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Strong arms wrap around my shoulders, and I twist my head back to peer up at him. “More than ready.”
Snatching me up in his arms, he flies us back to the castle where everyone waits. They stand around, talking among themselves in the main room when we enter through the double doors. All eyes land on us when Draven sets me back on my feet.
Cora rushes to me, throwing her arms around me. “Are you sure?”
With a wide smile, I nod against her shoulder. She asked me this the first time I had brought it up to her.
“There is no one else I’d want more to take the throne of Asov. Plus, I think it’s time for a queen to reign.” She is perfect for the role. I trust her with my life, and so do the people of Asov. They know her like a friend from when she would go through the village and help heal them, only to then check up on how they are doing. She’s earned their respect and kindness all on her own. And most of the people still view me as their princess, standing with me for my decision.
I hear her sniffle before she hugs me tighter. “But only until you come back, okay? When you are ready, it is yours. It always has been, but I’ll just warm your seat until then.”
My eyes find Fynn over her shoulder, arms crossed and smiling. His hazel eyes glisten, gaze fixated on Cora, until he raises them to meet mine. “I’ll be by her side the whole time. She won’t be alone.” He winks. This time it doesn’t feel like it’s a wink for amusement, but instead a promise that she will be cared for.
I see Emil go to his brother and I watch them say their “see you later” with a long hug.
When Cora steps away, Queen Zoraida is there, pulling me in. “Do you have another book with a cryptic message in it for me?” I ask.
Her singsong laughter fills the air. “No, my dear, I’m afraid not.” When she lets go, she brushes both of her hands down the side of my head, smoothing my hair in a motherly gesture. “Cherish every second and don’t let my son get away with stuff too easily.”
A giggle leaves my lips, followed by heat rising to my cheeks. The thought of his mother knowing what will happen once we leave has me feeling the need to hide behind a curtain of my hair. But she is still stroking my head with a gentle smile, and I swallow down the lump of embarrassment.
“I won’t,” I choke out as Draven snakes one of his arms around my waist and pulls me away, my back crushing into his chest.
“Now, if you will excuse us, it’s time for me to steal my mate away so I can have her all to myself.”
His mother steps forward to smack him on the shoulder. I have to stifle a laugh because it’s so unqueen-like and it makes my heart warm in my chest.
“Go, go, go.” She throws her hands up with an amused huff. “Maybe you will even bless me with a grandchild when you come back.” She looks at us from the side of her eyes, with both eyebrows raised.
“And that’s our cue,” Fynn cuts in with a wave of his hand. Gold shimmers beside him and Cora, opening a portal to the palace of Asov, where they will rule. He quickly walks over, wrapping both arms around me and Draven, squashing me in the process as I get sandwiched between them. “Don’t be good,” he whispers to us before spinning around, grabbing Cora’s hand, and walking through the portal with a final wave.
The gold power falls to the floor like dust when it seals shut and then suddenly, I’m hauled up in Draven’s arms. “I can just shadow portal us there,” I say into his neck as I snuggle in closer to him.
His response is to hold me tighter. “But this way allows me to have my hands on you for longer, so we will be flying.”
I don’t argue because I prefer this way of travel, too. There is a whole world to explore, and flying with the clouds lets you see everything some can only dream about. Just like I used to.
With a final farewell, Draven has us air-bound, slowing his speed as we glide under the dying sun.
“I’ve changed a few things for us,” Draven says almost hesitantly as we land in the Caves of Tsisana. I step farther into our temporary home, and where there once was a couch is now a four-poster bed with lanterns lit on each side.
“I’ve stocked all the food we will need and brought all our other necessities. There is a wardrobe full of clothes for you in the back room, but I don’t think you will be needing those much.”
Biting my lip, I dip my head to hold back my smile, but I can’t stop my eyes from taking it all in. It’s beautiful, and he really did think of everything and more. With all that we have been through, some time away together is desperately needed. He wants me to experience freedom without being tied down to anything or having anyone try to harm me. To see what it feels like to truly live without worries as we start our forever together.
Turning around to face him, my heart thuds wildly in my chest at the sight. Just like the first time he brought me here, he stands tall and is covered in dark shadows. Small flakes of snow drift behind him outside, with a bluish-purple twilight sky as his backdrop.
The orange glow from the lanterns contour over the sharp angles of his face. My eyes drop to his lips that are parted, almost begging to be kissed.
Slowly, I walk to him, and when my hardened nipples press against his chest, I push up on my toes and softly touch my lips to his. The muscles in his chest expand with a growl and he wraps his arms roughly around me. One grips the nape of my neck and the other presses hard into my lower back before sliding down and palming my backside with a stinging squeeze.
His mouth devours mine, guiding me backward until the back of my knees hit the bed and shoves me on it. My body jumps when I hit the mattress, but then he’s there, aligning his hard frame to mine. I spread my legs wide, allowing him room to shift his hips, pressing the hard ridge of his cock right where I need him most.
With a nip of my lip, he rears back to look down at me with a smirk. “Do you trust me?”
I lift my head enough to grab his bottom lip with my teeth and pull. “With my whole life.”
In the next breath, he’s tearing at my clothing, ripping it clean off my body before dropping to his knees to yank off my boots. His clothes fall to the ground next, and I push up on my elbows to watch with half-lidded eyes as he grabs my ankle and starts trailing kisses up my calf, licking and sucking as he inches closer to my center.
