Page 25 of Court of Aether and Shadows

The Shadow Prince's expression softened, a glimpse of vulnerability beneath the powerful exterior. He leaned in,resting his forehead against mine —the contact sent a jolt through me, like a current of electricity connecting us.

"It is as real as you allow it to be," he said, his breath warm against my lips. "The barriers between worlds are thinning, and you stand at the crossroads. You must make a choice, my love. Embrace your true nature, or forever be torn between two realms."

I shook my head slightly, overwhelmed by the implications.

"How? How do I even begin to understand all of this?"

His hand at the nape of my neck tightened slightly, not painful but grounding.

"Trust your instincts," he murmured, his lips brushing against my cheek as he spoke. "Listen to the whispers of your blood. Seek out the legends of your mother's lineage – the answers you need lie there."

My mother’s lineage?

I could barely remember the sight of my Mother when I was but a child. How would I possibly discover more about her family when never given a fighting chance to know her?

To be loved by her.

Before I could respond, he closed the remaining distance between us, capturing my lips in a searing kiss.

It was possession and promise all at once, his mouth demanding and giving in equal measure. I melted into him, my hands sliding up to clutch at his broad shoulders.

The kiss deepened, and with it came a flood of sensations and images. I saw flashes of battles long past, of a world balanced on the knife-edge between light and shadow. I felt the pulse of ancient magic in my veins, a power that both exhilarated and terrified me.

When we finally broke apart, both of us breathing heavily, I felt changed.

As if some fundamental piece of myself had shifted into place. The Shadow Prince's golden eyes burned with an intensity that left me weak-kneed, his pupils dilated with desire.

"I have begun the work of avenging you," he said, his voice a low growl that sent heat pooling low in my belly. "Those who sought to harm you will pay dearly for their transgressions. Watch for the signs, my love. They will guide you on your path."

His hands roamed down my sides, leaving trails of fire in their wake.

I arched into his touch, craving more.

"What signs?" I managed to gasp out, my thoughts scattered by the sensations he was evoking.

He smiled, a predatory flash of teeth that should have frightened me but only heightened my arousal.

"You'll know them when you see them," he murmured, leaning in to trail kisses along my jaw. "Trust your instincts, little Songbird. They won't lead you astray."

I tilted my head back, giving him better access to my neck. He took full advantage, his lips and teeth and tongue working in concert to drive me wild.

"I still have so many questions," I panted, my hands exploring the hard planes of his chest and abdomen.

How he chuckled in return, the sound vibrating against my skin.

"And you'll have answers, in time,"he said, pulling back just enough to meet my gaze, the magnificent weight of power blazing in the depths of his pupils."But for now, let me show you a taste of what awaits you in this world."

With a fluid motion that took my breath away, he lifted me, my legs instinctively wrapping around his waist. He carried me to the far wall of the training room, pressing me up against the cool obsidian surface.

The contrast between the cold stone at my back and his burning heat against my front was exquisite.

His mouth found mine again, the kiss deeper and more demanding than before. I met him with equal fervor, pouring all my confusion, longing, and desire into the connection. One of his hands tangled in my hair, angling my head for better access, while the other roamed my body with possessive intent.

I don't know how long we stayed like that, lost in a haze of sensation and building pleasure. Time seemed to lose all meaning, the world narrowing down to just the two of us and the fire building between us.

Every touch, every kiss, every shared breath felt like it was awakening something within me — some dormant power that had been waiting for this moment.

Just as the tension reached a fever pitch, just as I felt myself teetering on the edge of something monumental, my shadowed prince pulled back slightly.

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