Page 87 of The Storm of the Empire

“Yes,” she encouraged, rolling her hips to try and take more.

I eased back, telling her with my eyes not to challenge me. She would have all of me, but not until I was ready to give it. I held us in a state of perfect need for long moments, giving a little then withdrawing in a languid rhythm until finally, I filled her to the root and sighed at the relief of the feeling.

When she left me on the dock, I thought our time together might be over and for the first time in my life the idea that there was someone who I couldn’t stand to spend tomorrow without was jarring. But now, I had her under me, and everything about that felt right.

“Luka?” I looked down at her, waiting, wanting, and I smiled.

“Yes, Goddess?”

She rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t disguise the desire. “Move your arse.”

I laughed. “Anything you say.” And I moved.

Deep, rolling strokes and breathless moans were all we knew as we moved together like the waves on the shore. We each drove the other on as we took what we needed from each other.

As she crashed over her peak and took me with her into oblivion, I realized that that thing I needed was her.

We lay in each other’s arms for a long time. Neither of us had anywhere to be, and it was glorious. I didn’t want to move for at least two weeks.

“I can’t believe the base was empty,” Hazel said after we cleaned ourselves up and climbed back in bed.

“It doesn’t feel possible for them to clear out that type of operation so quickly.”

“Do you think they didn’t search well?”

“Or maybe they fell back deeper into hidden tunnels?” I was just spitballing, but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense.

“I don’t think a full flight could have missed something so egregious.” Hazel pressed her face into my shoulder. “Or at least I don’t want to believe they could.”

“I don’t know what to believe anymore.”

She pulled back, looking into my eyes. “How long do you think it would've taken them to notice you took Kol?”

“I don’t know. The prisoners weren’t guarded, but Faolan would have been missed fairly soon since the ship was preparing to leave.” I kept talking, but I didn’t know how to tell her she was more important than all of this. That I wanted this to be more than us fucking and chasing dead ends.

“None of it makes sense. I hate it.”

“Do you think we need to go back? See for ourselves that there’s nowhere they could have hidden away” It wasn’t the time to be asking her if she’d be mine in some way, instead, I chose to engineer a way to spend more time with her. At least then I wouldn’t lose her so fast.

“I think we do.”

TWENTY-EIGHT

LUKA

Her wingtips skimmed over the water as we flew over the Middle Sea. Being on her back was like something I never could have dreamed of. It was like being in the nest of a ship, clipping at full speed. She opened up a freedom for me I could never have hoped to feel for myself. One I’d been chasing my entire life.

My chest heaved with emotion. After last night, I didn’t know how to talk to her or what she would say if I even tried. I shoved it down as we approached the island.

There were no ships. No sign of life, but since most of it existed inside the caves, we couldn’t be convinced until we went inside. Hazel landed, perched on the old dock, and let me slip off her back before she shifted. I opened the pack I’d brought, looking right at her as I handed her the clothes.

“You are incorrigible,” she laughed, but I could tell it was forced. We were both on edge.

We hadn’t told anyone we’d left. I didn’t know if Nyx would allow it or if he’d even notice. After the healers from the Forest Kingdom arrived, the only other fae he’d see except Zaria were the King and Jaxus. And frankly, I couldn’t blame him.

“I can’t help what I like.” I lifted a shoulder.

“We have to be serious here,” she whispered, straightening her tunic.

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