Into the Rapture (The Arcadians Book 3)

by Laurie Roma

  Jasyn glared at his brother. “Why would you worry her?”

  “Because she needs to know if they try to cause problems, she could bring a claim against them as well,” Aeron explained. “They should have never touched you, princess.”

  “It does not matter if they are gone.” When both males growled at her statement, she said, “I do not want to spend any more time thinking of them.”

  Jasyn huffed out a breath, then gave in with a smile. “You are right. We have far more pleasant things to think about, like how much you enjoyed the festival.”

  “And how much you disliked being there.” She laughed. “Admit it. You hated being surrounded by all of those people.”

  “They did not have to get so close in order to speak to you.”

  “Oh, aye. I suppose I could have shouted at them from on top of the wall.” When he just grunted in response, she laughed. “Thank you for accompanying me. I wish we had more time at the festival. There are so many people I did not get to meet.”

  “That will have to wait for another day. Now you can speak to me while I escort you upstairs,” Aeron announced as he took her arm. “Run along, Jasyn. Your time with her is over for now.”

  Jasyn growled and grumbled as Aeron led her away.

  Laughing again, Liandra whispered, “That was mean.”

  “Aye, it was,” he agreed cheerfully.

  They made their way into the palace, then Aeron led her up the stairs. Most of their guests were staying in chambers located on the second floor on the other side of the palace, but they still had guards standing watch at the base of the stairway that led up to the next level where the family’s residences were located. Aeron nodded to the guards, then all but dragged her up to the next level. Liandra had to run down the corridor to keep up with him, but her breathless laughter assured him that she wasn’t bothered by the quick pace.

  “What is your hurry, Aeron? Mother will understand if I am a few minutes late.”

  “It is not that.” He glanced down the hallway, then opened the door to a private lounge and pulled her inside.

  Liandra watched as he slammed the door shut. He leaned back against it as if trying to keep a dozen invaders on the other side. His behavior baffled her, but she would never complain about having a few moments alone with him. Spending time with Jasyn had been a joy, yet they had been surrounded by people the entire time. Even though she had a wonderful time at the festival, she would have rather spent the day alone with Braden, Jasyn, and Aeron. It had been a long time since she’d had the three of them to herself, and she missed the days when they had followed her everywhere.

  Instead of wearing his long, dark-brown hair flowing free as Jasyn had, Aeron had fashioned two warrior’s braids at his temples. When she was a youngling, he had let her braid his hair more times than she could count, and she longed to run her fingers through his silky locks again.

  “I see Jasyn gave you his gift.”

  She glanced down at the bracelet on her wrist and smiled as she stroked her fingers over the metal. “Aye. I love it.”

  Pushing away from the door, he stalked forward slowly. “I thought I would steal this time to give you my gift. I cannot be outdone by my own brother, can I?”

  “You…” She cleared her throat and tried again. “The three of you usually give me something together, so I did not know…”

  “Nay, little princess. This birthday is an important one, so each of us decided to gift you with something we made.”

  “Oh,” she breathed out, touched by their thoughtfulness. She smiled shyly at him. “What did you make for me, Aeron?”

  His silver eyes glowed bright with amusement. “You are very impatient.”

  “You cannot tease me by telling me you made me something, then not give it to me.”

  “Princess, I would never dream of teasing you,” he said softly. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled something out but kept it hidden in his hand. “Close your eyes.”

  She did as he asked without hesitation, trusting him completely. She was surprised when he lifted the arm that she wore the bracelet on, but she relaxed as he placed her palm on his chest. The desire to feel his skin against hers was too great to deny, so she shifted her hand to the side and slipped the pads of her fingertip into the opening of his vest. She let out a purring sound she had never made before as she felt the warmth of his skin. Startled, she almost gave in to the temptation to open her eyes.

  “Keep those pretty eyes closed, princess. Do not open them until I tell you.”

  Nodding to let him know that she would obey, she took a deep breath and said, “I do not know what that sound was. I do not think I have ever made it before.”

  “Sure you have.”

  “I…have?”

  “Aye.”

  When he didn’t explain, she was too embarrassed to ask him about it. She was distracted when she felt him slip something on her three middle fingers. Curiosity was killing her, but she kept her eyes closed. She felt him touching the bracelet on her wrist, and for a moment she thought he would remove the cuff, then he pulled his hands away. She felt a whisper of movement as if he had brushed his fingers against her cheek. She wanted to lean into his touch, but it was gone before she got the chance.

  “Open your eyes, Liandra.”

  Aeron watched as her thick lashes fluttered, then her glowing gold gaze met his. He was immensely pleased that she had looked to him before glancing down at the rings he had placed on her fingers. He had crafted three rings for her, one made of gold, one of bronze, and one of silver, with delicate chains attaching each ring to the bracelet on her wrist. The silver ring on her middle finger was larger than the other two and held a large firestone in the center.

  He had carefully engraved designs on each of the rings. The intricate work had taken weeks to complete, though no one but his brothers would ever know the words he had hidden in each design.

  We on the bronze

  Love on the silver.

  You on the gold.

