Page 38 of Crownless King

His fist relaxed. Spreading his fingers under my touch, he laced them with mine.

“Now, you’ll take care of the book, my darling human, since you’re the only one who can touch it. And I will get Alcon in here, as well as the rest of my men.”

“Can I stay for your meeting with them?”

“No, sweetheart. The less you know, the safer you will be. Once the word gets out about all of this,” he tipped his chin at the book, “being close to me may make you a target. Why don’t you run to your room now and get some rest?”

He kissed me quickly before ushering me from the patio.

An unpleasant feeling nagged at me from his dismissal, but I tried not to let it fester. What Voron had just learned about himself was mind-shattering and life-altering. His entire world had been turned upside down. Surely, it needed some time to settle in his brain.

Being “a great king” was a tough job, I imagined. But Voron had already been doing it, on his way to fulfilling the prophecy. He’d been the one to end the wars and bring peace to Sky Kingdom. The peace that might be threatened soon.

Voron had to prove to the world that the Sky Crown belonged to him. With the new instability on the horizon, he had his work cut out for him, and he hadn’t even taken the throne yet. It was safe to say, there’d be a fight for that too.

I wished for him to take his rightful place with all my heart. But a tiny, selfish part of me already mourned our short but swelteringly hot exile here in Vensari.

* * *

The rest of the day I spent on my own. Voron locked himself in the library along with Alcon, Farion and a few more of his men who’d flown in.

At night, when I was already in bed, the door to my room opened quietly, and he slipped under the covers with me. Hugging me from behind, he kissed my hair.

“I’m sorry I was busy, little bird. Did you have a good day?”

“Mhm…” I turned to face him. “It was quiet and relaxing.”

“So, you got some rest?”

“I did.”

“Good.” He kissed my face, drawing me closer. “Because I need to keep you awake just a little bit longer.”

His hand found my breast inside my nightshirt. His thigh nudged my legs open.

I brushed his hair away from his face.

“Voron, what will happen now? Have you decided?”

He trailed kisses down the side of my neck. “Right now, my sweet, enthralling Sparrow, you’ll tell me how you want me to make you come. Do you want my hand, my mouth, or my cock?”

All of the above. But I also wanted some answers.

“Will there be a war?” I asked. “It’s not like Queen Pavline will give the crown to you willingly. Are you planning to fight her for it?”

He halted his kisses, burying his face between my neck and my shoulder.

“You’re right. She won’t,” he said against my skin. “And yes, I’ll have to make her.”

“How?”

He leaned back, and I half-expected him to shut me out again. But he stroked my hair, searching my eyes in the moonlight that flooded the room through the open window.

“Are you scared, Sparrow?”

“Instability is always intimidating, isn’t it? But I’m not scared. I trust you.” After all, I’d stayed in this world with the promise to trust him.

“I’ll keep you safe.” He cupped my face.

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