Page 151 of Kingdom of the Two Moons

I might have cried out, but something pushes itself between my lips. Something velvety and dark as the night probing into my mouth.

My eyes fly up to the dais, to Caryan. I find him standing now, looking down on me. He’s dressed again, no trace of the woman; his face utterly blank.

But by the golden glint in his eyes, I know it’s stillhim,woven in between the inky plume of magic that still swirls around my nipples, who is now invading my lips. It’shimin my mouth, gliding in and out in a slow, steady rhythm. A touch deeper each time he pulls out and pushes back again.

It’s Caryan who’s fucking my lips. My mouth. At the same pace Riven’s fingers fuck me. The same pace with which he’s pushing himself against me in hard thrusts.

It’s too much. I can’t take it.

I liquefy.

My legs shake and my body trembles as I come.

I would collapse if Riven let go of me, but his hands lock me into place, continuing while I fracture in his grip, watching Caryan through my lashes.

Another shove down my throat. Brutal this time. So deep it makes swallowing impossible.

I open my eyes wide. Caryan just looks back at me unfazed and cruel and ancient, his face still revealing nothing of what he’s doing as his magic drives into me one more time.

Even deeper. Too deep. To a point where it just hurts.

Tears well in my eyes. I can’t breathe.

He just keeps looking at me for a heartbeat longer.

Then darkness around him ripples and he’s gone. His magic along with him.

47

Melody

Caryan’s sudden absence makes me snap out of it, leaving me cold. Empty. Shuddering.

I step away from Riven without another word. Without another glance. I slink through the crowd, too restless to think.What the hell just happened?I feel feverish, as if my skin is too tight for what slumbers in my veins. As ifsomethingalmost tore me open. Almost left me fractured.They.Caryan and Riven.

When I swallow, my throat is still raw from Caryan…

The tattoo on my wrist burns painfully as I push further through the crowd of revelers, dancing and drinking wine from each other’s mouths. I pray they didn’t see what just happened. But no one pays me any attention, or so much as looks at me, too absorbed with each other, and I allow myself a shudder of relief.

Hells, what have I done?

Behind me, Riven is following, but slower, because people are either too dazed or too drunk to make way for him. A few startle out of their spell in sudden fear of him, falling to a knee, making obeisances.

I start to run. Air. I need air. And space. And silence.

Finally, reality sets back in. I ignore the thrill that runs through me at the sheer lunacy of what I’m about to do. Sobering me up. I’m going to run away. I’m scared. So fucking scared. But a life in shackles again—I cannot.

I push through more drunk fae, too aware that Riven is still following me. Still too aware of what we’d just done. Of the heat that’s still in my body, burning my insides. Of my restless heartbeat. The touch of his fingers between my legs, lingering.

I run even faster, diving into a labyrinth of small streets and alleyways packed with stands where fae are selling cherry wine and spiced bread. I eventually shake Riven by taking a sharp turn left, then right.

When I glance back, he’s no longer there.

I dash on, letting my strange talent guide me to the ruins. It’s terrifyingly easy. It scared me before, back with Lyrian. But no longer.

When I reach the huge gate I run even faster, throwing all my newly won strength and speed into my movements. I skitter between the dark silhouettes of the ancient, carved columns I glimpsed on our ride here.

Someone grabs my arm.

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