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“Not entirely, no,” Sebastian says while shoveling forkfuls into his mouth. He eats like he’s starving, which is kind of barbaric, but it’s him and I can be okay with that.
“What do you mean?” Lorian sits forward, resting his elbows on the table. “Like you tried to finish it and it didn’t work?”
“No, like I tattooed her, and that’s as far as we’ve gotten. Gods...” Sebastian sets down his fork while I continue to eat, pretending to be too busy to listen in, yet hearing every word.
“That explains a bit. Written magic is powerful and exactly like a true mate bond. If you don’t seal the deal, it can cause a mating frenzy. Ever heard those?” he asks to no one in particular and rolls his eyes with a snarl. “They’re... something. And if you don’t seal it within a day or so of the bond forming, you’ll be finding new uses for all of these tables.” His gaze falls. “Trust me.”
Something tells me that’s not a scientific fact. It’s proven advice. I snort and Zephyr narrows his eyes at me.
“It’s not funny, princess. I’m not kidding. You won’t walk for days. So, just get it done, ya?” Zephyr snatches a foam box from someone’s hand and places the rest of my food inside it.
“Hey! I needed that.” The man starts to protest.
Zephyr flips a hand at him, holding up a single finger. “Oh, go lick a barnacle.”
The man’s nostrils flare, but he leaves without another word. Zephyr shoves the box at me and pops his eyebrows. “Now, get. The both of you and you better not come out of his room until someone has been properly plundered.” He jerks his head toward Sebastian. “And in case I wasn’t clear, I was referring to her.”
Sebastian blinks long and hard. “I got that much. Why are you rushing me?”
“Two words. Mating. Frenzy,” Zephyr says, counting off fingers.
Lorian shakes his head, gripping his jaw to hide his mouth. “Written magic is fierce. If the spell has to force you to complete it, it won’t just be the two of you that get dragged into the frenzy.”
I furrow my brow, sitting up straighter. “You mean people will try to do things with me?”
Lorian shakes his head. “No, but we’ll have men all over the ship humping tables. The pull starts immediately from the time the mark is placed and intensifies over time. Until you finish the bond, the two of you are essentially living, breathing orgy starters.”
I’ve never given orgies much thought, but I always assumed someone had to start it. I never considered that it might be something magical. I thought someone just pulled themselves out and whirled it around, and people took note. You learn something new...
“In simple terms, you’re making the men uncomfortable. Not because of the witchy business, but because their dicks hurt. Look around. If you don’t finish it in the next few hours, all of those strangled faces you see won’t be able to stop themselves from doing unspeakable things.”
“I see,” I breathe, glancing around the mess hall. Maybe that’s why Smee and Nelvin left... It would make sense.
“Fine.” Sebastian stands and holds a hand out toward me. “We’ll go.”
Great... This isn’t awkward at all.
32
Scarlet
Aswestepinsidethe room, I set my food down, the appetite suddenly gone. I should’ve known something was off. Since he placed that mark, being with him is all I can think about.
Desperate to ease the tension in the air, I look at the books he brought me. I turn them over one by one, my back toward him. Warm arms wrap around my middle and soft lips press against my pulse.
“Thank you for these,” I say, unsure if I said it before. It just feels right to do so now.
His hands start to roam, not wasting a moment, one climbing to cup my breast through the shirt and the other dipping between my thighs, teasing me over my pants. The scent of wine and mint, and something uniquely him storms my senses. It’s intoxicating and dangerous, and yet I can’t help but crave more.
“I picked those out myself,” he says, nodding gently at the stack of books before kissing my throat again. “I thought they’d interest you. One has maps and facts about our realm. The black one is a favorite of mine. It’s about a boy who finds a dragon egg. I’ve read it countless times.”
I can’t imagine him reading... He doesn’t strike me as someone who’d curl up in the covers and binge a story, but there’s still so much to learn about him... Who knows what else will surprise me.
“The idea of you reading it is sort of fun,” he says, teasing my nipple through the fabric, determined to make it harden. “I’m curious if the story will make you feel the same way it does me.”
I arch into his touch, trying to soak in everything he’s saying. How is he keeping his mind straight right now?
“The last one is from Smee’s personal collection. However, if you read it, at least give me some warning. Communicating is the only way we’re going to survive this bond sane, so if you plan to read it, at least make sure I’m not in the middle of something important,” he says, continuing his teasing.
