Page 161 of A Dawn of Gods & Fury

He presses his forehead against mine, and our bodies move against each other quietly, like a dark secret shared between just the two of us. My fingernails rake over the web of muscle across his back, over his backside, touching every inch of him I can reach on the outside as he touches every inch of me inside. And, all the while, we never release each other’s gazes, as if we’ll miss something important if we break for even a second.

Ybarisan or not, conspirator or not, Tyree is a beautiful creature. Just looking at him sparks desire in me. But this is dangerous, what we’re doing. I know this, and yet I cannot stop, my body aching to climax beneath him.

At some point, we forget caution, our bodies thrusting against each other at a frantic pace, our skin glowing with sweat and sticky from honey, the sounds impossible to disguise should anyone be standing outside the barn doors.

I know the moment Tyree’s pushed over the edge of no return, when his thrusts grow erratic, and his grip on my nape tightens, and his muscles clamp down.

“Annika,” he groans, driving into me one last time before I feel him pulsing deep inside in a trembling surge, his cries raw and guttural. The sound of him unraveling sparks an overwhelming wave of spasms that consumes me.

And his pretty blue eyes never leave mine through it all.

43

Romeria

The faces inside the tent wear shock, disgust, and confusion as they stare up at my towering form.

Zander grimaces. “I think I preferred the shriveled caster to this.”

Next to him, Jarek’s nostrils flare. “She even smells like one.”

Lord Rengard mumbles, “Pardon my manners, but …” He reaches up to poke my shoulder with his finger and declares, “Remarkable.” When we suggested this plan, Lord Telor declared it couldn’t work, and Lord Rengard looked at me as though I were mad, but they haven’t seen what Vin’nyla’s token can do.

“It’ll work, though, right?” I spent a good twenty minutes studying the Saur’goth corpse that Xiaric brought back before attempting this.

Elisaf frowns. “What did she say?”

I slip off the silver mask and return to my own form, earning several sharp inhales.

Lord Telor shakes his head as if not sure of what he’s just witnessed. “It will get you past the wall and perhaps buy us a few crucial moments. Beyond that, the fates only know if you can make it to the tower, and that is where you must be stationed if this has any hope of working.” He still sounds doubtful.

I hope the fates don’t know anything about what we have planned.

“You have your reservations about this scheme, Ailis. I understand. But a frontal assault will tie us up for days, and we’ll likely have little success.” Zander’s brow furrows, and I know what he’s worried about. In the back of his mind, Sofie’s vague warning plays in a loop. What else is Malachi up to? “It will deplete our soldiers, and it will still likely cost every innocent their lives. But a stealthy approach while they do not expect it is to our advantage. We are in the late hours of the night, and they think our focus is on the rift.” The dragons made a point of flying north shortly after we arrived from Ulysede to help sell that idea. Meanwhile, they swung around to wait within range for the signal to attack. “But we must move soon.”

“Going in with just a handful of casters and legionaries?”

“Not merely casters, Lord Telor. Shadows,” Solange responds crisply. I was so relieved to discover her here when we returned, delivered by Valk who we sent to Argon to fetch her while we were in Cirilea.

“But how will you reach the entrance without being seen?” he pushes. “They wait on the ramparts, watching.”

“We will get there. Of that, I have faith.” Zander smiles at me. “Romeria has a few more tricks up her sleeve.”

That I’ve never tested to this extent, but I keep my nervous thoughts to myself.

“Have I ever told you about the night she escaped a ring of legionaries to visit the Greasy Yak in Norcaster?” Jarek deadpans, sparing me a headshake.

My body trembles from adrenaline as our line of fifteen presses our backs against Lyndel’s south outer wall.

Zander squeezes my shoulder. A silent command, or wordless praise. Maybe both, because seven Shadows, five legionaries, Zander, Elisaf, and I just crossed the expanse of open ground without a single shout of alarm or arrow launched our way, thanks to my ability to cloak us—a discovery Gesine made that I am especially thankful for on this night.

I spot the trigger to open the passage immediately. It’s a smaller, square block, much like the stone casters used to mark the secret way into Bellcross, but someone—or something—has smeared it with blood.

“You remember the plan?” Zander whispers.

“Of course I do. It’s my plan.” This part, anyway.

He leans in for one last, quick kiss and then I slide on my silver mask, and everyone readies their weapons, stepping back.

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