Page 16 of Throne of Dreams
Maeve was undone.
Physically. Emotionally. Mentally.
She’d never experienced that kind of power before, that kind of intense magic. It had stolen her senses and left her blind to the world around her. The tremor of it still hummed beneath her skin, warming her blood, like it was delighted by itself for finally testing the magnitude of its strength. But there was more. She could do more. Be more. She could createanything.
But soul magic scared her. Fear sank into her, bone deep.
She’d spiraled, the threads of her control had unraveled, and she’d almost lost her grip completely. If it hadn’t been for Tiernan, the way he tore through the wind and storm to reach her, the way his violent darkness unfurled around him, she would’ve been lost.
It thrilled her.
And his kiss...
Sweet goddess, that kiss was everything at once. Brutal. Delicious. Demanding. The way he had captured her mouth like he owned her caused her knees to buckle. Her skin heated beneath his touch, and she’d wanted him. Seven hells, shestillwanted him. Every muscle, every nerve ending was alive and aching, desperately wanting more. Slickness pooled between her legs and the friction from her damned leggings was agony. The most interesting part, however, was his obvious lust for her. He could deny it to his grave, but she was sprawled across his lap with the length of him pressing into her, and it had nothing to do with battle arousal.
Her lips twitched.
Desire fueled him, whether he liked it or not. Pure desire for her.
“Are you alright?” His voice came from somewhere above her head, soft and warm.
Maeve swallowed the rising knot of tension and when she crawled off his lap, planting both hands in the sand, he didn’t hold her back. “I think so. Maybe.”
His answering laugh was short and slightly brittle.
She sank her teeth into her bottom lip, still swollen from his kisses, and watched him, waiting for his reaction. His eyes were a summer storm, cloudy and menacing, and it set her on edge.
“You kissed me.”
Tiernan’s face remained impassive. Cool and calm, as always. “A necessary distraction.”
The insult stung and grated beneath her skin. He loved to inflict hurt, the jerk. He stood up abruptly, dusted the sand from his pants, and adjusted the collar of his shirt. She didn’t miss the fact that his erection had not yet gone away.
Which made it all the more interesting when Lirfadedinto the space between them. He glanced at his High King, who didn’t even look unruffled, and then his silver gaze slid to Maeve. She was on her rump in the sand, with her curls a disheveled mess, while the heat of longing flushed her cheeks.
Lir held out his hand, and she readily accepted, allowing him to pull her to her feet. “Her Highness said I should come collect…” he looked down at Maeve, “Her other Highness. Before things get out of hand.”
“Too late for that,” Tiernan muttered.
His complete disrespect, his utter disregard, lit the barely tempered fire inside her soul. She stalked over to him, infuriated by his disdain for her. By the way heliedso easily. She faced him, sand shifting beneath her feet, and shoved him. Hard. The asshole didn’t even stumble.
“Don’t you dare act like you didn’t enjoy it.” Tendrils of silvery smoke curled around her in her fury, cloaking them. “Like you didn’t enjoyme.”
He was a mask. His calm resolve was carefully crafted into place. He didn’t even blink. “I never said I didn’t enjoy it. I said it was necessary.”
Necessary. Right.
Maeve wasn’t going to let him win. No, she would play his vicious game. She curled into Lir’s side, intentionally locking her hands around the male’s muscled arm, and relished in the satisfaction of seeing Tiernan’s jaw tick.
“Well, orders are orders. Let’s return to the palace, Lir.” She shot Tiernan a furious glare and sent sparks of fire toward his feet. He didn’t even flinch. “We wouldn’t want the High King to be caught with Rowan’s leftovers, now would we?”
The storm was upon them without hesitation. Angry clouds filled the sky and thunder cracked like the sounds of boulders colliding into one another. She almost flinched. Almost.
“Fuck,” Lir grumbled andfadedaway with her before Tiernan could release the full temper of Summer upon them both.
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