Page 135 of What Fury Brings
It was emotional whiplash. Olerra raised her head and blinked up ather aunt. Somehow she found the strength to make the muscles in her legs work. Behind her, the room was applauding.
Lemya held a hand out to her, and Olerra took it. The queen turned her to face the room. “Witness your next queen, Crown Princess Olerra Corasene!”
The cheering grew louder. Olerra felt her eyes watering, and she could do nothing to stop it. She laughed as tears fell down her face. Toria and Lemya embraced her. Then all the nobility in the room swarmed her.
It was hours of chatting and appeasing nobles. Everyone in the room seemed to want to talk to his betrothed, now that she was officially heir.
He was so proud of her. Proud of what they’d accomplished together.
When Olerra finally broke away from the crowd, she took his hand. “Let’s go, please.”
They couldn’t make a clean getaway. A few more people stopped them, but when they finally reached the hallway, Olerra sighed.
“Let’s get some food in you,” Sanos suggested. When they reached her rooms, he sent a eunuch off for refreshments.
After the ale and bread arrived, the two of them sat on a comfy sofa by the window. Olerra took a long drink.
“I’m crown princess,” she said.
“Yes,” he agreed.
“You’re the king of Brutus.”
“Yes.”
“We’re getting married tomorrow.”
“Yes.”
She turned to him, her eyes finally focusing. “I thought saying it out loud might help to make it all feel more real.”
“And does it?”
“A little. Not enough.”
“What do you need?”
Olerra smiled, plucking the drink from his hand and putting it on the table next to her own. She took his hand and dragged him toward the bed.
“You,” she said. “I need you. Right now.”
Sanos felt his blood heat. He was hard in an instant, but he tried to make his brain work. “Your injuries.”
“The healer said I could if I was careful.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Are you being truthful?”
“Would I lie to you?”
“For sex?”
She laughed. “I promise.”
And then she was kissing him.
All his noble intentions went out the window as he decided to believe her. Gods, but he loved this woman so much. It had been torture to wait for her to heal. To not touch her when she’d done so much for him. Killing his father. Offering him a kingdom. Making him her seul. The extent of his feelings was overwhelming.
And now she was kissing him. He tried to keep his lips gentle, but Olerra was ravaging his mouth with hers. She stood on her toes, got a fist in his hair, and worked her lips over his. She kissed like she wanted to claim him as her own. As if he could ever be anyone else’s.
