Page 69 of The Court of Thorns and Wings

21

TAVISH

Fear strangled me, waking me from the most comforting sleep I’d had in days. My skin was still jolting from having Lira’s body next to mine, and I felt completely satiated from making love and then holding her all night long despite feeling slightly sluggish from my time in imprisonment. Yet, my magic flowed at full strength inside me, thanks to being back in the lands that held the essence of Unseelie power.

The mattress shifted, informing me that Lira had gotten up from the bed, and then the words she’d spoken through our mind-melding in the haze of slumber replayed in my head.

I sat up and watched her hurry to the closet, completely naked, and need tightened in my stomach and made my dick harden again.

I swear, if Finnian harms her, I’ll cut off one of his testicles,she connected, disappearing into the closet for all of one second to come out with a gray tunic and leather pants for me and a snow-white gown for herself.

She had dark circles under her gorgeous blue eyes—proof that sharing her magic with me was impacting her—but she stood steadily on her feet, whereas she hadn’t the night before.

Right. Finnian and Eiric were fighting. We needed to stop that, but all I wanted to do was admire my mate’s body. However, I knew better. Even though Lira was threatening Finnian, she’d be equally upset if Eiric harmed him. She cared about both of them dearly, which meant breaking up the fight was as much a priority for me as for her.

I couldn’t tolerate her being hurt again.

Snagging my pants, I threw the covers off and slid the material on. Not bothering with the shirt, I flew across the room, unlocked the door, and barreled toward the main room.

Lira followed close behind me, the tips of my wings brushing her body a few times. The intimate sensation made me struggle to keep my mind on the task, but I managed.

We turned the corner as Eiric swung her sword at Finnian, who blocked the attack at the last second.

He grinned. “Good. Your eyes didn’t telegraph your attack.”

When I realized they weren’t actually trying to slice the scales from each other’s wings, the tension drained from my body. I dropped to my feet behind a couch, and Lira landed beside me.

Her concern morphed into frustration as her face turned a faint golden hue. “What thehell?”

Finnian and Eiric lowered their swords and turned to us. He rubbed a hand over his new beard and asked, “I don’t understand. What is this ‘hell,’ and what does it have to do with us?”

“I thought you’d be happy that we were training together.” Eiric sheathed her sword and placed her hands on her hips. “Why are you upset?”

“So hell means she’s upset…” Finnian nodded. “That’s a strange saying.”

Even though I agreed, I was more concerned with her being upset than with Earth’s vocabulary. I wanted to smack Finniansince he wasn’t focused on what mattered. I opened my mouth to defend Eiric, but I didn’t have to.

“I’m glad you two are amicable enough to train with each other, but a heads-up would have been nice.” Lira lifted her chin, staring down the woman she’d claimed as a sister. “Instead, I’m woken by the sound of you almost being beheaded. I thought you two were actually fighting.”

“I didn’t want to risk knocking on your door and hearing you and the Unseelie fiend fucking, or waking you up if you were actually sleeping.” Eiric shivered. “I was being considerate.”

Lira’s anger vanished, and relief lightened our connection. “I know. After the way last night ended, I just got freaked out when I heard you almost got injured. If something happened to either of you…” She trailed off.

I placed an arm around her shoulders and pulled her to my side, our wings touching. I didn’t understand how Lira could be that angry and then calm down so fast. She’d never been that way with me. I needed to learn Eiric’s trick for managing that.

“We woke up an hour ago and had some bread and sunbursts. We came to an understanding. One that will allow us to work together more easily.” Eiric strolled to the table and drank from a glass of water.

Now I couldn’t deny being intrigued. “And what exactly is this agreement?”

Finnian beamed. “I won’t kill another Seelie unless there’s absolutely no other way, and she’ll be cordial to the Unseelie when we arrive back at the castle and remember she can’t go around killing our people either.”

Hands dropping from her waist, Eiric scowled. “Damn nightfiends.”

“It was eye-opening when she put herself in our wings and thought about arriving in a kingdom full of Unseelie who will want to kill her.” Finnian bumped his shoulder into Eiric’s. “Shehadn’t thought that far ahead, especially with her wearing a guard’s uniform.”

He was right. I’d been so consumed with Lira and her well-being that I hadn’t thought about what might happen to Eiric once we returned to my people.

“There should be an outfit here she can change into.” Lira nibbled on her bottom lip, burrowing deeper against my side. “God, I hate that you got yourself into this situation. They’ll know you’re Seelie. You should’ve stayed at Gleann Solas and pretended not to know anything.”

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