by Elena Lawson
Chapter Thirty-Four
Alaric sent Kade and Finn back to their chambers to rest and instructed Tiernan to take one of the vacant rooms next to theirs. He would have his belongings moved down tomorrow. Reluctantly, I let my males go, already anticipating when I’d see them again—afraid to let them out of my sight for even a moment.
In only a few hours, Ronan would be hanged, and both threats against me will have been eradicated. At least, both threats from within the palace walls. Thana’s words repeated in my head, poisoning my thoughts with doubt. It’s time for him to reclaim what’s his.
His.
The Mad King.
The sentries Alaric sent out returned with disturbing news. They found three of the missing Fae. Dead—each stabbed in the chest, their bodies left to desiccate on the cliffside. I had a suspicion I knew who’d stabbed them and for what purpose. The Blessed Blade was not a myth. I had seen it. And it was the Mad King who intended to wield it. With the blade he could steal a Grace from any Fae he pleased. But he wanted my Graces.
I twirled the ring on my finger again, feeling its sentient pulse again. The blade wasn’t complete without the dragon’s eye stone. And I was willing to wager, the Mad King couldn’t do what he had planned—whatever that was—without it. Never take it off, Morgana had told me. And so, I never would. I would die before I let it fall into his hands.
I would have to tell Alaric, eventually. But for now, I wanted him to have a reprieve from the constant worry and stress. Tomorrow. I would tell him tomorrow and we would figure it out together. The five of us. I wouldn’t let anything tear us apart—never again.
We stared out into the bright dawn of a new day as it filled the sky with golden light. Alaric pulled me to him, wrapping me in his warm embrace, rubbing warmth back into my arms.
“Everything is going to be alright,” he told me, and I turned to find a deep sincerity in his steady gaze.
I tried to smile. I wanted to agree with him, but knew the danger was far from over.
Alaric tucked my hair behind my ears, cupping my face in his large hand. Devotion and fear filled me as his Grace flowed from his hand into the core of my being. Slowly, he kissed me—tenderly and with so much passion my chest tightened and legs trembled.
He pulled away, but kept his forehead pressed against mine, “I’m sorry,” he whispered against my lips, “I should have been there.”
I hushed him with a finger pressed lightly against his mouth, “What happened wasn’t your fault, or Kade’s—it’s mine. I should have trusted you about Thana, and I should’ve known something wasn’t right. I just didn’t want to believe it—I still don’t.”
“Liana—” he started, but I didn’t want to talk about it anymore. I knotted my hand into his hair and pulled him to me hard and fast. His resolve broke and he kissed me hungrily, igniting something deep within. My pulse pounded and my hands hook where they clutched his back, my nails biting down into the leather of his vest.
He moaned, and my sex wetted in response, expectant. I fumbled with the clasps on his vest, and he tugged it off—baring his toned chest and abdomen. He shuddered as I ran my fingers down the length of his tan skin, emitting an animal-like sound.
Reaching lower, I tugged at the belt holding up his trousers, and he stilled, bringing his hands down to cover mine.
“Liana, wait,” he said, his breaths hard and voice raspy, “We can’t. I won’t force you to bed me first. It was wrong of me to ask that of you,” he sighed, his face reddening, “I was jealous.”
I could feel the proud length of him growing beneath my hands, only the thin material of his trousers separating us. Force me? No. “I want you. I’ve wanted you since the first moment I saw you.”
He licked his lips and brought my hands up to his lips, kissing each one of my fingers, making gooseflesh rise on my skin. I swallowed, trying to concentrate on breathing. The desire he’d awakened within me smoldered, and the need was becoming almost painful.
Gritting his teeth, Alaric tore himself away from me and dragged in a shaky breath, “You need to rest, my queen. You’ll need your strength for what I intend to do to you.”
Follow Liana’s story in Bound by Secret, The Queen’s Consorts Book 2