Page 162 of The Keeper of the Kingdoms

“I thought I was seeing things.

“Nope, that was a full-on blush.”

Jaxus smirked.

“Don’t you even think about giving him a hard time for it. That was really hard for him to come and face us. He must really like her to put himself through that. I think he’s in love!”

“He isn’t the only one,” Jaxus said, stalking towards me.

“Oh no, I have work to do.” I warned, pointing my finger at him to keep him away from me.

He grabbed my finger and yanked me into his arms. I squealed, wriggling away. “Jaxus!”

“Sorry, Firefly, but you can’t put that image in my mind and expect me not to want to replicate it.”

He lifted me off my feet and set me down on my workbench.

“Not here! The door is unlocked.”

He ignored my words, smiling as he bunched up my robes.

“Jaxus!” I hissed. “Someone could walk in.”

He peeled my undergarments down my legs. “Well then, they will get this idea in their heads too, and some other lucky fae will benefit. We’ll be paying it forward.”

“You are insatiable!”

“When it comes to you, I will never get enough,” he said, taking one knee. He looked up at me from between my legs with such desire on his face I couldn’t contain mine. He leant forward,holding my stare, and licked long and slow until my head fell back, and I let out a groan of pleasure.

I was lost in him, and I didn’t ever want to be found.

EPILOGUE

KIERA

Iraised my hand to knock on Zaria’s door but paused when I heard a faint sniffing. I waited, hand still raised, trying to decide if I should intrude or not. But before I could make a decision, the door whipped open, causing me to gasp and stumble back, cheeks pinking with the guilt of being caught intruding.

Zaria, seemed just as surprised, and clutching parchment to her chest.

“Kiera! I was just coming to find you,” she said, emotion thick in her tone.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, gathering her into my arms and steering her back inside. Nobody needed to see her like this. Not when we had finally managed to establish some equilibrium around here.

“I—“ she pulled the crumpled parchment from herchest and smoothed it out, handing it to me. “I found this. I’m the worst mate. I can’t believe I forgot it?—”

“What is it,” I cut her off. She didn’t need to be working herself up anymore.

When I took it from her my blood ran cold.

The letter bore Kol’s seal.

“What is it?” I asked, with trepidation.

Zaria trembled, with tears welling up in her eyes again. “Kol…” She lets out a sob and I make her sit with me.

“Take your time.”

Zaria clenched her hands into fists, wrecked with grief. I gave her time to work through it.

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