Page 99 of A Shattered Kingdom of Steel

“I love you. So gods-damned much,” I tell him through the bond, pressing my lips to his bare chest.

And it’s true. There are many in this life that I love, but none have a hold over my heart the way he does. The tides, dirt, and even the very air I breathe is ever-changing, but this bond, our bond, is the one thing that I know with certainty will transcend even death.

His fingers brush through strands of my hair, tender in their softness. “You are destined for greatness. Come into your power, my Bladesinger. And please, I beg of you, let me watch.”

We’re both quiet for a long while, though I feel no need to fill it. In his arms, in my mind, I feel his presence—calm and stable, like a mountain.

“There is nothing I wouldn’t do to keep you safe,” he finally says aloud, murmuring into my hair. “I mean it, Lymseia. Absolutely nothing.”

“I know,” I say. “And I would do the same for you.”

His voice is soft. “I know that, too.”

Gently, he sets me down on the bedroll and stands, still naked. The low lighting lets me take in his glorious figure, and I have a new appreciation for it.

This male is mine.

All mine.

Body and soul.

Bending down, he retrieves a cloth from his pack and gently places it between my legs to wipe away the evidence of our mating. When he’s finished, he covers me with a blanket and joins me beneath it, opening his arms for me. Holding me to his chest, he strokes my hair.

Enveloped in my mate’s embrace, my breathing slows, and I feel myself slipping away.

“I won’t let anything happen to you.” Asheros’s voice comes out as a low rumble. “Rest, Bladesinger.”

And I do.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Iwake up feeling lighter. As if an unseen burden has been lifted from my shoulders.

Though his eyes are closed, I can tell Asheros is already awake. He breathes in an even and relaxed pace. He looks so at ease, so peaceful, that I almost don’t want to move, fearing that I’ll bring an end to this moment.

“Good morning,” he says, opening his eyes. I find the pale blue of his gaze immediately, wondering how I let my pig-headed stubbornness stop me from seeing what was there, all along. He looks at me as if I’m the moon, and him, the tide.

Utterly devoted.

I could stare at him like this for an eternity and still never have enough.

“Did you sleep well?” he asks, grazing the backs of his fingers against my cheek.

I smile. “Yes, I did.” Waggling my brows, I add, “Very well.”

Grinning, he rolls his eyes. “Good gods, Bladesinger.”

“What?” I laugh. “A few orgasms do much good for the body.”

He leans forward, close enough we brush noses, and dons that wicked smirk. “Next time, it will be much more than a few.”

My core aches at the thought, and I bite my lip. “Oh, I’m very much looking forward to that.”

“I thought you would,” he says, his voice rough. “As much as I’d like to have you again, and again, and again, right now, we really should be getting up.”

“Do we have to?” I whine. “I’d prefer to just stay here and fuck while the world burns.”

“If that’s truly what you desire, my Bladesinger, then you need only say the word.” The lust falls from his expression, and his mouth tightens. “But I know you care very much about the fate of the realm.”

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