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“That’s right. And you don’t need toys.”
Before I can say anything, my mother flings her hand. There is a pop as Rubella lands on the fire. I suck in a scream as the flames devour my doll, the crackle and pop of the logs the only sound in the room. Soon, all that’s left of her is a thin ash coating on the logs.
I don’t cry until I make it back to my room. Even then, I wait until all the sounds have quieted in the castle until the moon and stars are the only witnesses to my grief.
If she hears me crying, things will be even worse.
The breaking point was when my mother announced my engagement to Henrick three years ago. Helena's older brother had always taken after their father in both temperament and life choices. Whisperings of prostitutes, lavish parties, drugs, and hitting his lovers when drunk were collected in my mind over dozens of years.
My mother loves him. His cruelty seems to echo something in her. The thought of them working together sends shivers down my spine.
When we were younglings, Henrick would constantly torment us whenever we were unlucky enough to find ourselves in the same room as him. He would seek us out, cutting our hair, or blaming broken items on the two of us, knowing he would go unpunished for whatever evil was his chosen course of action for the day.
When it was publicly announced that my life would be tied to his, I ran. For three years, I managed to remain hidden. I don’t even know how she found me. But it’s become clear that we can’t stay in the Western Mountains forever.
Eventually, they’ll find us. As much as I’ve worked to put up wards to keep our magical signatures hidden, my mother employs the strongest warlocks and is likely already tracking us down.
That’s why we are out every day at the break of dawn, training until late in the evening.
Nathan hasn’t complained once, although I see him rubbing his muscles. We stumble back into the cave every evening, so exhausted that we can barely speak. We eat before falling asleep next to each other, warmed by the fire Nathan keeps going for us.
If we’re being honest, I wish that the nights held more time for the two of us. I would give anything to recapture the heat between us after he shoplifted with me. I want him to push me over, tear off my clothes, and use those muscles on something other than holding a sword… But there’s a lingering fear in the back of my mind. I claimed him so quickly.
What if Mother breaks him, just like my doll?
* * *
“Holy shit,”I say, grabbing Nathan’s hand and standing up. Our swords are leaning against a snow-covered pine not far from us, in easy reaching distance if needed. He just knocked me down in a fighting match.
“Nathan, I think it’s time for us to leave,” I pant, fingering the earring he gave me, the jewelry a constant reminder of the risks he took to get to me. It fell in the snow when I loosened the back, and he dipped to grab it.
"Hmm," the Summer Fae says, gently putting the Black Opal earring in my ear.
I shiver at his touch, still engrossed in how he smells and how my body reacts when I am so close to him. It’s like I’m a flower, and he’s the spring sun. He’s brought me to life in a way I never thought possible.
He hasn’t answered my question, though, so I ask him again.
“Do you think I’m ready?” Nathan responds, his eyes twinkling in the early morning light.
I give him a quick once-over, not hiding the desire in my eyes as I study him before wiping the sweat on my forehead. “I do. You came close to beating me.”
“Just close?” he teases, snaking his arm around my waist and pulling us together.
I swat at him, summoning a light snowfall to swirl around us. “Just close.”
He chuckles, leaning in to press a kiss to my lips. His lips are warm, and I lean into his touch. “When it comes to you, Elva, I’m happy to be beside you. At the very least.”
My skin tingles and heat spreads through me. My core tightens, and I kiss him again. I can’t help it. He warms me from the inside out, making me feel like pure sunshine. “What do you mean, Summer Fae?”
He pulls me down to the ground, landing on his back. I follow his movements, straddling him easily before claiming his lips once more. Our mouths sing an ancient song as we kiss and kiss and kiss. The snow around us melts, leaving us in a small area of damp ground.
Nathan’s hands wander all over me, fleeting touches that leave me wanting more before they land on my hips. He pulls me towards him, and I feel all of him. He wants me just as much as I want him.
Wantonly, I grind myself against his arousal, sending a rush of excitement through me.
He groans, his head falling back into the snow and his eyes smoldering with desire. "It means that I don't care about fighting, or the cold, as long as I get to be with you."
He pulls me down, his hand lacing behind my neck, his mouth seeking mine.
