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CHAPTER2
Honor
Zehr stirredas Arren gathered him up, none too gently, and lifted him from the bed. Arren became gentler, almost tender, as he settled the King of the Scourge onto my shoulders, as if I were a shepherd carrying a lost little lamb.
Zehr’s long limbs dangled, banging awkwardly into my legs with every move I made.
Arren’s worried gaze tracked me, his lips tightening. He was probably holding back words of caution he knew I wouldn’t hear, and so he wouldn’t say them. But I wished I could soothe his fears.
“It’s a good thing I’m shadow traveling,” I said lightly.
“Yes,” he said dryly. “That’s exactly what I was thinking. I’m so glad my girl has the same weird, freakish—”
“Incredible,” I cut in.
“—Powers as the zombie king,” he finished, ignoring what I had to say, which wasn’t exactly unusual for Arren.
Wouldn’t he just love it if he knew I was considering taking Zehr’s place as the Lord of the Scourge, if it was the only way to save him and therefore stop the curse? Damyn would’ve chided me for keeping secrets, but he wasn’t here to threaten to slap some sense into me.
And it wouldn’t have worked, anyway.
Instead, I asked coyly, “Your girl?”
And even with the zombie king draped over my shoulders, Arren still leaned close and kissed me. His hands wrapped my waist, his warm fingers tight on my skin, hot as a brand. I loved the heat of the dragon royals.
And his lips matched that heat. His kiss was deep and all-consuming, stealing my breath away. All his need, his desire, pulsed between us, and all I wanted to do was press myself against that hard chest, to let his hands wander my body, his broad palms stroking heat across my breasts, my thighs, my lower belly, until they dipped between my thighs and caressed my suddenly greedy, wanting core.
I almost dropped Zehr to lose myself in Arren’s arms for a moment. He had spent so long running away from the warmth between us, and now he kissed me like he had always needed me.
And now when I pulled away, he growled beneath his breath as if he couldn’t stand to separate.
His hand still cupped to the side of my face as he looked into my eyes. “You know you’re my woman.”
“What does that make you?” I teased.
“An idiot, obviously,” he said.
I tried to sweep his leg out from underneath him, but Zehr’s weight was awkward, and Arren danced over my leg. When he leaned in for one last kiss, I nipped his lower lip for revenge.
“I’ll come find you,” I promised. “Go meet up with the other royals. They need you.”
“No,” he said bluntly. “They needyou.Same as I do.”
“You’re very sweet,” I said. “I can’t wait to tell Branok how I won you over. You two can compete to make up for your general asshole-ish-ness in the past!”
He gave me a look. “I was about to tell you not to die.”
“That’s what I’m trying to tell you! You have so much groveling to do! You can’t die yet. Stay safe.”
He heaved a sigh. “You try to make parting easier, don’t you?”
“I just try to entertain myself, really.” I gave him one last peck on the lips. No matter how much I teased, it was genuinely hard to pull myself away from him.
I might just drop Zehr under the mountain and leave him there. But I wasn’t sure where I’d travel next. I wasn’t sure when I’d see any of these men I loved again.
“Take me with you,” Arren said suddenly, no matter that he knew how dangerous it was for him now under the mountain. “Take—”
Going back under the mountain would be hard for him after all he’d seen and done there as the Scourge took him over. But he wanted to go with me. He wanted to stay together as much as I did. Being apart was going to break my heart, and I still gave him a mournful smile and stepped back into the shadows.
