Page 115 of Fate and Flame
“I don’t think I remember you telling me anything about being blindfolded,” I said.
“Did I forget that part?” Happiness filled his tone as he rustled in the box again. Then his hands were on me. He pushed his thumbs below my waistband and pulled until the bottoms I wore fell to my ankles.
“Step forward,” he commanded. The familiar seduction in his voice soothed me.
I did as I was told until I was standing in a room, completely naked, and blindfolded doing whatever that male told me. It was the first time in a while I’d felt him absolutely present and I would do anything he asked.
He moved away, back to the box. I listened for his breath as he came close once more. I gasped as his cold, wet hands covered my chest. He massaged, stepped away, caressed, stepped away, stroked, stepped away.
“Are you enjoying yourself, my king?”
“Immensely,” he answered as he ran two fingers down my throat.
“So, if the king thing doesn’t work out, body painting is a firm backup option.”
“I have many talents,” he said, his voice thick.
“What will we do while we wait for it to dry?”
I felt a lick of his magic between my legs as a response. A gasp caught in my throat. “I’m not sure that’s a good option just before I have to perform in front of a crowd.”
“I’m pretty sure it is,” he retorted.
His wind magic began to move in gentle circles, starting at my ankles and moving slowly up to my calves, my knees and then my thighs. He was drying the paint but loving every minute of it. “You never answered my question.” He stood directly behind me, though I hadn’t heard him move.
“What question?” It sounded breathier than I’d planned.
“Marry me, Ara. I know we’re mates, and it’s not required, but I want it all with you. I want every title. I want the ceremony. I want to stand before the world and make you mine.”
I shuddered. My knees suddenly weak. “I’ll make you a deal.”
“You would bargain with me on this?” he asked, straining because I would not just agree.
“I’ll marry you if you ask me in front of the entire kingdom.”
He leaned forward and spoke right into my ear. “I didn’t think you would want something like that.”
“It’s not about what I want. It’s about what the people want. It’s about giving them something to celebrate on the brink of war. I’ll marry you, Fen. But we need them to support us. Wren says reminding them who we are will help. So, let’s remind them.”
“Deal.” He pulled the blindfold off, the paint completely dry.
My brows furrowed. “Don’t I need that?”
“No, that was just for me.” He winked, his face glowing in the light of the flame.
I laced my fingers behind his neck and smiled. “I love you. I’ve missed you.”
He pulled slightly back, looking at me strangely. “Missed me?”
I looked up into his brutal, beautiful face. “Fen, you haven’t even come to bed for most of the week, haven’t eaten with the others. You’ve been so distant.”
He rested his hands on the side of my face, pulling me gently to him.“I would give anything to make sure you are safe. My own life, Ara. I’m sorry I’ve been so focused on that. But it’s important. We can’t just start walking through the desert with no idea what we are looking for. There has to be something in the history books.”I didn’t say anything, just stepped away from him and turned. He grabbed my wrist and spun me back around. “I’ll try harder. I’m sorry.”
I nodded at his attempted promise. “Are you going to tell me how to do this?” I asked, waving at the door. I’d prefer to change the subject entirely than fight with him.
“Cetani demand respect.”He became a tutor in an instant, walking me through the ceremony and the steps. He made me say them back to him three times until I had it memorized. Then, he wrapped the blindfold around my chest, blocking almost nothing, removed fabric from the box, and tied it around my waist. It was a skirt, with two high slits up each side.
I cocked my head to the side. “You didn’t write your name on me, did you?”
