Page 69 of Fate and Flame
“You are mine,” he growled.
I could only nod as the beast within him spoke directly to my own. He dipped me backward and began kissing the space between my breasts until every inch of me was pleading for more. He moved his hand below the jeweled circle, and so damn slowly, went lower until his fingers were stroking that sensitive bud and I was helplessly panting. He moved two fingers into me while his thumb continued to circle. He played me like an instrument, and within minutes, I was shamelessly climaxing, my body quaking below his skilled hands.
He lifted me, still placing soft kisses along my burning skin as I stood upright again.
“When this is over tonight, I want you in that dress, waiting for me.”
“Yes, my king,” my husky voice complied.
Desire radiated down the bond and it took every ounce of self-control we both had to walk out of that room, his hand firmly on the bare skin of my lower back. We walked down the steps together as our friends stood in a group, dressed just as sharply, waiting.
We were escorted to the arena where they held The Rights. The entire kingdom had come, and as we looked over the endless cheering crowd, it seemed a lifetime ago that we had watched the same faces mourn their former king.
Inok stood in the middle of the field before us and lit a giant fire, the heat from those fated flames so strong, sweat formed on my bare back. Umari, Kai, Greeve and I walked forward, as we had been coached to do earlier in the week and waited as Inok placed three iron rods into the base of the roaring fire. I noticed Kai’s shaking hand and chastised him under my breath.
“It will hurt worse if you’re shaking, Kaitalen. Get it together.”
“Yes, mother,” he mumbled.
He’d come back from his mission under the sea for the coronation, but I hadn’t had a chance to talk to him yet. Eventually, we would have to figure out what to do with them, but tonight was about the Flame Court and tradition. Not the Sea Court I’d left in shambles.
Fen moved to his knees in the center, letting the fire heat his bare back.
Inok stood, facing him.“This fire represents your new place amongst our people. May you burn bright, Fenlas.”
Fen leaned all the way down, placing his nose to the ground. Umari stepped forward, bedecked in flowing, ornate fabrics and moved to stand in front of the future king.“May you never forget the hard lessons of those that came before you.”
Fen rose from the waist but remained on the ground. Together, they placed a metal circlet, forged in fire and shaped into a hundred tiny flames, on his head.
Greeve walked forward, nearly gliding across the ground to his brother. He pulled the first red-hot rod out of the tumultuous flames, then turned to Fen and pressed the first part of the brand into his back. Only our bond reacted to the pain, Fenlas did not move.“May the reach of your rule spread across the world.” Greeve set the iron down and returned to his spot beside me.
Kai took a deep breath and walked forward, claiming the second iron. He pressed it into Fen’s skin, and though I flinched, he did not. “May the fire within remind you to always protect your people.”
He walked back to me steadily and then it was my turn. I stepped forward. A single brand remained, glowing in the base of the fire. I wrapped my hand around the warm metal and lifted as I stilled myself. Greeve and Kai had done the left and right sides of a flame, and I was to brand the top of them into his skin. I held my chin high and pressed the rod forward, though it nearly killed me. I burned him. I yanked the rod away after only a fraction of a second but he was permanently marked. I stepped backward and set the rod down.“May you always protect the weak, encourage the strong, and may your fire burn eternal.”
I felt the tremble down the bond as my words struck home.
“Rise a king,” the crowd said in unison.
And so, he did.
Chapter Eighteen
Temir
“Is this it?” Nadra asked, looking around.
Slowly, the grassy roadside turned into sand, and after over a week of traveling with more than twenty people, including Rhogan, who snored louder than anyone should ever be able to, we made it to the Flame Court. Or at least the outskirts of the kingdom.
“It’s time to see how they really treat us down here,” Rhogan said.
“Murtad? Is that who we’re looking for?” someone from our group asked.
“Yes. But based on our information, we have to get through the border lords first and then we’re supposed to find the refugee leader for shelter. Not everyone who travels south is a member of the rebellion. We’re supposed to wait to hear from Murtad,” I answered.
The desert was strange. So hot and blank, no trees for miles, hardly any landmarks, only an occasional homestead. We dragged our tired legs through the red sand until we were approached by a high fae on a fae horse loaded down with jugs of water. She hopped down with a smile on her face.
I was instantly on guard. I think we all were.
