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Araki pulled me closer and kissed me hard. Heat coiled through my body as I returned the kiss eagerly. Today was meant to celebrate the last heat of summer before winter came and stole it all away. I wanted to feel his heat. Share it with mine. I ran my hands up under Araki’s tunic, greedily exploring the contours of his muscles. His hands were just as eager as mine.
“You taste divine,” He said between kisses, his mouth consuming me. He tugged the lace from the corset top of my dress, loosening the tight fit. I pulled the modesty panel out entirely, taking his left hand and sliding it against my skin. The magic between us sparked. It grew stronger, like the waves against the beach.
“Araki,” I moaned into his mouth.
Araki growled in response, his lips moving from my mouth down to my neck in small kisses to my collarbone. My skin erupted in delicious goosebumps. He moved to pull myskirt up, bunching it at my waist with one hand. His other slid up and down my thigh, teasing me. Slowly, Araki moved his fingers between my thighs, his touch leaving little fires in their wake until they hovered to where I was most hot and needy. His callused, strong fingers inched closer, but he didn’t touch me. My head fell against the wall as I arched my back, moaning in frustration. I felt him smile against my breast as his tongue flicked across my exposed skin. “Reilyn?”
“You know what I want,” I gasped as he started his teasing touch on the juncture of my thigh again.
“Say it,” Araki purred in my ear, the sweet smell of wine on his lips and his intoxicating scent filling my lungs.
“Please,” I begged, closing my eyes. “Touch me.”
Finally, he touched me. His fingers caressed me, sliding between my folds, in my wetness. A whimper and a needy moan escaped my parted lips. An ache so deep unraveled within me.
“Gracious!” Araki growled, stroking me. “You’re so wet.”
He touched me the way I wished, fingers moving steadily. My mind blanked, overwhelmed by the pleasure he was giving me.
“Come for me, darling,” Araki rumbled, clashing his mouth against mine as I rocked my hips on his fingers. My centre throbbed, tightened, and exploded. I grasped his shoulders tightly, letting out a cry muffled by Araki’s kiss. I pulled him closer, my fingers fumbling, reaching to undo the buttons of his trousers—
And then it was over. My skirt dropped back to the floor, covering me. My weak legs gave out, and I sank to the floor, panting as waves of pleasure continued to rock through me. Iopened my eyes, shocked at Araki’s abrupt departure. The door to his bedroom swung shut, leaving me alone in the hallway.
Wilted Flowers
Reilyn
The Priestess had lied to me.
Araki had once been part of the Nightshade. His mother’s gravestone had the Nightshade’s symbol on it. He didn’t steal magic. Araki was born with it. He didn’t go around killing for the fun of it. He prayed for lost spirits and respected the Forest of Shadows.
Master Briggs was dead. I was an assassin. I’d killed people. Because I was told it was the only way. I didn’t want Nala to end up like me. I didn’t want to see her childlike innocence snuffed out, that fire that made her shrivel up and blink out.
The bed was warm and soft in comparison to the hard cold of the frosty air. I’d gone to bed too hot and confused, so I had left a window open. Now, it was still open, and there wasn’t any fire to combat the night. I pulled the blankets over my head. Patchouli and bergamot. The scent enveloped me, clinging to my skin where Araki had touched me. I groaned and pulled the blanket back so my face was exposed. It was too cold against my exposed skin but better than smelling Araki’s scent on me. After what happened between us last night, I was even more confused than I’d ever been. I’d come so close to bedding him. I wasn’t a virgin by any means but with the Usurper?
He’s not the person I thought he was.
I huffed in frustration and focused on what I could figure out. Opaline lied to me. Opaline was the only person who could have gotten near Master Briggs so easily, the only person he trusted enough for him to be unguarded around. It was hard tobelieve, but everything that had happened so far pointed to that. I held to the thread of hope that it might not be so against better judgment. Opaline was behind the vampires. She was the only one powerful enough to complete the spells. Not only her magic but also the power needed to abduct Fae nobility. I didn’t want to believe it. I didn’t want Opaline to have lied to me or used me for her purposes… to have killed Master Briggs. The woman I knew who cared for me would never do any of this unless she truly believed Araki was stealing the world's magic. The nobility were leeches, she’d say. I could see her killing them without remorse. But Master Briggs?
I needed to get the word out of here. I hadn’t seen anyone who could be connected with the Nightshade last night, but perhaps I’d missed them. It didn’t matter. Not now. I’d been struggling with it all night, between fits of restless sleep. Opaline was behind it—but she couldn’t be.
I couldn’t teleport out of her unless I brought Araki with me. If Opaline was behind this, she wouldn’t hesitate to kill me to kill him. I couldn’t expose her to Araki. So, I had to stay in the palace. Keep Araki’s growing trust, so I could find out what was going on with him once and for all. To send word, sometimes the Nightshade used a simple spell to enchant birds, connecting them to a message and a person to deliver messages. Not the regular sorts of messenger birds like pigeons and hawks. Rather, small birds that nobody thought of. Better yet, if the animal was killed before delivering the message, it would go to the nearest creature of the same size.
I threw back the blanket, shuddering as the cold air caused goosebumps on my arms. I pulled my robe on and quickly moved to the fireplace, setting wood inside. Once a small fire was burning, I moved to the desk. There, I wrote a quickletter asking to meet in person. I hesitated, knowing I would need a reason for the meeting. If she came to the city, I could get far enough from Araki to talk with her for a few minutes. I could confront her and get the truth once and for all without him ever knowing.
I have evidence to believe the usurper’s powers go deeper than we previously imagined,I wrote. I believe he has found a way to steal magic directly from the Forest of Shadows. If we kill him without severing the connection, we could harm the Forest irreparably. She would need a reason for why I hadn’t killed him yet.
It was a good reason. One Opaline would understand. And it would also protect Araki, for the time being… which would also protect me. I rolled the letter, folding it into a small square, and moved to the window. The fall air was still, with no birdsong in the air. I looked out the window, knowing I needed to wait for the right moment. Araki would feel the magic when I used it. I’d have enough time to cast the spell and get the bird in here, holding the message, before he interrupted me. A pair of magpies flew past the window to sit on a nearby tree. Not the best for this magic, but I needed to act quickly. I muttered the spell, reaching out to entrap the two birds. I brought them both to the window, then swiped my index finger over the ink on the letter; it gathered at my fingertip, and I fed it to the magpie on my right. I had just enough time to send the magpie away before the lock clicked. Hurriedly, I leapt back onto the bed and got the second magpie to fly in circles above my head. I could just pull the blankets over me when the door opened.
Araki burst in. He was shirtless, only wearing a pair of trousers. He was not wearing shoes either. His hair was disheveled like he had just woken up and raced to my room. Myheart beat frantically. Araki strode forward with a scowl, “What are you doing?”
I directed the magpie to the hearth and used a thin stick to push the kettle over the low flame. “I didn’t want to get out of bed to light the fire, and I saw this bird, so I thought I might as well get it to help me.”
Araki came to stand beside my bed, looking between the magpie and me, the scowl fading from his face. “Using a bird to light your fire?”
“Something like that,” I shrugged, relieved he bought my lie. “I was also bored and wanted to entertain myself. I’ve always thought magpies are fascinating birds. Don’t you agree?”
Araki considered the magpie before he nodded, the tension easing from his shoulders. He waved his hand, and I felt the magic connecting me to the bird end abruptly. It flew out the window, circled once, and suddenly took off as though being released from an invisible rope.
