Page 27 of Petals for Deadly Power

The thought was depressing and solitary, and a piece of Lenna’s heart wanted to hide it away to make it less real. She didn’t dare ask him the question. She didn’t dare want to hear the devastating answer and hurt him by making him say it aloud. Maybe not having anyone at all in the world was not even a hurtful thought for him.

Her golden eyes threatened to fill with sudden, unstoppable tears born from the need to protect a man that didn’t need protection.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, his silver eyes narrowing as his full lips tightened in a line. He caressed her slightly-less-cold cheek.

“I am lucky to have you. In whatever way I have you, if I have you at all. I hope you know that you have me as well, in whatever capacity you want me, if you want me at all.”

Jake’s eyes narrowed even further, his pupils barely two visible slits.

“I know that didn’t make any fucking sense.” Lenna wanted to hide under the fifteen blankets and perhaps add a few more until her blood circulated to her brain in a way that didn’t make her seem totally stupid and totally overthinking. Which waspreciselywhat she was doing.

Shame hiding away and being sensible were as unknown to Lenna as the bastard god who would freeze them to death. She closed her eyes, taking a breath in before saying, “You have me, Jake. You had me yesterday, you have me today, and you will have me tomorrow.”

“Don’t think I missed the part where you said ifI want you, Brachyan.” His tone was chastising and severe. “I donated you petals to help you regain your panom mark; I threw my previous life and my old responsibilities away; I became a fugitive. I joined a crusade that I have only read in books because it’s too risky to attempt in real life; I distanced myself from the only member of my family that I care about, and the Fifth knows that is only half of what I’ve done for you, and to be close to you. Just so I have it absolutely fucking clear. What part of this makes you even think that I mightnotwant you?”

Her golden eyes were not teary anymore. They were full of utter passion for this male. She didn’t deserve him. “You didn’t need to do any of those things for me.”

“I very much know that, sweet fire. And yet, I would still do them five hundred times again.”

The intensity of his lips on hers could have consumed her life, the navia, the whole Radel Sea, and perhaps the Cardinals themselves. She grabbed his face with both hands, answering his kiss with the same devotion. Devotion that spoke of raw desperation, excruciating need, and longing to feel each other closer forever more.

Eventually, perhaps hours later, Lenna let go of him. “Right. My friends. I must see if they became ice cubes overnight.” She widened her eyes, suddenly remembering why she hadn’t bothered putting a sound barrier in their cabin the previous night. “And your special guest? Maybe poor Arabella whatever-fancy-second-name isn’t alive.”

The side smile on Jake’s handsome face matched his chuckle. “That would definitely make your day.”

Not only were Sasha, Brendon, and Arabella fucking D’Arcy very alive and very not frozen, but also, they were enjoying a delightfully complete breakfast under deck.

“Morning, morning.” Lenna took a seat next to Sasha, giving her a quick but firm hug. “You all look very well.” Jake sat at the end of the table, next to a still-sleepy Brendon.

“Not as well as you, surely.” Sasha snorted. “By the second or third time you guys came, I was glad the sound of the waves was that loud.”

Lenna served herself some of the nuts and pastries mix. “Was your night peaceful and quiet, Arabella?”

“It was, when I finished touching myself with you two moaning in the background.” Arabella nodded distractedly. “It was very enjoyable, actually. To the point that I might request my cabin to be moved closer to yours. It helped me keep warm.”

Brendon had a coughing fit, and Jake patted him on the back so intensely that Lenna wouldn’t have been shocked if a rib or two had broken.

“How did you two keep warm?” Lenna turned to Sasha and Brendon to avoid showering Arabella with some aggressively thrown nuts. She didn’t know if Arabella masturbating to the sound of her and Jake eating each other made her jealous, or hot. Because whichever way it was, Lenna had purposely forced her to listen to them having sex. And either way, it was ridiculous if Lenna was pissed off by the consequences of her own Cardinals-damned actions.

“Brendon went to find the courtrades and asked them if Llunal preferred to bury our dead bodies or throw them into the sea.”

“Savage.” Lenna laughed.

Brendon grinned, the green of his eyes shining with pride and delight. “It worked. One of them—I think he’s mute—threw a weird thing at me. I think he might have made it for us, actually. It was like a thick, static shadow that I could move around.”

“This cheek blackmailed me into accepting him in my bed ordying the coldest death ever.” Sasha’s voice was grave in a weak attempt at imitating Brendon’s voice. “He was all smug smiles and retorts until we fell asleep.”

“Hold. On. A. Minute.” Lenna lifted both palms in the air, her jaw dropping dramatically. “Did you two sleep together? And you didn’t tell me? When were you going to tell me?”

Sasha’s eyebrows shot upwards. “When you stopped fucking, perhaps?”

“And remembered other beings cohabitate in the same world as you two?” Brendon added.

“Shut up. Tell me everything. Every single damn thing.” Lenna filled her mouth with another spoonful of nut mix, and crossed her arms, awaiting nothing but a proper response.

“Nothing happened. We used the shadow cloak thing; we laid down, closed our eyes, and woke up this morning. Ready for a new day.” Sasha smiled wickedly, already knowing how boring Lenna was going to find reality.

Lenna rolled her eyes, turning her face to the side. “Nothing happenedyet, you mean. Clearly, not all of us know how to enjoy life in bed.”

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