Page 84 of King of Storms and Feathers

His confidence was astonishing, and I hated to admit, likely justified.

Lips curved in a smug shape, he tucked golden hair behind his ear, and I ran my fingers along its outer ridge to the tip. He seized my wrist in a bruising grip. “Don’t do that.”

“Why not?” I rubbed his ear firmly. “Does it hurt?”

Instantly, he hardened, drawing a ragged breath as his length pulsed against my belly. “If you’re ready to have me drink from you again, then by all means, rub my ears, my reckless Leaf. Pinch and bite them, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

I snatched my hand back and curled my body into him, flinging an arm over his waist. His throat bobbed in surprise, but he gripped my wrist that was tucked against his chest, his thumb stroking my skin.

“Where do the feathers come from?” I asked. “The ones floating around you in the hall tonight and while we were… you know… just now?”

“Fucking?” he said with an evil smile. “It’s a side effect of my elemental magic. Certain emotional states draw the room’s loose kanara feathers toward my body.”

I thought of the scattered feathers in the streets and halls under the cages throughout Coridon. “I see.” I considered my next question, then decided to risk it. “Arrow, are you going to put the collar back on me?”

Silence thrummed through the air for several moments. “When I’m not with you, yes, and perhaps sometimes even when I am present, for example, in my bedchamber. The cuff symbolizes who you belong to, and at times during our bed play, I will enjoy the sight of it around your pretty neck.” His fingers strummed the large vein in my throat, but his gaze fell to my breasts. “Of course, there are other types of decorations I wish to see on your skin. White pearls would suit you in particular.”

Unsure what he meant, I smiled at the gleam in his eyes that promised it was likely something shocking, and after the way I’d responded tonight, I imagined I might enjoy it.

“You’re the king of the Light Realm, so why do you continue to show mercy to a slave?”

“Because tonight, when we were joined, I didn’t care whether I was a king, a jinn, or even a gold-damned fucking human. All that mattered was how it felt to be inside you, hearing you cry out, feeling you shatter beneath me. I will always protect you, Leaf, from the discomfort of golden collars, from every fae in the realm, and even from yourself, if necessary.”

But I didn’t want his protection. I wanted to go home, with or without his help.

I wondered if he knew how frequently the thought of leaving consumed me, if he realized that if it came down to a choice between his life or my escape, I would slit his throat in a heartbeat.

I swallowed hard and pressed my palm over his cheek, gently, where I had hurt him. “Marked or not, collared or bare, you must know I still hate you.” I spoke the words softly, like a caress.

I shouldn’t have uttered them at all, and, yet, I still couldn’t lie to him.

“Yes,” he said calmly. “I know.”

My fingernails pressed tiny crescents into his skin. “Nothing you do will change that, Arrow.”

He scraped a length of hair away from my lips, stroking it behind my shoulder. “We’ll see about that, my vengeful Leaf. We shall see.”

Chapter 22

Leaf

Sheets of warm rain fell from the sky as I sweated through my morning exercises, the sound drowning out the restless chirping of the auron kanara. Whorls of steam rose from Coridon’s streets, carrying the mouth-watering aroma of spices frying in the hawkers’ pans up to the pavilion.

A haze of moisture muted the town’s bold terracotta and jewel tones, and even settled the gold dust that often shimmered like fireflies over the undulating hills of the desert.

Light Realm fae, who rarely hurried, dashed between covered walkways and buildings, clutching their intricate hairstyles and gossamer silks, holding them in place. A wave of wicked satisfaction warmed my chest. It was nice to see them scurry around like roaches for a change.

When my muscles shook, I took a break from exercising and sat on the edge of the pavilion, kicking my heels as I watched chaos play out in the city below.

After a while, soft footsteps sounded on the stairs, and Ari approached, carrying a tray.

“He left you unchained again?” she said, raising a golden brow.

“Yes, as you can see.” I grinned, shaking my ankle and proudly displaying the chain-free cuff, proof I’d been working hard to gain Arrow’s trust.

“I thought you might like an early lunch today.” Ari’s lips formed a sly smirk. “When I delivered breakfast, you were still fast asleep beneath the king’s bedcovers.”

Heat flooded my cheeks, pooling low in my stomach. Ten mornings had passed since I’d surrendered to the king, and each one had begun the same way. For breakfast, we ate fruit with spiced yogurt, then for dessert, we had each other, gorging on fiery lovemaking until we couldn’t take another mouthful.

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