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His body was practically vibrating with energy now and Claire wondered how much of her magic he had to ‘eat’ for her to do that basic task. Poor Puck. She snorted. Actually poor Claire and her Triad. They were going to have no peace with a hyperactive magic-fueled Notus.
6
Puck vibrated practically the whole way to the Royal Tree. Claire had asked him to find her Triad and the sounds of sparring echoed against its massive trunks. She stopped next to it, leaning against it as she watched the scene before her.
All three of her men were engaged in a sparring match against five Elven warriors, three males and two females. Each of them was immensely skilled, that much was clear. The Elves fought with an easy grace as they attacked her Triad from all sides. Her men held their own though, playing on each other’s strengths and protecting each other’s weaknesses as they held off the Elves. If anything, it looked like her men had improved over the last few days, their attacks faster and stronger than Claire remembered. Or maybe she just hadn’t had a chance to be an impartial observer.
Toan stood across from Claire, his eyes on the fight as he assessed both sides. He looked every inch the Elven commander he was and Claire could easily envision him on the battlefield watching his strategy play out.
With everyone distracted, Claire sagged harder against the tree. Her restless sleep combined with an exhausting morning with Greta had her eyes falling closed as she rested her head against the Royal Tree. The bark beneath her thrummed with Energy, pushing softly at her barriers, asking to be let in to help restore Claire’s own Energy. Although she was still a bit nervous at her magic’s possible reaction, the exhaustion won out. Malcolm was going to want to train before Toan was ready to get the journals and Claire needed the boost.
She softly brushed against the Royal Tree’s Energy with her magic, allowing herself to pull the Energy into her center. It flooded through her very veins it felt like, coming easier than it had at Brandlevine or in the Forest previously.
With it came a sense of deep connection to the Tree that felt like warmth and home and everything right. She kept her eyes closed, soaking in the warmth and comfort as the Energy penetrated her very bones it felt like, filling her and chasing away the exhaustion.
She opened her eyes with a smile and sent a grateful feeling into the Tree, thanking it for its gift. In front of her, the match was done with the Elven warriors bowing to her men with smiles and nods of gratitude. Desmond must have cracked a joke as the whole group laughed and even Toan cracked a smile. She pushed away from the tree and walked onto the training platform, making her presence known.
“Claire,” Toan greeted.
Her Triad turned towards her and she smiled at the sight of them. They were all sweaty and as she watched Everett lifted the edge of his shirt to wipe off his brow. Claire swallowed hard at the sight of his toned abs.
“Hello,” she greeted everyone a bit breathlessly and Everett smirked, his green eyes on hers as he advanced towards her. Claire stood frozen in place, her insides heating dangerously as she remained caught in his web.
“Are you ready to retrieve those items?” Toan’s question broke the trance. He didn’t come out and call them journals which meant he was probably keeping their existence from his warriors.
“Yes,” she answered, keeping her response vague as well. Everett came to a stop next to her.
“I’ll come with,” Everett spoke before her other men did. “We’ll wash up a bit and meet you down here in an hour.”
Claire’s brow crinkled, an hour? Surely it wasn’t going to take that long for Everett to wash up. As if he heard her thoughts, he sent a wicked image of them that night in the Forest when Claire couldn’t sleep with his fingers inside her. Claire’s knees almost buckled and Everett placed an arm around her waist with a small smile. She had not expected that from her quiet shifter but Claire wasn’t complaining.
Desmond’s eyes narrowed at them like he sensed something was going on but before he could open his mouth to ask, Toan responded to Everett.
“That sounds great. Malcolm and Desmond, would you mind lending your services to training my warriors this afternoon. I think it would be best if they freshened up their skills on fighting witches and dragon shifters.”
Malcolm looked around the grounds critically while nodding. “I don’t have the room to shift here for an aerial attack but we would be happy to.”
Desmond nodded and murmured a distracted agreement before Malcolm clasped a hand on his shoulder and turned him back towards the Elven warriors.
Everett guided Claire towards the Royal Tree’s first staircase, his pace slow and steady, completely hiding the wickedly warm feelings he was sending down their bond. Images of her in the shower the other night, pinned between him and Malcolm. She could barely put one foot in front of the other. As soon as they were out of sight, Everett scooped her up in his arms and sprinted up the step.
Claire let her head tip back and laughed at his eagerness. He grinned down at her, his eyes softening as he took in her joy. “You won’t be laughing for long,” he warned, biting his lip in a way that had Claire’s laughter stuttering to a halt and cupping his cheek.
“Guess you’ll have to hurry then. You only gave us an hour,” she teased back
He shifted her higher in his arms and increased his pace, taking the stairs two at a time. Damn shifter strength. “Oh, an hour will be plenty of time, don't worry.”
Claire swallowed hard and bit her lip which had Everett growling and her center clenching. By the Realm, she wasn’t going to survive till they got to their quarters.
Everett ascended the last staircase, barely breathing heavily. If Claire had tried to sprint up those stairs, she wouldn’t have made it. But the look in Everett’s eyes had her feeling breathless in a different way.
Once inside their room, he placed her on her feet and backed her towards the wooden screen separating the shower from the rest of the room. He whipped off his shirt as he did so. Like down on the training platform, Claire swallowed hard at the sight of his toned bare skin. Without thinking about it, she placed her hand on his chest, tracing her fingers over the ridges in his muscles and through the heat emanating off his skin.
Everett let out a soft growl as her hands continued to explore and tugged her own shirt out of her pants and over his head. He deftly unsnapped her bra and then his hands were exploring. Claire’s fingers stuttered to a stop as he brushed her breasts, finding her nipples and teasing the sensitive buds until Claire’s knees buckled and she fell into him, the sensations pinging through her.
“Shower,” Everett murmured, almost more to himself than to Claire. He steadied Claire and then stripped his pants off. Claire barely had time to take him in before he turned and started the shower spray. He turned back around and smirked when he saw her frozen in place. Claire’s cheeks heated at being caught staring but she let herself drink in her strong mate.
His golden skin was tan all over with his platinum blonde curls sticking to his forehead. He arched an eyebrow at her and she shook herself out of her trance. “Right, shower,” she muttered.
