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My brows lower. “I don’t understand.”
Merlin sighs and reaches toward us. Fearful that he’s going to take her from me, I press my lips to hers in a final goodbye. I know I must let her go, but I can’t bring myself to.
“True love is the most powerful thing there is. It might sound ridiculous, like something out of a child’s tale, but it is the truth, nevertheless.”
Dark shadows begin to swirl around her body before dissipating as quickly as they appeared. My heart jumps into my throat when her fingers twitch. “Snow?” I breathe, my eyes wide with disbelief. I shift her body, leaning her back against my arm. Her lashes flutter, then her eyes blink open. A slow smile filters across her lips.
I help her sit up, my mind whirling with disbelief as I run my hand over her back. I slide my gaze to Merlin, who looks more than a little smug. I could hit the bastard right now. Knock him to the ground and pummel him over and over. Three days he left me to suffer when all I had to do was kiss her?
Aren growls, fully on board with the plan to demolish the wizard. His eyes twinkle at me, and he raises a brow. “I could not have told you sooner, young Cassian. Morana’s spies were everywhere, and your reactions had to be believable. If I had told you from the start that your love could bring her back, Morana would have rained hell upon us. Now she sits in her palace, secure in the knowledge that Snow is dead, thinking she has won. We have the advantage. Plus, Snow had her own quest to complete before she could come back. She’s more than what she was,” he states before quickly hurrying off.
His words make sense, but the pain of her loss is still too soon, and it will take me a while to forgive him.We could eat him, Aren replies helpfully.I’ve never tasted sorcerer before.
If I have my way, you never will either.We don’t eat people.He huffs back at me and settles down for the first time in days. Thanks be to the gods.
Returning my attention to the woman who means more to me than life, I fuss over her, still in shock that she’s here, alive and breathing. I can’t stop staring at her, fearful that she’ll be taken away from me again any moment now. “Hi,” she says shyly, searching my eyes. I crush her to me, my broken heart beginning to mend.
“Don’t ever leave me again,” I murmur brokenly into her hair. “Promise me, Snow. Promise we’ll die together when we’re old and gray, surrounded by our children and grandchildren, and not a moment sooner.”
Snow wraps an arm around my neck and pulls my face down to hers. “I promise,” she says, her eyes beginning to glow. Our lips meet, and I scoop her into my arms, carrying her into our cottage. I need her naked and under me, immediately. I need to reassure myself she is truly alive and that I’m not having some sort of hallucination brought about by a lack of food and water.
I shift her in my arms until she’s facing me. She wraps her legs around me, clinging to me like a monkey as I crush my lips to hers, inhaling her as if I could take her inside me and keep her safe always. I mumble against her lips, “I need you now, Snow. I can’t be gentle.” She nods and I rip her hose down her legs before doing the same to mine, then back her into the wall. I thrust into her, unable to even make sure she’s ready for me.
“Cass,” she moans at the intrusion. “Please, I need you too.”
I press my face into her neck, breathing her in. “I love you so much. You are my everything.” I lean back, then press into her harder, making her arch her neck against the wall. Aren purrs contentedly as I thrust into her over and over. It’s not pretty, it’s not loving or gentle. I can’t be, not now.
Tears stream down Snow’s cheeks as she strokes my hair, holding me to her as she does her best to meet my strokes with her hips. “I’m sorry,” she whispers. “I’ll never leave you again.”
I swear my heart practically leaps out of my chest, so desperate it is to be with hers. Reaching between us, I flick her clit, making her scream out her release. Her walls clench around me, and I follow suit, my breath labored and loud in the aftermath.
Gently withdrawing from her, I set her on the ground, then grab a cloth off the dresser and cleanse her. I pick her up, holding her tightly, and her arms come up around my neck. We stand there for an immeasurable amount of time, our souls calming with our nearness.
“I’m so sorry about Alaric,” she whispers into my neck, and my arms tighten around her.
“You know?”
I can feel her nod against me. “I have much to tell you, but just know he’s safe in Aaru with my mother.” That knowledge brings me a measure of relief. At least his soul is at peace in the afterlife and not stuck here in some sort of hellish limbo. I’ll grieve for him properly once this war is over. My heart cannot take any more at the moment.
Scooping her up, I toss her into the bed. She brushes her ebony hair off her face, grinning up at me with sparkling eyes. “Tomorrow, you can tell me everything,” I inform her, ripping my tunic off and tossing it on the floor. “I haven’t convinced myself yet that you’re truly alive. I think by the morning you’ll have made me a believer.” Snow shrieks with laughter as I pounce on her, then moans deeply when my mouth finds her core.
I take her three more times throughout the night, my soul slowly stitching itself back together with each touch.
“Cass.”Afingerpokesme in my side, and I grunt. Grabbing on to it, I pull her into me.
“Go back to sleep,” I mumble. “It’s too early.” Snow places a hand on my cheek, and energy flows into me, snapping my eyes open in shock. “What was that?” I feel my cheek, and a slight buzz zaps my fingers. The exhaustion vanished in the blink of an eye.
She tucks her lips in and shrugs a shoulder. “The Valkyries are on their way. We need to get up.” She leans up and places a soft kiss on the tip of my nose, then pulls herself from my arms. My gaze traces over the line of her back as she sits up and stretches her arms into the air.
She turns and my mouth goes dry, my cock twitching under the covers. There’s just enough light coming in through the tiny window to outline the sharp points of her nipples. I admire the curve of her hips and the length of her legs before meeting her eyes. Her brush with death hasn’t cured her of her blushing curse. I’m glad—it’s endearing.
“Stop,” Snow whispers, covering her face with her hands.
I snort and pull myself out of bed. Grabbing her hands, I gently pull them away. “You’re mine, Snow. We’ve already established that. Never be embarrassed or ashamed with me. I love every inch of you.”
Her bottom lip trembles. “Even my scars?” she asks quietly, searching my face.
I pull her toward me, running my hands carefully down her back. “I hate that this happened to you, and I want to tear Morana apart for it. But yes, Snow, even your scars. You fought your way back, overcame the evil while still holding on to the incredible person you are. You’re a fighter, a warrior, and all warriors have battle scars.” I press a kiss to her forehead, then back away. “Let’s get cleaned up before the whole village comes pounding on the door to see you. I’m sure Merlin has spread the word of your miraculous recovery.”
