Page 21 of Healer to the Ash King
“So you and Brayda—you’re not—”
“Together? Sometimes. We share rooms, and occasionally beds. But I haven’t forgotten you, or this.” He cups his hand between my legs, and I release a soft whimper in spite of myself. I reach out, running my fingertips along the black braids clustering over his head.
His warm palm passes under my loose shirt, skimming the curve of my breast, then sliding down to my lower belly. I can barely breathe as his fingers nudge beneath the waistband of my pants, questing lower until one finger pushes into the seam of my sex, pressing deep, tempting the little sensitive place he knows so well.
I didn’t realize how deeply I’ve been craving intimate touch. I’m barely conscious of where we are and how foolish this is—my entire focus centers on that one part of my body, and on the sensations rippling from Rince’s expert fingers.
“I’ve missed doing this,” he murmurs. “The way you react so quickly—I’ve always loved that about you. Gods, you’re soaked already.”
His central finger slides deeper, plunging into my slit, stimulating inner places that haven’t been stroked by anyone but me in far too long. I’m paralyzed, helpless to each growing surge of pleasure.
And then he stops.
My eyes blink open, searching for the cause of the sudden halt.
He’s staring at my right hand, which he still has pinned to the wall. He turns it so he can see the ring I’m wearing more clearly.
“This is a real palace ring,” he says. “Not one of the imitations they sell in the market.”
“The Ash King gave it to me.”
Rince pulls his hand out of my pants, and I bite my lip to keep from whining my disappointment. “You’ve seen him? Spoken to him personally?”
“My room is next to his.”
Bright, savage hunger wakes in his eyes. “Are you serious?”
“Yes,” I say cautiously.
“What a chance!” he exclaims. “What luck! It’s as if the Heartsfire itself is supporting our cause!”
“What do you mean?”
“Cailin, surely you see how perfect this is? You have intimate access to the King—”
“I wouldn’t sayintimate,” I cut in. “He trusts me. He wants a healer nearby to help him if he’s wounded.”
“Surely he has a royal healer who could fill that role for him.”
“I suppose.” I hadn’t really thought of it, but there must be a palace healer who already tends to the King. Why did he choose me to live beside him, and notthathealer, who has an established role and proven loyalty?
“Cailin, listen to me.” Rince grips my hands. “You are a beautiful gift from home. The Heartsfire has sent you to join our cause—” he leans in and whispers, “to kill the King.”
I jerk my fingers away from his. “You can’t ask me to do that. You know the oath I’ve taken.”
“An oath to heal the helpless and protect the defenseless. By doing this, you’d be saving countless lives. The Ash King has killed so many people, love—it’s only a matter of time before he does it again. And you could save them all—you, a miracle straight from the bosom of Analoir Doiteain, from our beloved mountain.”
I tremble against the cool stone wall of the alley, caught between it and Rince’s zealous glow.
“Have you seen the King hurt people?” Rince asks.
Pressing my lips together and averting my eyes, I nod.
“He’s a cruel, wicked man. And beyond that, his policies are hurting the kingdom, Cailin. They’re destroying us as a nation. He needs to go.”
I nod again.
“Good girl.” Rince strokes my cheek with the backs of his knuckles. “Listen, Brayda will be back any moment. Join us for tea, and we’ll discuss a plan.”
