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As I drank from him, he carried me bridal-style to the bed, the chains dragging on the floor behind us. There, he laid me down with gentle tenderness. The bed dipped under his weightas he moved between my legs. Using his knees, he shifted them apart while I drank from his arm.
I wasn’t aware that I was naked until I felt his fingers brush between the swell of my breasts—the feel of his warm skin luxurious against my own. My eyes flared open, meeting his incredible gold eyes.
Reassurance was all that I found in them, and happily, so incredibly happily, I handed myself over to him.
“Welcome back—” his hand drifted down my stomach, trailing lower and lower, “—Aurelia.”
I peeled away from my broken shell and escaped into the forest of my mind.
There, I found refuge under the protective canopy of a powerful, swaying oak tree.
In its shade, the sun couldn’t find me.
Sage
Hundreds of eyes were watching us, but I didn’t care.
I was too busy admiring the stained-glass windows of the temple. They twinkled with colors I had never seen before—who knew there could be so many shades of oranges and reds and yellows? Certainly not me.
I sat on the floor, slumped against the gilded throne with the sun carved into the top. The thrones that belonged to the old king and queen had been removed and now only one remained. Whatever became of the queen and her children, I didn’t know. Nor did I really care about her or her ridiculous wigs.
I giggled softly and a hand brushed my cheek.
I looked up and golden eyes met mine. Creator above, how I—
“You feel divine, Moonbeam.” Aurelius’s voice was in my ear, his body on mine—
No!
I jerked away from the thought but not his hand.Neverhis hand. I could hear his beautiful ichor thrumming powerfully inside, waiting for me.
My mouth watered. “Please,” I whispered.
He chuckled before he softly scolded me. “Later, Aurelia, when the coronation is over.”
I blew out a dissatisfied breath and watched as the priestess who conducted morning praise and a young woman approached us. Just like everything else in this room, the gilded robes the priestess wore were so incredibly beautiful—the way they shimmered reminded me of the kiss of sunlight upon glittering waters. The young woman beside her carried a red pillow with a ruby and gold crown sitting proudly on top. Tall spires raised from the crown, matching the ones on the top of the throne. Carefully, the priestess raised the crown for all to see before she placed it on Aurelius’s head.
“I pronounce thee King Aurelius, lord and protector of Edenvale,” she said, taking a step back.
The people cheered, their clapping like thunder in my ears.
A string quartet started to play, and the applause wicked out. The combination of the violin, cello, and viola were lovely, and if my wobbly legs would allow me, I would have danced.
I looked to the vast crowd, finding a familiar face.
Arkyn was sitting in the front row, his eyes fixed on me.
His expression—I had neverseenhim look so sad.
And for the life of me, I couldn’t understand why.
Sage
Metal scraped against my teeth as something was shoved down my throat, triggering my gag reflex. I choked and my stomach clenched, seconds away from squeezing its contents up my esophagus and launching them out.
Whatever it was slid from my mouth, and I was jerked upright and onto my side, my eyelids flaring wide open. Hands held my hair back as I vomited copious amounts of gold liquid all over the fur blanket that reminded me of a lion’s hide.
Tears pricked my burning eyes. The vile smell of the acidic contents stung my nostrils, giving my stomach another violent churn.
