by E. L. Todd
His arm was hooked around her waist, keeping her close to his chest, the inside of her thigh propped on his hip. A boyish grin spread across his face. “You think those asshole frogs are cute?”
“I said kinda—”
“They’re assholes.”
She chuckled. “Come on, if someone came to your home, wouldn’t you do the same?”
“Would I jump ten feet in the air as I chased them and spit poison on them? No…wouldn’t do that.”
She laughed.
“Would I roar like a bear and make that pissed-off face that they do? No.”
She laughed again, remembering the way their entire faces twitched and tightened in their rage. “They’re pretty colors, though”
He shook his head. “They try to look all cute so you come close.”
“Well, their poison seems to be the only thing that can kill Shamans, so they’re our new best friends.”
“Uh, more like resources.”
“I guess there’s a clan that lives in Eden Star. I was able to bargain for asylum by telling them that the poison is lethal to the Shamans. But the elves won’t cause harm to any living creature, so it was pretty much useless to them.”
“That’s idiotic.”
“They just respect all living things.”
“Sure, I get that. But you gotta do what you gotta do sometimes.” His arm pulled her slightly, feeling the deep curve of her lower back, making sure that she was real and that this wasn’t one of his fantasies that Flare would tease him for later. He’d become frozen in his youth when he’d fused with Flare, his body preserved at its strongest for battle, and his handsomeness was also maintained. He used it to his advantage every chance he got. But he’d never encountered a woman like Cora, with beauty as flawless as the perfect blossom, with emotion that danced across her eyes like words on a page.
Her arm was around his torso on top of his shirt, her palm flattened against the center of his spine. When her guard was down, she was even more beautiful, all the features of her face losing their tightness.
She blinked her eyes a couple times, her fatigue setting in.
He was tired too, but he wanted to cherish every moment they had together. “How are things with Ashe?”
She opened her eyes wider at the mention of his name. “He searched my mind today.”
“It’s an uncomfortable experience, huh?”
“It was weird at first, but it got easier the second time.”
“The second time? Why would he need to go into your mind twice? You’ve lived so few years.”
“He came across the memory of when I was left outside my village. I asked him to look at it again—to see if I could see something useful.”
“And?”
Her eyes turned sad.
His hand instinctively slid into her hair and cupped her cheek.
“Dorian lied to me…”
His body winced when he heard the pain in her words.
“I’d asked if he still had the letter, and he said no. I asked if he knew what it said, and he said no. But I don’t believe either of those answers.”
“Did you get a look at the person who left you?”
“No. But I think it was my mother.”
“No way to know that. Could have just been a messenger.”
“Perhaps. But I would know for certain if Dorian would just tell me…”
“I’ve seen his love for you. I can’t imagine why he would deceive you.” Rush had watched him give every coin he’d saved so Cora would have what she needed while on the run. Affection like that couldn’t be faked.
“Neither can I.”
“When we return to Anastille, we’ll have to make a trip to your village.”
Her eyes lit up. “Really? It’s probably too risky.”
“I’m sure it’ll be risky. But I think this information is important.”
“Why?”
“Because your mother is the key that we’re missing.”
Rush held the sword at his side and faced her.
She wore a blank look on her face.
“You don’t look ready.”
“Are we using swords?” she asked incredulously.
“Yes. That’s how you train.”
“Well…Callon and I use branches. Says I’m not good enough for the sword.” She looked at it in her hand as she moved her wrist, examining it like she didn’t know what to do with it.
“Let’s give it a try and see.” He came at her and aimed his sword for her shoulder.
She blocked it and parried back, but her movements were awkward.
Rush toned down his attack, realizing she wasn’t as skilled as he’d hoped she would be.
Only when he gave a small percent of his abilities could she keep up with him.
He lowered his sword to his side. “Um, how long did you train with them?”
She dropped her hand to her hips and gave him a furious look. “Yes, I suck. I’m aware. He doesn’t hesitate to tell me the same thing.”
“Question is…why do you suck? Your footwork is good. Your balance is great. But…it’s like you don’t know what to do with the sword.”
“Like I said, we’ve only used branches. Now you understand why Callon insisted on coming with me to Rock Island.”
“Yeah, we’d be dead if he hadn’t.”
Her eyes narrowed further.
He smiled as he sheathed his sword and came toward her. “You’re cute when you’re angry.”
“Then you must think I’m cute all the time—because I’m always angry around you.”
His arms circled her waist, and he pulled her close, giving her a slow and purposeful kiss. His mouth moved with hers before he gave her his tongue, feeling her body receive it before she returned it. Back and forth they went, their mouths moving together like they were made for each other. His hand trailed down to her ass and gave it a squeeze.
She pulled away and smacked his arm.
He grinned. “Come on, you liked it.”
She grabbed him by the shirt and tugged him into her lips again.
He chuckled against her mouth as he resumed the kiss, his hand moving to her ass once more.