  He gave her a nod, and her gaze moved lower. She let out a loud gasp as she lifted her hand away from him to hold it closer to her face. He felt the loss of her touch, but pride filled him when he saw how much she liked her gift. When her gaze met his again, tears filled her eyes.

  “Oh, Aeron…”

  He wasn’t sure if she truly understood the significance of the gift he’d given her. Rings held no meaning beyond mere decoration on Arcadia, but on Earth where the new princess was from, they meant a claiming. It was a symbol of ownership, of belonging, and if it was the only claim they could make on her, then it would have to be enough.

  “Do you like them?”

  “Nay, I do not like them. I love them. Of all the things you could have given me, nothing could possibly be more perfect. They are beyond beautiful, and I—” Her words cut off as she choked on a sob.

  She flung herself at him, and he welcomed her with open arms. He let her cry, feeling his heart break a little even though he knew they were happy tears. He stroked a hand down her thick braid. He hated seeing her glossy black hair pulled back, and wished it was flowing loose as she preferred. Before he realized what he was doing, he had pulled the tie from the end and had begun unraveling the braid. She laughed a little and pulled back to look down at her hand again.

  “Thank you so much, Aeron. I will treasure your gift until the end of my days.”

  “I am very glad you like them. See, if you clench your fist, the metal chains will flex with your movement. You do not need to worry about breaking them.”

  She blinked in surprise. “How—?”

  “The metal has been treated with magic. Cael helped with our request,” he said, mentioning one of her eldest brothers.

  “Did he know what you were making for me?”

  “Nay. If we told him, we ran the risk of him stopping us before we finished our projects.”

  “I am sure he would have been pleased you made me something so beautiful.” Liandra rested he
r head on his chest again and wrapped her arms around his waist. “I forgot. I never did use the gift you gave me for my last birthday.”

  That was a lie. She had never forgotten about their gift. They had given her an open-ended favor of her choosing, and she had been waiting for the right moment to use it. It was a rare boon for any warrior to offer, and she hadn’t wanted to waste it. His laughter rumbled in his chest, and the deep sound made her smile.

  “One gift is not enough for you?”

  “I am feeling very greedy today.”

  He laughed again, then rubbed his hands over her back. “Alright. Tell me what the favor is you ask of me.”

  Here goes nothing, she thought. Gathering her courage, she whispered, “I would like for you to give me my first kiss.”

  His hands stilled on her back, and she felt his body stiffen. The beat of his heart increased, but she wasn’t sure if that was a good sign or a bad one. She released her hold on him and took a step back. Pulling at the ties of her cloak, she let the material fall to the floor. He let out a vicious snarl, and his silver eyes glowed bright with anger.

  “What in hellfire are you wearing?”

  “I thought it would protect me while I was outside of the palace. I am far more covered in this than a dress.”

  “Well, you thought wrong. Did anybody see without your cloak on?”

  “Nay, they did not.” She had expected him to be amused by her new look, not angry. “You do not like it?”

  “I did not say that.”

  “So, you do like it?” she asked, pushing him.

  “I do, but I do not like thinking about anyone else seeing you.”

  “Except for Jasyn and Braden,” she corrected softly.

  His jaw clenched, and as the silence continued, her resolve began to falter. How foolish she must seem to him dressing like a warrior and begging him to kiss her. Asking him to fulfill a favor he owed her meant he couldn’t refuse, and she had been fine with that before she had actually spoken the words.

  Did she really want to force him to kiss her?

  “I apologize. It was wrong of me to ask—”

  “I would risk death to kiss you.” The words were harsh, as if the admission was torn from his throat.

  Fear filled her at the mention of death. “I would never do anything to cause you harm. Forget I mentioned it.”

  “Nay, princess.” He shook his head. “I cannot forget. There is no going back now. I need to be sure you understand what you are asking of me.”

  Her pulse quickened as he wrapped his hand around her neck, slowly drawing her closer to him. He tilted her face up with his thumb, then stroked his fingers along her jaw, making her entire body tingle. “Aeron…”

  “When you say my name like that, I always think about kissing you,” he growled.

  “Y-you do?”

  “Aye, I do…every fucking time. My little princess, I would give you anything you want. A kiss? I would give you a million if I could, but I dare only take one. The one you have asked for.”

  Before she could fully prepare herself, he pressed his mouth against hers. The gentle touch was a shock to her system. His lips were softer than she ever imagined, yet they had the power to shift everything into focus for her. Fire raced through her bloodstream, and energy sizzled along her skin. This was so much more than just a kiss. It was a claiming. She had been waiting her entire life for this moment, for confirmation that what she felt in her heart was true, was right.

  She silently rejoiced when he picked her up and wrapped his arms around her in a possessive hold, and she threw her arms around his neck. Instinct made her want to bite down on his lower lip to take his blood inside of her. She wanted a blood bond with him so bad she could taste it, but it would be far too dangerous for both of them if she gave in to her desire. Without a full mating, any blood bond between them would fade over time, though they still couldn’t risk it.

  Pushing that dream aside for now, she let herself sink into the kiss. She wrapped her legs around his waist and held on tight as he turned and pressed her back against the wall. He let out a low growl as he took the kiss deeper. She opened for him, gladly welcoming his tongue inside her mouth when he shoved it deep. Unsure what to do, she followed his lead and stroked her own tongue against his.

