Page 54 of The Light Falls
“All those reasons and more, damn it. I need you. Us,” I say, the words getting caught in my throat.
She takes a deep, shuddering breath. “You want us? Stop holding me at arm’s length. Give me more words. Show me how you feel. Stop appearing and disappearing in my life.” Her firm voice tells me she’s absolutely serious.
A chance. It’s more than I thought she would give me. “Deal. But I fucking want it all—the spark I feel when you give me hell, the tension that’s constantly between us, and the future we’re still figuring out. And, Meri, there’s no running away when things get hard,” I warn her, watching her tongue slip out and lick her lips. “Most of all, I want you. Meri. Queen or not. I don’t give a fuck.”
Pulling her into my lap, I lower my head and capture those tantalizing pink lips. Her breath catches, and the little sound makes me rock hard. I’ve spent years imagining the sounds she’ll make for me. The taste of her on my tongue. A feast for a starving man. No morsel too small to savor. Or devour. My hands roam the curves I’ve ached to touch for so long.
She turns her head and murmurs, “Stop.”
I freeze. “What is it?” My voice is husky with need.
A dry laugh. “I can’t believe I’m saying this. For years, I’ve wanted you. Ached for you.” She pauses and shakes her head. “But I need to know you’re serious and in this for good. Also, I don’t want to fuck it up with sex.” Her finger nervously flicks a button on my shirt.
Picking up her hand, I nibble the tips of her fingers. “No sex. How about if I just taste you? All over.”
She shifts restlessly in my lap, and I clench my teeth. “We need time.”
I give her a pained nod. “How about we agree to take it slow and don’t put any parameters on it? Rules aren’t something you or I are good at following, and I don’t want any regrets. There are enough of those in our past. What do you say?”
She eyes me warily but nods.
Exhaling loudly, I shift her to one side, but keep my arms around her. “Let’s just sit here for a few minutes.”
She leans her head back on my shoulder, face turned up to the sky. “Council meeting was interesting. Camon suggested we send a delegation to the fire drakes. He assigned himself to it, but I vetoed it on the grounds of having something else for him to do.”
Surprised, I glance down at her. I wonder if this is what she was thinking about earlier. “Do you have a job for him?”
“Maybe,” she says hesitantly before explaining the request for both metals and weapons from the light Elves. “Camon only concerned himself with two things today… the delegation to the fire drakes and getting weapons in the hands of our soldiers. He could be covering up his involvement with the Lesser Fae, but I can’t help thinking he’s playing both sides. Hedging his bets.”
“He’s High Fae of the Spring Court. I doubt he wants to give up that position, no matter his affiliation with the Lesser Fae,” I say, agreeing with her. “I didn’t realize the council asked for weapons, too. In all the reconnaissance Kaius and I did, you know what we didn’t find?”
She turns and looks up at me. “Weapons. What if we set a trap? Give the council information on where and when, then see who shows up? Even if it isn’t Camon, it might reveal another spy in the palace.” Small white teeth chew on her bottom lip. “But it could also tip the Lesser Fae into a small skirmish.”
“We’re not prepared for the Lesser Fae to show themselves yet,” I state firmly. “What if you give Camon the job of meeting the weapons shipment and securing them for the palace? If he’s playing both sides, he won’t want to jeopardize his role or the public’s perception of him as High Fae. And since the Lesser Fae need a high-ranking spy in the palace, they won’t take the weapons from him.”
Much to my dismay, she eases off my lap to pace. “Maybe it will give me an opening to ask about the proposal he put together for the Lesser Fae. They vetoed it, but I think we could resurrect a version of it. Living with Leandra taught me to ask for small favors because they were more likely to get approved. Big stuff was automatically denied. If we could get some of the rights approved, it would make him a hero to the Lesser Fae and allow him to keep his prestigious life as High Fae.”
“First things first. We need to set up an exchange for the weapons,” I remind her.
She agrees. “Fallon has the shipment ready to go. He’s waiting on us. Can you and Kaius find a place that can’t be ambushed?”
“Yes. It will also need to be a significant distance from any of the weapon depots we saw on their map,” I say, thinking about the possibilities. “Good call on having Solandis stall on the weapons.”
She laughs. “That one came from you. Never give your enemy a weapon they can use against you.”
Chuckling, I stand up and pull her into my arms. “Speaking of enemies, Leandra found an amulet that lets her hide from hers. It’s why I can’t find her. Nor can anyone else, including the dark Fae king.”
“I didn’t know you were searching for her.” She studies me for a second, then shrugs. “Let’s hope she stays in hiding. The last thing I want is for her to pop her head up and join the Lesser Fae against me.” Even as she says the words, I hear the lie in her voice. She wants Leandra to come out of hiding. So do I, but I intend to get to her first.
I pull the map out of the shadows and wave a hand to place it on the table inside. “Come. I’ll walk you through the map. You’re right. I was trying to protect you, but as queen, you need to know all the details.” She follows me inside. “And I’m not leaving tonight. Couch or bed, you decide, but I’m staying.”
CHAPTERTWENTY-TWO
MERI
Cormal and Kaius are sitting on the balcony eating breakfast when I wake up the next morning. Impatiently waving a hand over myself, I dress and join them a minute later.
“Kaius,” I say coolly. But then I can’t help but reach down and give him a fierce hug. “I’m glad to know you’re not dead and gone, but you picked a hell of a way to come back.” I pick up Cormal’s coffee and take a sip. “Just so you’re aware… I’m on Solandis’ side on this one.”
