Page 235 of A Dawn of Gods & Fury

A shuffle sounds on the other side and then the door opens and there she is, wrapped in a robe, her mane of curly blond hair free and wild, the adorable smattering of freckles decorating her sun-kissed cheeks.

I’ve pictured Gracen’s face too many times to count, and now that it’s in front of me, I’m struck speechless.

Beautiful blue eyes widen. “Atticus?”

Just my name on her voice lulls my nerves. “I know I have a thousand apologies to give for my part and poor excuses, but—”

She launches herself at me, her lips cutting off my rambling words.

73

Romeria

“What I am most thankful for in all of this castle tonight is this bathtub.” I close my eyes and settle back against Zander, hoping to soak away the never-ending tension that has encased me lately, or at least temper it for a night. It’s as if the nymphs knew we would need this moment together. And maybe they did. They seem to have insight on everything else.

Zander’s firm body cocoons me, his sinewy arms wrapped around my chest in a lazy embrace. “What made you want to bring Atticus here?” Pushing strands of wet hair off my forehead, he leans in to kiss my temple. Delicious stubble scrapes my skin. I ache for it to scrape me somewhere else.

“King Cheral’s wife. She insisted that he was madly in love with Gracen and that I bring him to her.” I’m glad I listened. Guilt would’ve clawed at me otherwise.

“I can’t see Atticus professing that to the wife of his enemy. I wonder what the story is there.”

“She couldn’t keep her eyes off him, so it’s probably a story I don’t want to hear.”

Zander sighs heavily. “Whatever. Let them be happy. Let them all be happy for one last night. Abarrane will surely land in Kienen’s tent again.”

I smile. “Solange was eyeing Jarek. I will bet you one giant gemstone from my vault that they hook up tonight.”

“‘Hook up’? Is that Romy Watts lingo?” he teases. “And from which vault? You have two.”

“Aww.” I mock sulk as I roll onto my stomach, my chin resting against his chest. “Are you still bitter about that?”

He chuckles, splashing a few drops of water in my face. “I hope Solange knows that Lucretia will be in the corner, watching.”

I burst out laughing, but it morphs into a groan. “My god, the poor guy can’t catch a break.”

“I think Jarek is doing just fine.” Zander studies my face. “What are we going to do when this is all over?”

“What, the war?” I pause. “I’ve never given it any thought.”

“Never?”

“I mean … no. Everything we talk about, everything we do, it’s all led up to tomorrow.”

“What about after tomorrow?” he whispers.

“What if there is no ‘after tomorrow’?” Fear bleeds into my voice. I have never been so powerful in my life as I am now, and also I’ve never been so scared. It’s the first time I feel like I have so much to lose.

That bronze horn sits in my satchel, waiting for me to end this war with a single blow. Am I a coward for not using it already? Maybe, but I have no clue how it will end the war, and I can’t take Aminadav’s words at face value. That much, I am sure of.

I’m not willing to give up just yet.

I’m not ready to die.

“What about after tomorrow?” Zander repeats, trailing fingers down my spine.

I falter. “You tell me.”

His throat bobs with a hard swallow. “I will reclaim Islor’s throne.” Back and forth, his fingers slide, reaching all the way down to the small of my back and beyond, teasing the crack of my ass. “We will root out every lord and lady who is determined to maintain the old ways of Islor and give their lands to the mortals, allow them the chance to rule. The keeper system will be abolished, and mortals will be free to live and work where they wish. Mortal villages will exist, and not ones that must hide in Venhorn to escape the king’s rule.”

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