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“I love you, too,” I whispered against her hair.
The whisper of the trees seemed to quiet as if leaning in to listen to our conversation. Kael, her eyes wide and searching, drew herself closer to me. Beneath us, the soft blanket bore witness to our passion—leaves, and twigs spread across it with our clothing. Exhaustion tugged at my limbs, the toll of guiding Kael through her intense transition. Yet there was an undeniable lightness in my heart, a profound contentment I’d never experienced before.
“We should go back, but I don’t want to,” she murmured, snuggling deeper into my arms. “Not yet.”
“Then we won’t.” I brushed a kiss over her soft lips, feeling an answering flutter.
The sun painted the sky in a myriad of reds and golds. The scent of pine, strong and refreshing, wafted through the air, mingling with the earthy aroma of the forest floor. Birds chirped their evening songs, creating a soothing melody that complemented the distant rustle of leaves. We were ensconced in a secluded clearing, the thick canopies above us acting as a barrier to the world outside. We lay there for hours, the silence between us comforting as we drifted off to sleep. Our bond deepened, our connection making everything around us fade into insignificance. I knew we couldn’t stay here forever—that there was an army on the other side of the woods waiting for us—but at this moment; it was just for us.
I awoke sometime later, Kael still nestled against me. The moons hung in the sky, golden and heavy, and my heart swelled with love as I watched the moonlight dance across her features. I couldn’t take my eyes away from her; a profound peace filled me that went beyond anything I’d ever experienced before.
Running my fingers through Kael’s hair, I traced the delicate lines of her face with my fingertip. She smiled in her sleep, and a wave of emotion surged through me. This is what everything in my life had been leading toward. And if it meant having Kael, I’d go through all of it again. It was time for us to go back.
Kael stirred beside me and brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. “Let’s go to the river. I need a bath.”
I hummed. “Mmm. I like the sound of that.”
She raised a sleepy brow. “You can’t possibly still want to have sex after the last day.”
I rolled over her, grinding my swiftly hardening cock against her core and making her gasp. “I’ll always want you,Sihaya.”
She smiled up at me, pulling me down for a kiss. “Bath, first.”
Taking Kael’s hand in mine, I tugged her to me and stood up, leading her to the river at the edge of the clearing. When we reached the stream, I gestured for Kael to enter the shallow waters first as I followed behind. She stood motionless while I moved closer to her, my feet sinking into the soft sand beneath us.
“I haven’t swum in a river since Caurium,” she whispered.
Guilt filled me, sharp and astringent. “I’m so sorry, love. It was—I should have never done those things. Been that man.”
“I can feel your remorse, your pain,” she breathed. Her eyes searched mine. “I forgive you, Theron. For everything. I understand now that you were trying to survive, just like me.”
Leaning down, I pressed my forehead against hers. “I don’t deserve you.”
“You do. And I’ll spend the rest of my life showing you the man I see when I look at you.”
Acceptance pulsed within our bond, an understanding and love so deep that it stole my breath.
“Come here.” I guided her further into the water, lathering the bar of soap. I carefully washed away any traces of dirt from her skin and hair as she closed her eyes, leaning back against me.
My hands drifted to her breasts and stomach, massaging and caressing her as her body relaxed beneath me. Kael gasped, her arousal rising with each movement of my fingertips. I teased her until she shuddered against me, unable to contain the pleasure coursing through her.
“Theron,” she groaned, rolling her hips.
I reached down and lifted Kael into my arms. Her soft skin pressed against mine as our lips locked in a passionate kiss. We moved together in the water, savoring every moment that we shared in each other’s embrace. Nothing else mattered; all that existed was us and our love for one another.
The moonlight shone down on us, illuminating us in its soft white glow as we moved together, lost in each other until there wasn’t anything else left.
Kael clung to me, crying out my name as she came, the stars reflected in her eyes.
“Kaella,” I whispered, more fervent than any prayer I’d ever uttered, as I swore to do anything to protect her.
Kael stretched, leisurely putting on her armor once more as I watched her, admiring her sleek curves. We’d slept through the night, tangled in each other once more but without the urgent need arising as it had before. This was sweeter and softer, something I’d never felt before.
“So I was thinking,” Kael began. I made a noise in my throat to show her I was listening, and she continued. “What does it mean to be mates? Isn’t there some type of ceremony? Are we fully mated now or is there something else we have to do?”
“Uh.” Shit. What if we weren’t? “I don’t know. I’ve never met a mated pair of elves. After the Lightcurse, things were unstable, and we lost a lot of our people. Add to it that no one’s found a mate since then...” I shrugged. “Tons of our history was lost. Purposefully in some instances.”
She strapped on her sword, frowning. “Well, that’s annoying.”