  Loving the taste of him, she moaned in pleasure. The sound changed to that strange purring that rumbled deep in her chest. He pressed closer as she writhed against him. She cursed the layers of clothing that separated them when she felt his hard shaft against her heated core. She wanted to feel his skin against hers and cover herself in his scent, but she settled for rubbing against him to try to ease the ache building inside of her.

  He tore his mouth away and let out a vicious curse. She expected him to let her go, but he just leaned his forehead against hers and panted for breath instead. His deep voice sounded like he had swallowed jagged metal shards when he said, “We cannot do this. It cannot be, no matter how much we wish it.”

  She lifted her hands to stroke his cheeks and closed her eyes. “We will find a way to make it so,” she vowed as a single tear slid down her cheek. “We have to.”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  “Daughter, you look wonderful!”

  Liandra came to a stop halfway across her mother’s private sitting room. She glanced down and realized she hadn’t changed her clothing as she had planned. However, the queen’s warm smile of welcome made her relax as she continued out onto the open balcony where her mother waited.

  Queen Kyriani’s words were surprising, and they warmed her heart in a way she hadn’t expected. Her already rioting emotions made her want to cry, and she barely fought the urge back. She didn’t want to scare her mother, and she certainly didn’t want to call attention to her chaotic thoughts.

  Aeron had distanced himself from her after he’d abruptly ended their kiss. It hurt, though she understood why he did it. They had both stayed silent as he had escorted her to the top level of the palace where her mother and fathers resided. Truthfully, she needed a little distance from him as well.

  She had asked for the kiss, but there was nothing simple about their passionate encounter. And now that she’d tasted him, all she wanted to do was hold on and never let go. The intense look he had given her before she had left him told her that he felt the same way. That would have to be enough to keep her going until they found a way to be together.

  Liandra kissed both of her mother’s cheeks in greeting, then pulled back to simply look at her. Time had been extremely generous to Kyriani, making her seem more like her sister than her mother. They had the same features and were of similar height, though the queen had a grace and refinement that came from wearing the mantel of leadership over many cycles.

  “Forgive me, mother. I should have changed before joining you.”

  “Nonsense. I love seeing you looking so formidable,” Kyriani said, her glowing gold eyes bright with amusement. “Your fathers and brothers would growl themselves into a frenzy if they saw you.”

  Their eyes met, then they both burst out into peals of laughter.

  “It would almost be worth it to see their expressions,” Liandra snickered. “Though, I would not enjoy the lecture that would be sure to follow. You look lovely as always, mother.”

  While she had once worn dresses made of transparent cloth as most females did in the Sands, the queen now only wore gowns made from a special fabric that was made by the cilla worms found in the Western Forest. Her beautiful, red gown shimmered with a gold sheen, and the thicker material shielded her assets even though it fit her like a second skin. The gold torque around her neck with three large firestones set into the metal was the only jewelry she wore, and gold sandals graced her feet and wrapped halfway up her calves.

  “Thank you, little one. Come, let us sit. We are just waiting for Allie and Raven. I have arranged this private birthday celebration for us and have declared there are to be no males allowed this evening.”

  “Bliss,” Liandra
said with an exaggerated sigh. Now it made sense why there had been three guards loitering by the entrance at the base of the steps that led up to the queen and kings quarters. Even if the males weren’t allowed, they had ensured that the females would remain safe.

  Kyriani laughed again as she led the way to the sitting area. Once they were seated, Liandra smiled when she saw that all of her favorite foods were laid out on the large table. The palace cooks had outdone themselves, and she felt guilty that such a feast had been prepared for such a small party. Then again, Allie and Raven were pregnant and always seemed to be hungry.

  “I commandeered a bottle of the ajuka wine we brought back the last time we visited the Isle of Mist. Your fathers will pout about it, especially when they discover that the visiting kings gifted you a case in honor of your birthday since they remembered it was your favorite,” Kyriani mentioned as she poured them both a goblet.

  Liandra stared down at the glowing white liquid before lifting it to taste the sweet wine. “It was kind of them to bring it to me.”

  “I sense trouble in your heart, beloved. Will you share your burden with me?”

  Liandra surprised them both by bursting into tears. As her mother stood up, she held her hand up to stop her from coming any closer. “I cannot. And please do not look into my mind. If fathers find out what I am thinking, they will be furious.”

  Ignoring the warning, Kyriani moved over to sit next to her on the chaise. “There is something that I have never told you, but I see that the time has come to share. On the day of your birth and that of your brothers, your fathers and I visited the Crystal Temple to thank the Goddess of the Moons for gifting us our younglings. We asked that she watch over you to ensure your health and happiness, and wished that you would all find your true mates.”

  “You have told us. It is customary to ask that of the Goddess.” Liandra said, wiping her cheeks with the back of her hand. “But that is all it is…wishing.”

  “Some of our people believe that true mates are nothing more than a myth, though I know it is real since I found mine. Others have not been as fortunate. We know from history that mates can be born during different times or on different worlds.”