Page 70 of The Fate of Eternity

“If I had the choice, I would proudly wear my ears. I don’t need anyone but me to know I survived. The fact that my soul was broken and I pieced it back together is something that only I need, no one else.” The words ache as I say them, the truth tasting like acid on my tongue, as if it betrays all of my father’s encouraging words that followed the attack that night. But it’s the truth and doesn’t take away from what I’ve been through. It never will. It’s who I am but not who I choose to be.

Trauma is a dangerous thing. It can wire you to want to right all the wrongs in the world, creating a hero in its wake, or it can sink you into the depths of despair and create a villain as you try to take everything and everyone down with you.

I refuse to be the latter. Always.

Kryll ghosts his hands over my cheeks, turning to face me fully as he searches my eyes. They’re frantic and dancing with an uncertainty I’ve never seen before as he lifts his left hand to his lips, nipping at his fingertip in one swift motion.

Before I can question what he’s doing or why he’s harming himself, he strokes his finger over my scars, the droplets of blood cool against my flesh as my pulse rings in my ears.

Understanding washes over my soul as my breath stutters in my chest. My nostrils flare as I bite back tears, all while his eyes search mine, a hint of panic in his gaze as I choke out a sob and lift my hands to my ears, ghosting the trail he just took.

My heart ricochets against my chest as my eyes fall closed. I search for the scars that are burnt into my mind as well as my flesh, but that’s not what my fingers find.

I gasp and choke as tears stream, unabashed, down my cheeks, staining my skin for all of eternity as I feel the tips of the ears I thought I’d only ever recall in dreams.

34

ADRIANNA

“Ican change it back if you like,” he rasps, the emotions swirling in the room merging from the both of us.

I’m lost in the moment, running my fingers over the pointed tips that sit on either side of my face as tears burn in my eyes and leave my cheeks damp. I can’t put into words or even a thought what this means to me.

Opening my eyes will take away from this moment and I want to cling to it forever. My skin tingles from head to toe, but this time, it’s for an entirely different reason; no fated mate magic necessary. I feel hot all over, drenched in emotions I can’t even fathom as the quiet dragon sits patiently for me once again.

I should look at him and show my gratitude, but I don’t know where to begin.

I sense the warmth from him as he lingers close to me, but I can also feel the uncertainty rising in him, and I can’t put him through that. Especially when it’s completely unnecessary.

“Thank you,” I whisper, prying my eyes open, and his shoulders sag in relief.

“Are you sure?”

I nod, a watery smile spreading across my face before I launch myself into his arms. He catches me, and it’s a miracle we don’t go tumbling to the floor as he wraps me up in his grasp and turns us so I’m in his lap, thighs on either side of his as I hide my face in his neck.

A thought suddenly sinks in my gut. “Will people know about you? If they see my ears? I don’t want to put you in any danger. I?—”

“Princess, even if it did, I would still do it a thousand times over to see that look on your face. Besides, we can say it’s from the fated mates spell or something,” he offers, melting me even more as I tighten my hold around his neck.

He holds me, rocking gently from side to side as my emotions slowly settle. Finally, I lean back to look him in the eye, but before I can speak, he lifts his palm to my cheek, a stunning smile spreading across his face.

“You were beautiful before, Addi, but now? Wow, just wow,” he breathes, making me shake my head in disbelief.

There are no words in my brain that can give him anything even remotely as special as this, so I do the only thing I can think of and fuse my lips to his. It’s gentle, whimsical, and full of love as I brush my lips over his again and again.

He remains still, letting me take the lead as his fingers dance over my waist. My hands move from around his neck to cup his cheeks as I deepen our connection. His groan vibrates against my lips, a sound that only serves to fuel my own fire, and I instinctively grind down on him to feel his cock hard beneath me.

Fuck.

I lean back, startled. I don’t want to repay something so wonderful with sex. I don’t want him to think this is what I’m comparing it to because it’s so far from the truth it’s not even real.

“Fuck, Addi. Don’t stop. I can feel it in here,” he explains, tapping his finger against my chest, right where my heart is nestled beneath my ribcage. “Give that to me,” he breathes, eliminating the distance between our mouths once again as I do just that.

My lips grow firmer and firmer against his until his tongue slips out, dragging along my mouth, and I gasp. “Holy shit,” I rasp, my body on fire for an entirely different reason as I curl my fingers in his hair, tugging desperately as our kiss deepens.

His hands shift down to my hips, dragging me along his cock, which sets me alight, even with the layers of clothing between us.

I don’t know how to say the affectionate words he seems to know resonate inside me, so I show him the only way I can; with how my body craves his. Tugging at his t-shirt, it tears beneath my grasp before he can aid me and the material is quickly discarded.

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