They sat together at the edge of the cliff and watched the sun approach the top of the mist. They’d made dinner over the fire they built, and now they ate their dinner out of the leaf bowls Cora had brought from Eden Star.
Rush never complained about the food again.
“What do you think Bridge is doing right now?”
His forearms rested on his knees as his hands held the bowl of veggies and potatoes. He stirred his fork around and took a few bites. It wasn’t to his liking and it never would be, but having Cora satisfied his appetite in a way food never could. “I’m sure he’s waiting for me at the hideaway with the gang.”
“How long do you think he’ll wait?”
“He knows we’re alive—so forever.”
“Who are the others?”
“The woman is Bridge’s sister.”
She scooped up a forkful of food and placed it into her mouth, the sunshine highlighting her face as it sank over the horizon. “That’s funny. They look nothing alike.”
“Yeah. That’s fortunate for her.”
She chuckled. “She’s really pretty.”
Rush forced another bite into his mouth and watched the sun.
“What does she add to the group?”
“She’s a good sailor. She’s good with a dagger too. A street thief.”
“A thief?” she asked. “Bridge seems so by-the-book.”
“They’re definitely opposite sides of the same coin.”
“And the others?”
“The guy with the glasses is Liam. He’s also a scholar, a dragon enthusiast. Bridge recruited him. Zane is the other guy, and he’s helpful in a lot of ways. It’s not exactly the crew of my dreams, but it’s better than nothing.”
“You’ve got to start somewhere, right?”
“And beggars c
an’t be choosers.”
“Their hearts seem to be in the right place…since they went after you.”
He rolled his eyes. “I wish they hadn’t done that…”
“I’m sure Captain Hurricane helped them escape, so it worked out in the end.”
“My life still isn’t worth theirs.” He finished his bowl and left it to the side. “Ashe comes and goes a lot, doesn’t he?”
“Yeah, I noticed that.”
“What does he do when he’s not with you?”
She shrugged. “No idea. He’s never told me anything personal.”
He kept his eyes on the sun, watched it sink farther down. “If you could convince him to fight with us, it would change everything. And I think you can do it.”
“I don’t know…his decision seems pretty solid.”
“You can change his mind, Cora. I know you can.”
“I appreciate your faith in me, but…I don’t know.”
He turned to regard her, seeing the worry in the tightness of her face.
“Even if I somehow manage to change his mind, which seems impossible, I think I have even less of a chance with the elves.”
“Not when you’re the daughter of a king.” Every time he mentioned Tiberius, he felt the rush of regret. Even before he’d met Cora, he regretted it. Now, that remorse was tenfold. “Not when your uncle is the general.”
“Well…I’m not sure if he’s still the general anymore. The queen threatened to kill him if he returned.”
“She wouldn’t.”
“He thinks so too. But he knows there will be other repercussions.”
“It doesn’t matter because the elves will always respect him.”
“And there’s another problem…”
He continued to watch her.
“He was the one who told me about my father…and I promised him I wouldn’t share it with anyone. I won’t break that promise—so I can’t just return to Eden Star and declare my lineage.”
He released a quiet sigh. “Shit.”
“Yeah.”
He rubbed his jawline as he considered the dilemma, feeling invisible kisses from Cora on his mouth.
“Even if I convince Ashe to change his mind, it won’t matter. We have no chance of winning without both of them. Without Ashe and the dragons of Mist Isle to take on the dragons of the empire, the elves will be slaughtered down below. And without the elves down below dismantling the crossbows, the dragons have no chance. We need them both.”
“And Callon couldn’t change the mind of the queen? They’re related by marriage.”
She shook her head. “She hates me, Rush. She’s not going to do anything to help me.”
“Why does she hate you so much?” he asked. “You know, except the obvious reasons.”
She gave a slight smile at the tease. “Because her husband cheated on her—and made me.”
Rush gave a slight nod and looked forward again. “Yeah, that’ll do it.”
“I’m the worst person to unite the elves and the dragons.”
“No, technically, I am.” They lost their king because he followed orders instead of his heart.
She stared forward and let the tense statement pass. “I can’t think of a scenario where this works.”
Rush watched the sun disappear behind the cloud of mist, the sunlight leaving his face. It left the rest of his body seconds later, plunging him into a lower temperature, the ocean breeze moving up his body. “I have one idea…”
“What?”
“You aren’t going to like it.”
“I don’t have to like it. If it works, that’s all that matters.”
He turned back to her, his happiness dampened by the situation. “Who better to convince the Queen of the Elves than the King of Dragons?”
Her eyes narrowed. “I’m not following…”
“The elves and dragons despise one another, but Ashe has the kind of credibility that both of us lack. If we could get him an audience with the queen, he could sway her.”
“But how would that even be possible? If he flies to Eden Star, they’ll shoot him down.”
