Page 102 of Song of the Dark Wood

“Conor,” she moaned.

“Mother slay me! I’m going to lose it if you say my name like that,” he grunted.

His movements became more frenzied. He pushed her knees up higher and slid deeper, and she groaned so loudly she worried the whole keep would hear her. She didn’t understand what was happening, but for once, her lack of control felt good.

She hooked an arm around Conor’s neck and drew him close as all the tension in her body broke. Her back arched, and she cried out. Conor kept moving until he grunted, shuddered, and collapsed with his head tucked into her neck.

They lay together, panting, in silence.

“I don’t know what you were so worried about. I feel fine,” Rowan whispered. “Actually, I feel incredible.” Her body buzzed pleasantly in the wake of her climax, and all her limbs felt heavy and relaxed.

Conor laughed and kissed down her neck. “I don’t think you appreciate the amount of restraint it took to be gentle like that.” He rolled to the side, propping himself on an elbow. He brushed his fingers over her collarbone. “Do you feel different?”

Rowan shook her head. “Not really, just pleasantly sleepy.”

Conor smiled. His smiles were rare, but that was part of their beauty, and Rowan found herself chasing them more and more.

His gaze trailed over her body, frowning. “Are you sore?”

“Just a little bit.” She followed his gaze and, for the first time, felt the blood sticky on her inner thighs. She knew to expect it, but it was still startling.

“I’ll draw you a bath so you can clean up.”

She grabbed his arm and curled into him. “Just relax for a moment.”

He seemed to sense what she needed. She wasn’t sure if it was the magic or just his experience, but he pulled her close, tucking her against his chest, and kissed the top of her head.

“I’d nearly forgotten what it’s like,” he whispered after a long silence.

“Sex?” Rowan asked, trying to contain her surprise.

“Yes. It’s been a long time.”

All at once, the puzzle pieces clicked together in Rowan’s mind. “Goddess above! You never slept with Orla?”

Conor shook his head. “We were friends, but I never took her to bed.”

“Then why did she change to red?”

“She asked, and I gave her my blessing.”

Rowan propped herself on an elbow. “Then why wouldn’t you let me?”

He stroked her cheek. “Oh, my lovely, fiery little Red. It’s quite complicated.”

“Wait, if you didn’t sleep with Orla, that means—” Her mind spun wildly.

It meant that Evelyn was the last Red Maiden he’d taken to bed. She’d written extensively about it in her journals. Evelyn had been a little bit in love with the Wolf, but unless Rowan had missed something major, it was a short-lived affair, and she spent the next few years of her service being bitter. No wonder she hadn’t been kind to Orla and Rowan. They were the next in line to win over the god Evelyn was in love with.

“Yes, it means I haven’t been with anyone in many years,” Conor sighed. “If I was a better god, I wouldn’t have taken you, but I’m not. Now let me draw you a bath because I may have had enough tincture to hold on to control, but I can’t keep layingnext to you when you smell like blood and sex and dessert. I’ve already stretched myself as far as I can for one evening.”

Rowan tried to hide her disappointment, but Conor knew what she felt now, so there was no point.

Conor laughed as he kissed her cheek. “Settle now, lass. Who knew you’d be so insatiable?”

As he made his way to the washroom, she tucked the dagger under her pillow and prayed that she’d made the right choice not to use it.

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