AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Then we’d take precautions.” He shrugged. “You’re everything I’ve ever wanted, Kaella. I want to give you the life you choose. If that includes children, I’ll happily raise them, giving them all the love and affection that was denied to me growing up.” He ran the back of his hand over my cheek. “And if you don’t, then I’ll make Oz my heir and it’ll be his problem. “
I laughed, my eyes hot as tears threatened. “Good luck tearing him away from his books long enough to make an heir.”
He chuckled, his thumb brushing over my cheekbone. “So no children?”
My brows drew into a line as I thought. I imagined little girls with black hair and green eyes tormenting their brothers, how Theron would laugh and play as he taught them to spar. “Yes, children. One day. I’ll need something to occupy my time while you’re stuck in meetings, ignoring me all day.” I grinned at his faux-outrage as he put his hand on his chest.
“As if meetings could keep me away from my mate.” He leaned closer, his lips brushing the shell of my ear. “You’ll be right beside me, stuck in all those meetings with me.” His eyes turned wicked. “On my lap.”
I laughed. “I’m pretty sure that’s not how ruling works.”
Theron chuckled low, his breath hot against my ear. “It works, however we say it works.”
I shivered as his fingers slid around my waist, pulling me tight against his chest. The heat of his body seeped into mine, easing my hurts. It was hard to believe that just a few days ago; I had been lying bleeding and broken on the ground.
Theron must have sensed my thoughts because he pulled back, his hands on my shoulders as he looked into my eyes. “I can’t survive without you, love. The man I’d become—“ He shook his head. “I can’t lose you.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” I whispered, my hand coming up to cup his cheek. “Promise.”
He leaned into my touch, his eyes closing as he let out a shuddering breath. “Good.”
I pressed my lips to his in a gentle kiss. It was slow and sweet as if we had all the time in the world. At that moment, there was nothing else but us, nothing else but our love.
As we pulled away, Theron’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “You know what would make this moment even better?” he murmured, his hands sliding down my arms to intertwine with mine.
“What?” I asked, a smile tugging at my lips.
“A bath.”
I raised a brow. “A bath?”
He grinned. “Aspongebath.”
I laughed, a thrill running through me at the thought of his hands on my body, washing away the grime of battle and soothing my aches. “I don’t think that’s what Haemir meant by ‘resting.’”
“Strictly for healing purposes,” he swore, his eyes twinkling.
“Deal.”
He chuckled, already reaching for the soap.
Chapter 21
Theron
Thesunstretcheditsgolden rays over the camp, causing the dew-kissed tents to shimmer in the early light. I strode through the makeshift pathways between shelters, eager to return to my mate and bed. The fields we occupied, once abundant with wheat, had been trampled to mud by our temporary settlement. The distant mountains stood as silent, immovable sentinels of my makeshift army.
I’d left Kael sleeping while I went to check in with Raenisa before her watch ended, and I was eager to return before she woke. Her recovery had been steady, her body gaining strength day by day, but being away from her still made me anxious. It didn’t matter that I could see the restless fire in her eyes, a desire to move, to act—I needed to know that she was alright before we moved out. Because once we did... we were only days away from Hundaelr.
However, those weren’t the only concerns weighing heavy on my heart. The tension amongst the troops was like a brewing storm. The rebels and elves from Adraedor had forged a tenuous, cautious alliance. Yet the soldiers I’d gained from Caelia showed no inkling of respect towards them. It was a delicate balance within the camp, each faction threatening to break the fragile peace we had.
As I approached my tent, I overheard an elven soldier I didn’t recognize, his voice laced with contempt, call out to a passing woman.
Fuck.
Roza turned to regard the male, her scales shimmering in the early morning light.
“What?” Her demeanor was as sharp as the knives she wielded.
