Page 67 of Galadon
Still, I didn’t let us go over. Only when I was certain we’d reached the point where we felt as one together did I let go. I shouted as I poured my hot seed into her and reveled in her pleasure-filled cries.
Afterward, I settled on the stone and pulled her on top of me. She rested her head on my chest, her hair fanning across my shoulder, and body completely relaxed. I trailed my fingers along her sweat-slickened back and couldn’t think of a more perfect moment in my life. Rayna owned my soul, whether I wanted to admit it aloud or not.
Chapter 26
Rayna
Onyx was restless as she adjusted his bridle and reins. Rayna had let him roam free on Galadon’s land, but she’d told him not to wander too far until he’d been shown all the dangers. Today, they were going on their first ride together since bringing him here a few days ago. He was ready for it.
She leaped onto his bare back, feeling at home as she sat.
“Take this,” Ujala said, handing her a sizeable pack that she could pull over her shoulders. “There is food in there, so you can eat the midday meal with my son while you’re out.”
Rayna smiled at her. “You are too kind.”
“Well, you did a good job fishing yesterday and brought us plenty to eat. This is the least I can do.” She patted Onyx. “There is a treat for this one in there as well.”
Galadon took up most of her time since she’d come here, but whenever he was out patrolling or busy tending his land, she tried to spend time with his mother. It had to be lonely without friends or a place to socialize. Ujala kept herself busy with a long list of tasks, though, and never complained. After Rayna found out there was a pond that was only a twenty-minute walk tothe northwest, filled with fish, she’d jumped at the chance to do something useful while Galadon was out patrolling. Thankfully, he had all the supplies since she’d lost hers.
“I was only trying to contribute since you and Galadon do almost everything around here,” Rayna said, settling the pack on her back and taking Onyx’s reins. “If you need me to help with anything, let me know.”
She dipped her chin. “Of course.”
Ujala wouldn’t ask, though. She seemed intent on giving Rayna and her son as much time together as possible. She didn’t understand why, except his mother probably wanted him to be happy. He hadn’t had much of that in his life.
Last night, he’d looked thoughtful when she went through her photo album and explained every picture. Oddly, one was missing of her and her ex-boyfriend, but she decided it was okay if that one got sacrificed to the fire gods. She had no doubt the shifter had something to do with its disappearance.
“See you later tonight?” Rayna asked.
Ujala nodded. “Now, you go, or he’ll worry. Head west until you feel the magic, then follow it in a southwesterly direction.”
She already knew that, but she appreciated Galadon’s mother telling her again to be sure. “I’ve got it.”
“What you’ll see today…it’s part of your destiny with him. It’s important,” she said, giving Rayna a solemn look.
She frowned. “What do you mean?”
“You’ll learn more when the time is right. Galadon will tell you what he knows for now, and that is enough.”
Great. She hated being kept in the dark about something that could be life-altering. One only had to go through annoying prophecies a time or two to know they’d never learn more than they were supposed to ahead of time.
With a wave, Rayna and Onyx were on their way. Galadon had promised to show her the special place on his land, so they’d agreed to meet there after he finished his patrol. It would take about forty-five minutes on horseback to reach it if their estimates were correct. She was curious to see what could possibly be worth keeping a secret for so many centuries and why Ujala thought Rayna was part of it.
She had to take a winding approach to get there. Galadon’s land showed no signs of human habitation whatsoever, as if his land had transferred intact to Earth and shoved what was there before aside. Since he usually flew, there wasn’t a distinct trail, but the deer had created some she could use now and then.
After about half an hour, Rayna began feeling the steady pulse of magic Ujala had described. The closer she came, the more it throbbed through her veins, foreign yet comfortable. She didn’t sense it as a threat.
Galadon met her when he saw her getting close. He pulled her from Onyx and gave her a passionate kiss. It only took a couple of hours away from each other before it felt like ages, but it reassured her that he reacted the same way. His greetings always involved pulling her close and kissing her like he couldn’t get enough of her. She hoped that response never stopped. Her deepest fear was that something would break them apart, and she’d lose him forever. She clung to every moment she could get with him, always fearful that what they had wouldn’t last.
Rayna was breathless when they finally broke apart. “Did your patrol go okay?”
“Mostly.” He grimaced. “Several Takaran were tampering with my wards, but I scared them away.”
That was concerning. “Does it happen often?”
“They used to do it occasionally before I joined the Faegud, but then they stopped until recently. Now, it seems like they try once every week or so.”
She had an idea but hesitated to say it aloud. This had been his land for a long time, and he was used to caring for it himself. Was he ready to share that responsibility, or would she be pushing him too soon to ask? The last time she had tried volunteering to strengthen his wards, he’d immediately shot her down.
