Page 104 of The Sorcerer of Shadowholde

Vita cleared her throat, not wanting the tears to spill again, not for that devil of a man. She didn’t regret what she’d done, not for a second. Amulius and Spurius got what they deserved, had tortured and killed who knows how many before they got to her, but it didn’t make the result of her actions any easier.

She’d taken two lives, and even if those people had been monsters, it weighed on her chest like a boulder.

Verian pressed a kiss to her forehead, as if sensing her thoughts. “You did nothing wrong, my sweet. They would have… they would have hurt you, would have killed me and the High Consul.”

“I know,” she said, and shedidknow, logically, but it didn’t stop the emotion from welling in her chest.

He continued, gazing down at her with a gentle smile. “And I won’t leave you, I promise. I… I’m sorry for before, for everything. I should have been there for you, supported you like you deserved.”

Before she could respond to the words that warmed her heart, the door creaked open, Renatus entering with a silver tray piled high with food. She sat up in the bed, quirking a brow, Verian following suit.

“The High Consul delivering breakfast for the two of us? Mere commoners?” he asked.

Renatus chuckled, bringing the tray to the bed and setting it in front of them. “Cheeky boy. I thought you both might be hungry.”

Hungry was an understatement. She eyed the cheese and fruits eagerly as Renatus sat next to her.

First, Vita downed an entire cup of water, her mouth as dry as an arid summer day. Having quenched a bit of her thirst, she dug into thefood, taking tentative bites in the hopes of not upsetting her empty stomach. A bit of cheese, a small piece of bread, two slices of apples drizzled with honey.

Renatus watched with a smile as Verian tucked in too, less hesitant than she.

After a few minutes of pleasant silence, Verian brought a peach slice to her mouth, running the sweet flesh along her lips.

Vita grinned, brushing her tongue across the tender fruit, and his eyes widened. She took a bite, sticky juice dripping down her chin, and Renatus was on her in a flash, licking the sweet nectar before it trickled onto the bed. Verian brought the other half to his mouth, chewing as he watched Renatus tilt her head and press his lips to hers.

Tension coiled in her body, not the anxious strain from the past few days, but the delicious heat of arousal. His lips were soft, his kiss tentative as he leaned into her.

The bed creaked as Verian removed the tray, returning a second later and squeezing her bare thigh as she sat cross-legged. She pushed away from Renatus with a sigh, turning to Verian and pulling him in for a kiss.

Emotion buzzed in her chest, the intimacy more than any she’d ever experienced. But she didn’t want to cry now, wanted to enjoy every moment as she lived the dream she’d imagined many times over.

Gods, it felt so good to be between them, to be safe, to be whole. Pure bliss. She tried not to think about the future, about what it all meant, happy to revel in the embraces of her lovers.

When she pulled away from Verian’s firm lips, Renatus tangled his fingers in her hair, giving her a sly smile.

“Is there something you want, dear? Because I have some ideas for you. If you’re open to them,” he said, her body prickling with electric anticipation.

Vita nodded with a whimper, her mind racing with possibilities.

“On your stomach.” A command, not a question.

Verian made space so she could lay on her front, her arms curled underneath her body, eyes on Renatus.

“Why don’t you make sure our dear girl is relaxed,” he said as he walked to a chest of drawers, digging through to find something.

Verian mumbled an assent, running firm hands up and down her back as Renatus returned to the bed, multiple objects in his hands. One was a glass vial of clear liquid, and the others…

Vita’s pulse quickened, though she didn’t quite understand what she was seeing. Spires of pure white marble in varying lengths that ended in flared bases. A knot of arousal tied in her stomach as realization dawned on her. What… orwho… the objects were for.

“Do these look appealing to you?” Renatus asked.

All she could do was nod, but he shook his head. “Use your words, darling. Do you want this?”

“Yes, I want it,” Vita managed, the answer lighting up his face.

Verian’s lithe fingers kneaded the muscles in her back, still sore from a full day spent in the damp cell, as the other man coated his fingers with slick oil, running them over the smallest spire.

Renatus moved in close, whispering in her ear. “If you are uncomfortable, we can stop at any point.”

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