Page 80 of Under the Lion Star

“That’s my girl.”

Her throat bobbed on a swallow, and I grinned as I slid my fingers from her mouth. I leaned forward, holding my face a breath from hers.

“You’re mine,” I growled. “Every last piece of you.”

Zialda nodded, and even though I knew her agreement was given while still basking in carnal pleasure, I allowed myself to imagine she understood the deeper meaning behind my words.

My eyes slowly opened; a smile already plastered to my face. Waking up next to my wife after spending the night making her come was even better than I’d imagined.

Her legs were tangled with mine, her ass pressing into my hips and already hard length. I kissed down her shoulder, breathing in her scent and picturing a myriad of fucked-up things I would be willing to do to ensure she was always in my bed when I woke.

Unfortunately, my family had also come to love Zialda, and I doubted their loyalty to me would permit them to overlook me tying her up against her will.

Friends can fuck. She’d said those words so long ago, but I didn’t want to be her friend. I wanted to be her person. Her everything. I wanted to be the one she sought out to share her victories with, the one she came to for consolement when she stumbled. I wanted it all because that was who she was for me.

“Why is the sun?” Zialda groaned, rolling over and burying her face in my chest.

“That’s a rather existential question first thing in the morning.”

“You have seven hundred curtains,” she sighed. “Why aren’t you using them to block out the sun.”

“I highly doubt there are seven hundred,” I chuckled. “But unlike some people, I get up a decent hour.”

“Close them,” she pleaded, pressing her body further into mine. “As queen, I demand you close the fucking curtains.”

“Alright,” I smiled, running my fingers through her white hair and placing a kiss on top of her head. “I’ll come wake you before the council meeting.”

Z didn’t respond, having already fallen back asleep, but I closed the curtains anyway. She had commanded it as queen, after all. I permitted myself to study her sleeping form for a moment, loving the contrast between her pale hair and the black bedding. The sight was nothing short of a work of art.

Orin’s foot tapped nervously under the table. While I always invited him and Liras to the council meetings, today was the first time I required their attendance. It brought a smile to my face.

“Relax,” Zialda patted his shoulder and offered a kind smile.

He nodded, raking his fingers back through his blond hair. Liras sat next to him, entirely at ease, but I knew him well enough to know that he was also a bit apprehensive about why I had called them into the council chambers.

The last of the lords filtered in, taking their seats around the table. After the initial meeting that Zialda had attended, no one treated her as anything less than the queen she was. While part of that could have been due to my making an example of Ellor, a big part of it was Z’s own wisdom and charm. She’d proven herself to the men around the table ten times over. The initiatives we’d enacted together had been well received by our citizens. Now, if only she could see herself the way Fjorn did.

“Thank you for joining,” I addressed the room. “While all of you have excelled in your respective roles for putting our soldiers to work, I realize it has been an added strain to your existing responsibilities.”

A few heads nodded, and I fought the eye roll. If any of them ever had to work as hard as lower-class elves were day in and day out, they would likely kill themselves.

“As such, your queen and I have decided to appoint Prince Orin and Sir Liras as commanders of the Galvord Knights. They will ensure that the soldiers are trained in areas where they excel and find work for the men and women who fought for Fjorn.”

Liras eased back into his chair, finally realizing that he wasn’t in any sort of trouble. Orin’s expression remained impassive, but the flash behind his eyes betrayed his surprise. It made me wish that the two of us didn’t repress everything we felt. They both deserved to bask in this recognition.

“Having all the responsibilities in one place will allow the soldiers to be utilized more effectively and ensure that the various projects we’re addressing continue with minimal upset.”

There were more nods, and I wondered if any of them actually agreed with my assessment or if they were just glad they now had one less thing to do. I watched Zialda; she, too, was studying each lord carefully. Atlas had shared his theory with her that he felt one of them was the person planning my death.

I hated that she was involved. While I had promised to keep her informed, the fear that she would end up as collateral damage kept me from discussing it with her more than necessary. The thought lingered for a moment before I stuffed it down deep. As long as I was breathing, I would never allow any harm to befall my wife.

Chapter 27

Zialda

Orin and Liras walked beside me, fully donned in armor that clanked with each step we took. While it affected the tranquility I normally felt when walking toward my aunt’s house, it was nice to feel invulnerable.

I had to admit, especially now that Orin had filled out a bit, the two of them together were incredibly intimidating. As their crimson cloaks billowed behind them, I tried to imagine the terror humans must have felt upon seeing their approach.

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