Page 528 of Flirting with Darkness

Hissentiesscattered their light, tantalizing touches along my neck, shoulders, and chest.

“You don’t like it when I look regal?”

“I love you, my sweet pea. No matter what you look like. But when you’re up on your throne, surrounded by the entire court, your mind is on the very important matters of state…” He lifted his head, meeting my eyes. “I can’t dothisto you, can I?”

His hand slipped between my thighs. The gentle glide of his fingers along my folds made me gasp.

A wicked spark flashed in his eyes, hissentiesswarming my breasts. Their tiny mouths nibbled at my skin, plucking at my hardening nipples.

“Kyllen…” I breathed out, letting my legs fall open for him. “We have…”

We had something important to do today. Every day was filled with things to do. But when my husband touched me like this, nothing else mattered…

I gripped his neck, bringing his mouth to mine.

“I love you,” I whispered before kissing him.

Gods, I loved him. So much. Desire curled in tendrils of heat through my body.

I arched my back, pressing myself to him.

A sudden flapping of wings came from one of the giant glassless windows of our bedroom.

Kyllen’s back muscles tensed under my palms. The next moment he was on his feet, yanking out King Zeldren’s ancient sword that had been polished to a shine and mounted on the wall over our nest.

“What…” I scrambled out of the nest, too.

“Stand back, Amira.”

Oh, I knew that tone of voice of his. Worry vibrated through it. Whatever worried Kyllen often terrified me. He wasn’t that easily spooked.

The royal palace occupied seven giant royal trees. Magical wards had been laid around each of them. They prevented anyone who didn’t belong to the royal family from entering our bedroom through the window. Only those of the royal blood could cross the ward barriers. That included me as the lawful wearer of the Crown of Lorsan, Kyllen as my bonded mate, and our three children Radax, Lily, and Aila. No one else.

Still, Kyllen raised the ancient sword in his hands, standing on guard. Hiding behind his wide back, I peeked from around his arm.

A large shape landed on the patio outside of one of our floor-to-ceiling windows. Its two great white wings were edged with gold light from the sunrise. The wings were huge, spanning across the entire window.

I gripped Kyllen’s arm. “What’s that?”

The wings folded, pressed against a much smaller body of a bird, white like snow.

“A white cloud owl.” Kyllen lowered his sword.

I’ve read about these majestic creatures but hadn’t seen one live until now.

“But they live in Sky Kingdom. High above the clouds.”

“They do. The sky fae use them as messengers.” He stepped a little closer to the window, his sword lowered but still tightly gripped in his hand.

“Greetings,” the bird croaked.

I jumped, startled. “It speaks!”

“You know it does.” Kyllen smiled, though still looking a little tense.

“Yes but…” Reading about that was one thing. Actually hearing an owl speak was a completely different experience. Reading didn’t exactly prepare me for that.

The bird didn’t appear to care about what I thought about it.

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