“He doesn’t have to fly. He can walk inside.”
Her eyes narrowed again. “Are you speaking English here?”
“Get him to fuse—and you can bring him directly to the queen.”
Her cheeks had been flushed from the sunlight a moment ago, but now they turned pale like a bucket of milk on a farm. “He would never agree to that, Rush—”
“Not with anyone else. But maybe with you.”
“If I even asked the question, he would be insulted.”
“So, ask at the right time.”
“That goes against everything we’re fighting for—”
“It’s not forever. It’s temporary.”
“And even if I somehow managed to pull that off, the elves would exile me for being fused with a dragon and sneaking him behind their borders.”
He gave a nod in agreement. “You’re right. That’s why it’s important that you make friends when you return to Eden Star. You can’t just keep hanging out with Callon all the time. You need to become one of them. Otherwise, you’ll always be an outsider, and they’ll look for any reason to get rid of you.”
“You think I haven’t already tried that?”
“I’m sure you have. But you need to try harder.”
She rolled her eyes. “You don’t understand the elves—”
“But I understand you. And I understand that you make the impossible possible.”
He tugged her closer and yanked her shirt down, exposing her bare shoulder. His lips moved down her neck to the bare skin, kissing the softness and running his tongue over it. Her deepened breaths were audible against his ear—so he knew she liked it.
The fire was behind her, illuminating the skin that he tasted with his lips, casting a beautiful glow to highlight her perfection. His hand moved to her ass and grabbed it, squeezing it through her trousers, his breath shaky because he felt himself descending further into arousal than he’d ever been in his life.
He rested his closed lips against her shoulder and forced his hand to release her cheek. He breathed for a few seconds before he pulled back, returning his head to the pillow they shared.
Ferocious disappointment filled her eyes, her lips parted as if he’d taken her breath away and it hadn’t returned to her lungs. Her fingers were still deep in his arm, pressing into his bicep through his shirt.
His pounding heart was in his throat and blocked his airway. She’d never looked more beautiful than she did like this, when she wanted him the way he wanted her, and he committed it to memory. He never wanted to forget.
Her hand moved to the bottom of his shirt and slid underneath.
He stilled, her hand slightly cold against his warm skin.
Her eyes dropped and watched her movements underneath his shirt, sliding over the mountains and rivers of his stomach and then lifting to the large muscles that made up his chest. She pressed against him, trying to feel how hard he really was. Then she lowered her hand again, grabbed the bottom of the shirt, and slowly pulled it up.
He sucked in a breath before he lifted himself and allowed her to pull the fabric away. It slid up his back and over his head before it dropped to the stone behind the bedroll.
She took him in, her hand gliding up his abs and the rest of his hard body, taking in the sight of him in the firelight.
He gulped deep breaths as he watched her explore him, every nerve in his body on fire, every muscle clenched tightly in euphoria. He felt young and inexperienced, a teenager with his first love interest, where just a single touch was riveting.
She moved on top of him and tucked her leg between his before she kissed him again.
He was ready for it, so he kissed her back as his hand dug into her hair, giving a moan when he felt their mouths come back together as if they’d never been apart.
Thirty-Four
Treasure
A distin
ct thud landed outside.
The ground shook with the vibrations an instant later.
She opened her eyes and saw Rush beside her, shirtless and dead asleep. His chest rose and fell with his deep and even breaths, his handsome face relaxed when he was in the land of dreams.
Get up.
She sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. What time is it?
Noon. Why are you still asleep?
Didn’t get to sleep until late… I’ll be out in a second. She gently moved out of the bedroll then put on her boots.
Rush noticed she was gone the second she moved, and he sat up with eyes half closed, his hair messy from the pillow. “What’s going on?”
“Ashe is outside.” She tightened her boots then tied them.
His arm circled her waist, and he leaned down to kiss her on the neck. “I’ll see you when you get back.”
She stilled at his affection, closing her eyes momentarily because the simple touch set her on fire once again. It was an internal burn, the heat traveling from the surface of her skin to the bone underneath.
He lay back again, one arm propped under his head, the blanket bunched around his waist.
She grabbed her pack and her sword before she turned to look at him, seeing his powerful shoulders, hard chest, and the grooves of his abs. He was scarred from his captivity, but those were almost unnoticeable compared to the beauty everywhere else. “You’re really hot…”
A boyish grin moved on to his mouth. “I know.”
She gave him a playful kick in the leg. “Shut up.”
He chuckled. “The compliment has never meant more than hearing it come from you.”
She moved outside and saw Ashe standing there. “Sorry…late start.”
He opened his hand so she could crawl inside and be secured within his talons. After a short flight to his residence, they were on the meadow, the sun shining in the warm afternoon.
“What do you want to work on?”
Your mind.
“Alright.” She set her pack and sword on the ground.
I can feel its potential—but you don’t know how to use it.
“I’m talking to you, aren’t I?”