

I was already naked, but I took my time removing his clothing, kissing each part of him as it was revealed. His smooth chest prickled with goosebumps as I licked each muscle, tasting his dark nipples, learning which spots made him gasp. Then, when I took off his trousers, his cock sprang free.

“Still a Beta,” he laughed. “Disappointed?”

“Never,” I said, as I took him into my mouth. He wasn’t as large as my other mates, which meant I could take all of him into my mouth at once, only choking a little when my lips covered the base. His hands threaded through my hair.

“Let me,” he pleaded. “I’m not going to last. Let me taste you.”

I laughed around his cock. I laughed harder at the way he began to babble as I used every technique I’d learned from my other mates on him. He cursed, he prayed, he begged, and in no time, his cock thickened in my mouth. I almost stopped. The initial droplets of his seed had tasted slightly sweet, but the next spurt was… Goddess, what is this?

Silver, chiming laughter echoed in my mind as Lex cried out, filling my mouth. It tasted like the richest honey I’d ever imagined, mixed with the smoothest potato whiskey. I’d never hesitated to swallow, especially for Lachlan, but this was so fucking good. I groaned my pleasure and swallowed again, licking and lapping up every droplet.