Page 166 of What Lies Within Blood & Heirs

“Let me in.” The words stunned him, so, she said it again, “Let me in, mighty prince.” If her starfire chased away serpent darkness at night, then why wouldn’t it now? If Alora suppressed that venom so he could sleep, then why not so he could fight?

Before long, Garrik opened his mind, and Alora had climbed the stairs of his deafening pit, leaving behind silence and the white-hot glow of starfire in the heat of the day.

Garrik blinked out of the daze. Eyes narrowing and focusing as his grip on her loosened.

His frigid chill moved away, further and further until her entire body ached without his touch.

Far away—too far—Garrik collected his sword. He didn’t move then. Just waited. Waited for her. For darkness. For his senses to return. “I will never get used to this,” he said, blinking. Something vital crossed his face. “If this does not work?—”

“It will.” It wasn’t like trying to fly on starfire wings. Thiswouldwork. And she didn’t give him a moment to argue.

Blade drawn, Alora lunged.

Three centuries’ worth of battle mastery and impeccable control met her at the edge of sharpened steel. Garrik gnashed his teeth and leaned into their crossed swords.

She waited for it. For oblivion to rush his enchanting eyes. For that abyss to swallow her whole. But there was no darkness. No whorls. No blackened veins.

Only flawless silver.

Alora couldn’t breathe, not as he waited for the darkness. For his world to entirely fade of color.

Then Garrik laughed.

And laughed again. Louder this time. Full of life and every perfect thing.

A sound she etched into her memory.

She laughed too. The sound escaping her memory, like she’d never heard something like it.

Garrik’s smile brightened the entire clearing as he stumbled back and studied his hand, his sword. Those enchanting silvers turned skyward, unblinking, as if he was seeing it for the first time. Deepening a breath as if that too was new. Then Garrik turned to her with something vital in his eyes. Something like centuries of hurt and pain and control melted off him as he lifted his sword, unafraid and unashamed.

By the stars, his face was nothing short of a Stars Eternal dream as he half-whispered, “What are you doing to me, clever girl.” But it wasn’t a question. That was freedom. True, real, and perfect freedom covering every part of him.

Alora lifted her sword and positioned it, aiming it at his chest as an unbridled smile played on her lips. “The same thing you’ve done for me.” And before her roaring heartbeat convinced her to say more, she attacked him.

Garrik stalkedacross the space in excruciatingly slow steps.

Their swords were long gone—not that she’d complain. The reverberating metal had her palm and fingers numbed to the point she hardly gripped the leather hilt when Garrik had decided on hand-to-hand combat.

Somewhat bruised and battle leathers scuffed, they circled each other. Alora speared him with a look of fire that could scorch him to ash on her worst day.

“That’s it,” he growled. “Get angry with me.”

He’d only just knocked her on her ass twenty times.

Fire surged through her blood. She could burn the entire forest down and its heat would be nothing compared to the blaze igniting inside her body. Every blow he struck. Every time he softened her landing by catching her. Every glimpse into his heated eyes when they touched …

This overwhelming need to feel him. More of him. More of his touch and his ice and his breath. No matter if it was fighting with iron or fist. No matter if?—

Garrik stole the opportunity of her wandering mind to dawn across the space, capturing her in his arms against his chest. “Distractions get you killed, darling.” But that didn’t sound like a warning. Not when he nipped her earlobe. Not with the soft bites along her ear until he reached the tip, then traveled lower.

The mighty bastard blew a cold breath just underneath, pebbling her skin as his hand on her waist sought to distract her. On the snaps and ties of her pants.

“That’s—” A traitorous moan vibrated from her throat. Because Garrik’s lips … they were trailing down her neck. To that soft spot below. “Ch … cheating,” she stuttered, wanting more.

“Mmm.” The vibrations of his voice rumbled deep into her back.

That hand at her pants line traced lazily above her belt, touching his freezing thumb just under the hem of her fighting leathers. Slowly inching further and further and further?—

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