Page 54 of Of Blooming Embers
She guided us through the writhing throng of people. Bodies swayed and spun to the whimsical tunes spinning into the night.
Seryn stumbled, and I gripped her waist, fingers sinking into her soft curves as she grabbed my biceps to balance herself. I licked my bottom lip, staring down at her, relishing the feel of her in my hands. She was ethereal as the sputtering candlelight painted the dips and valleys of her face and chest.
Tortuously, she slid her palms over my arms, pausing at my shoulders, but then tilted her head and wrapped her hands behind my nape. Her fingertips teased the strands along my hairline. Wherever she touched, tingles swelled in currents, culminating at the base of my spine.
Her hips swayed, and my body followed as we moved within each other’s arms. Lilting music cocooned us, and I didn’t know if anyone was around us anymore or if I was dreaming.
Her eyelashes fluttered, and she looked up at me from under them. Her cheeks were flushed, and her lips were shiny. I wanted to drag my teeth over her bottom lip to see if she tasted like mireberries.
Bittersweet.
If that didn’t bloody define our entire relationship, I didn’t know what did. My molars ground together, and I clamped my eyes closed.
Gently, her thumbs brushed over my scrunched eyebrows. “They’ll stay that way.” She sighed as my eyelids slowly opened, then slid her hands from my jaw down to my chest, letting them rest over my thumping heartbeat.
I was going to drown in her gaze if she kept looking at me like that. I drew her in closer, knowing I shouldn’t. But, once again, I succumbed to the pull, ignoring the many times my willpower had crumbled in her presence.
“Do you have regrets?” she murmured, her focus never leaving mine.
“Too many.”
She glanced to the side, rubbing her lips together before looking up at me. “Us? Do you … do you regret what happened between us?”
Her face crumpled, and I frowned.I’m a fucking blighter. Two turns ago, I’d made damned certain that shebelievedwe were a mistake when we were anything but. Disgusted with myself, I roughly dragged one hand through my hair.
Before I could withdraw, her fingers dug into my tunic. “Don’t you dare.”
“I—”
A lively tune began and cut my words short. Spiritedly, people bounced and stomped around us. I scowled at the interruption, whipping my arm around Seryn and towing us through the throng.
As we reached the end of the crowd, I grabbed her hand and pulled her past Breena, whose hair was mussed as she left a secluded shop at the edge of the main area. Behind her, Marek was slinking off in the other direction.
“Ryn?” Breena called after us, but I didn’t stop to give Seryn a chance to respond.
Her hand tightened within mine. I kept moving, trudging across a quiet side bridge, ignoring her. A rabid frenzy of anger and lust and disgust was fueling me, taking over my better senses.
“Gavrel!”
Instantly, I paused, and she bumped into my side. I spun, gathering her close so she wouldn’t fall, and she braced her hands against my chest.
She swatted at some strands tickling her cheek as she stepped out of my embrace, narrowing her eyes. My shoulders fell, and I took a deep breath and then held out my hand. My pulse still rapped against my ribs, but more evenly now.
She sighed and placed her hand in mine. Just beyond the bridge, I led us up a secluded, winding staircase. The stairs led to nowhere. Only some worn wood planks of a dilapidated platform remained of what I guessed was once a home.
Facing the swamp, we reached a hidden spot behind the massivetrunk. We were both breathing hard as I let go of her hand and backed her up against the smooth bark.
Her breasts heaved, threatening to spill from the sheer fabric clinging to her cleavage. The strings of light flickered from below, a soft amber radiance dancing over her face. The notes of a hauntingly beautiful song began to play, and her eyes widened at the familiar ballad.
There it shall linger,
In the void where shadows creep.
Beyond Nether,
The nightmares decay sleep.
“Is thatFated? My humming song? Isn’t that odd?” she whispered breathlessly.
