Page 55 of Their Chosen

“Ah, the good ol' prepare for the worst and hope for the best tactic. It's an oldie but a goody,” I teased him, even though the trials now felt more daunting than before when I had assumed that they'd be able to fully prepare me. Now that I knew that wouldn't be the case, my concern grew, but a part of me was pleased that he’d agreed with one of my personal mottos.

“How can you guys even hope to have me ready in time? You all sound so confident, but I'm starting to think you've tied yourselves to a lost cause,” I admitted to him. Then, realizing what I’d said, I rushed out, “Not that I want to win or become queen, but I just want to survive all this.” My voice whispered the last part, something about the dark and his calm presence allowing me to put a voice to all my concerns.

I felt his warm, large hand on my arm, the soothing rhythm he rubbed along it easing some of my worry. “I won't lie to you, the trials have been dangerous, risky, and even deadly in the past. And you will have more to overcome than most of the other Chosen who may be out to sabotage you.

“Especially after last night's...” He paused to find the right word, “event. I would assume that there may be those who hope to keep you out of the competition by any means necessary.

“All that said, though, I can promise that as your consorts and friends, we will be there to help you every step of the way. Between all of us, I feel confident that we can prepare you better and more quickly than anyone else. Besides, I have a strong feeling that you’re no stranger to hardships or surviving, and you’ve shown that you’re quite capable of caring for yourself. Of that, I have no doubt and my gut is never wrong.”

I smiled softly at his words, still worried but eased and calm after learning more. Knowledge was power, after all. I placed my hand on his while the other one still stroked my arm so gently and with such care, my heart warming because of all of it. I laced my fingers with his. “For some reason, I believe you when you say those things, even though I have no evidence to prove it. Usually, I'm not swayed by others' assurances of caring since so very few people in my life have ever meant them, but with you, I feel differently. So, thank you,” I told him honestly.

“Well, if you believe nothing else, believe this. I'm a man of my word. I deal with truth and honesty, and I feel that false platitudes will get no one anywhere. So, when I tell you that I'm here for you, for whatever you need, whenever you need it, believe that I don't say that lightly,” he vowed to me, squeezing my hand as he said it.

Now, I wanted to kiss him for an entirely different reason, my eyes watering at the conviction I felt coming from him. It was funny how the darkness had a way of revealing things far better than the light ever could.

Not overthinking it, I reached out with my free hand to the vague outline of his face that I could see, caressing his jaw and cheek with affection. I leaned across the space between us and kissed his cheek, my lips lingering for a moment, his stubble roughing up my lips in such contrast to the soft skin of his face.

His hand released mine, drifting down my arm and finding my hip, where he squeezed firmly. His thumb found its way under my shirt hem, which had drifted up during all my tossing and turning, to caress my bare skin just above my panties.

My core clenched at his touch, and my heart picked up speed. How easy it would be to close the distance between us. And believe me, there was nothing more that I wanted in this moment, my thoughts firmly on what his body would feel like over and inside mine.

“Arryn,” I whispered on an exhalation. I could hear the need in my voice, and I knew he could as well because his hand squeezed me tighter. My face was still inches from his, and I could feel his breath caressing my face, my hand now on his shoulder. I didn't know when I’d reached for him, but I could feel his heart racing under my fingers.

“Rhowyn? May I kiss you?” he asked hesitantly.

I knew I should probably deny him. It had only been a few hours ago that I had made out with Baer, but I found that in this moment, here and now, I couldn't deny him, so, I nodded, unable to speak and holding my breath in anticipation.

He must have either felt the movement from my head nod, or he could see me better than I could see him. Either way, he moved slowly toward me, as if giving me the chance to refuse him. When I didn't, he finally, finally pressed his lips to mine, and it was world-shaking even though he hadn't done much at this point. I kissed him back, opening to him and deepening the kiss, my tongue dancing with his, our breaths mingling.

His hand moved up my side, following the curve of my waist under my shirt, caressing me so slowly. Goosebumps rose on my skin, tingling where he touched me and causing me to shiver with need. His hand stopped on my rib cage, his thumb now just below my breast where he rubbed it back and forth, causing me to moan into his mouth.

He held me tighter, a low groan escaping him as well before he slowly ended the kiss and pulled back. He moved his other hand to my cheek and neck, holding my head still so he could press his forehead to mine, our breaths rushing in and out. “You have no idea how tempting it is to continue, to show you just how alluring you are, but we need sleep in order to train tomorrow. If I don't stop now, I'll keep you up all night trying to discover all the ways I can make you moan like that over and over again.”

His voice was huskier and deeper, his need riding him hard, and it made me feel beautiful and powerful. Far more so than magic could ever do. Unable to speak, I nodded as he withdrew to his side completely, my desire so strong right now that I couldn't trust my voice. I had to fight the urge to follow him.

After a minute, my head started to clear enough, and I cleared my throat. “Soon, Arryn, I will hold you to that promise.”

He laughed. “I hope you do, beautiful. Now, go to sleep so you can kick Lennox's ass in the morning.”

I laughed, too, relaxing back into my pillows where sleep found me more quickly than I thought it would.

Chapter Twenty Five: Rhowyn

The next morning, I was in the gym, stretching in preparation for my sparring match against Lennox after a light breakfast and some coffee. All the guys were here with me. Lennox warmed himself up, Baer and Arryn talked among themselves, and my wall-flower Callum was standing to the side, just watching us all.

Satisfied with my stretching, I bounced lightly on my feet, going through small movements to warm up my muscles, my heart rate increasing to invigorate me. I loved nothing more than a great sparring match.

Combat sports were far more than just a physical test of strength. It also tested mental fortitude and cunning. Fighting was nothing more than human chess, reading your opponent and setting them up for your combos and submissions. If I wanted to hit someone in the face, I could punch the body first or kick low to draw the focus and guard down, then strike quickly to land my hits in a combination to the face, my original goal.

Too many people thought it was all about hitting and kicking as a reaction, but it was so much more. I loved every aspect of it, even the pain and discomfort that always followed. My training partners always gave me hell because I was the only person they knew who smiled every time I was punched or landed a hit, my joy evident in every one of my movements.

“Alright, let's get this over with,” Lennox snapped at me, stepping onto the mats. I just grinned in response, following on bare feet, which made gripping the mat easier during kicking and grappling. “Just know that I take no pleasure in this,” he said, eyeing me up and down and frowning. “Where are your shoes?” he asked incredulously.

“I do much better like this. Trust me.” I smirked at him before winking. “Is that a problem, sweetheart?” After years of training with guys mostly, my shit talking was on point. Just some friendly verbal sparring to match the physical.

“It's your demise, Princess. I don't really care how it happens; I just don't want to hear any excuses when you lose.”

I laughed at him, a loud guffaw that seemed to catch him by surprise. “I'll remind you of that when I take you down. Now, quit stalling, and let's go.”

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