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Only a hint of the ravening wolf was left behind, something I found I liked, just a little.
I brushed my finger down his too handsome face. “There you are. You did it. I knew you could.”
Then I realized I was sitting on a dusty floor in nothing but a damp towel, holding onto a very naked Tavion Montgomery like I couldn’t fucking let him go. I released him immediately and edged away, fast enough I got a splinter in my arse.
Tavion shot to his feet, and I tried to look away quickly enough—gods, did I try—but not before I got a godsdamned good look at my husband. Every fucking glorious inch of him.
Including the black mark that ran along his spine between his shoulder blades. A sword outlined by a diamond, the design slightly raised on his pale skin.
Before I could ask, Tavion bent down, sliding his fingers beneath my chin and forcing my eyes up to his laughing ones. “It’s only fair, you know, after teasing me with that strip show in your bedchamber at the Keep.”
Gods, I’d forgotten about that shameful little episode that seemed like eons ago. Tavion’s voice dropped low, a touch of a wolf’s hungry intention beneath every word. “Not that I haven’t thought about how delicious you looked, every fucking night since.”
His smile was nothing but pure predator, and I knew everything had changed between us, even before he said, “Now you’ll be thinking about me too, princess, every time you’re in your bed, all alone.”
His eyes glittered. “Until I manage to find my way in.”
51
ANARIA
Ididn’t know where Tristan found six horses, but there they were, stamping their hooves on the overgrown drive. Easy enough to tell their opulent saddles and tack came from the Wynter stables, each decorated with enough silver and jewels to buy a small village.
“At least we won’t be walking to Nightcairn Castle.” Raz pressed a kiss to my shoulder as he passed, his eyes twinkling. “Nice saddles, by the way.”
“I tried to find plain ones,” Tristan grumbled, throwing his leg over. “But things were ridiculous in there.” He jerked his head to the stable, a smaller version of the castle, right down to the arched windows.
I hadn’t noticed it before, but new growth covered every stone surface with roses and honeysuckle and night flowers, their blooms fading in the first rays of dawn. Some part of me was sad, as if I was leaving my home behind, and then I shook my head.
I didn’t have a home.
My eyes drifted back over the lush, rampant growth, the plunging waterfalls.
But if I did…this would be exactly what I’d choose.
“I’ll lead the way. Remember the path is treacherous. We move slow, so we don’t catch the attention of those things.” Zor jerked his head to the Citadelle, the black cloud of Reapers circling the city.
We were all some version of ridiculous, dressed in Lord and Lady Wynters’ clothes. Zorander looked especially uncomfortable in an embroidered black silk jacket over his old, leather breeches, tucked into high black boots. Raziel was in similar garb, while Tristan was the only one who’d retained his old clothes, dirt stained but intact.
The only thing he’d added was a beautifully carved bow and a quiver of arrows, fletched with dark blue feathers, tipped with razor sharp iron points.
Adele looked lovely in a pale-blue dress that hung on her thin frame, her wispy hair hidden beneath a scarf, a little color in her cheeks, her eyes blazing with excitement.
Tavion…I couldn’t even look at him. He’d raided Lord Wynter’s closet with little shame and no restraint. His embroidered, pale-blue jacket shone with silver threads, and his thick thighs strained at the seams of the dark gray breeches, which gods help me, made his arse look incredible.
Not looking. I was so not looking at him.
Then Raz was there, holding my horse still as I mounted while looking more ridiculous than anyone. I had a pair of breeches tightly belted around my waist, bare feet swimming in too big boots, and a short jacket over a billowy white shirt, pinned closed because otherwise I would be flashing everyone. But there were two leather hilts on the belt, both of them filled with sharp, deadly knives, so at least I could stab someone, if needed.
Most likely my husband, from that smirk on his face.
We were halfway down the mountain when Zor reined his horse to a stop, the rest of us following suit. Tempeste lay directly across the deep crevasse, flags waving merrily among the cloud of circling Soul Reapers.
But Zor wasn’t looking at them, his eyes were on the long line of refugees that stretched from Tempeste’s main gates to the edge of the forest. A mile, at least, they had to cover, with no shelter, not until they reached the trees. While we watched, a pair of Reapers swooped lower, sending the people scattering, some of them carrying children.
Zor looked to Raz and I, then Tavion and Tristan, his question clear.
Do we head to the safety of the tunnels and leave these people to fend for themselves, or do we help them? I already knew my answer, but…this was a group decision.
