Page 39 of War Of Fire and Fortune
"Joining us?" I called out, a challenge of my own.
Without a word, Kade unfolded himself from his casual lean, stepping into the light. Shadows clung to him like a second skin. With a subtle flick of his wrist, they surged forward, snaking across the ground and intertwining with our battlefield.
Luana's eyes widened slightly in surprise, but she was quick to adapt, shifting her tactics to account for this new, unpredictable element. I dodged a tendril of darkness that sought to ensnare my ankle, leaping back and forcing the ground to rise in spikes. But Kade was always one step ahead, his control over his shadows so precise.
"Show me what you've got,Bunny," Kade taunted, amusement lacing his voice.
Shadows danced around me, brushing against my skin like whispers of silk, tempting and teasing. They were cool where I burned from exertion, darkness to my light. Every move I made was matched and countered, a relentless assault that pushed me to the brink.
As I pivoted to avoid another shadowy strike, I caught Kade's eye, and there was something there—and for a fleeting moment, it held me captive.
Luana gradually receded like the tide pulling back from the shore—leaving me alone on the battlegrounds with Kade. The distance between us closed as we continued to attack. Until he grabbed me and twisted me around, pinning me to his front, just like he had on the ship, which felt like a lifetime ago.
Adrenaline spiked in me and I twisted, landing a blow to his chest. A grunt escaped him, but Kade was quick to recover, his reflexes sharp. Before I knew it, he had maneuvered close to me again, pinning me against the solid wall of his torso and chest. Now I was facing him. I could feel his warm breath against my face, our noses almost touching. I could feel the warmth of his body against mine. The contact, after the last few weeks of keeping careful distance, seared through my senses. His body was a perfect mold against mine, every contour fitting where I ached with fatigue, and now I was aching with something else.
I couldn’t stop the warmth that bloomed within me, a yearning for his hands to explore places they had no business being.We’re training. I don’t need this right now.Inappropriate thoughts swirled in my head, desires I had done well to keep stifled now clawing their way to the surface. And Kade—damn him—grinned, his expression knowing, as if he'd slipped into my thoughts and read them like a book. I checked the wall in my mind to make sure I hadn’t let it down before Ace’s steps interrupted us.
He approached, his strides confident and strong even after all he’d been though. I blinked away the trance Kade's proximity had put me in, turning to face my friend.
"Let's start training again," Ace insisted, but I shook my head.
"No, Ace. You’re not ready yet." I’d healed him the best I could these last few weeks, it kept me distracted from the man at my back.
His wings were out now, all his feathers had grown back, seeing him now, I wouldn’t have believed the state he was in when he came back from Ember.
He frowned, flexing muscles that had not seen much use since he’d returned. "My wings aren't ready for flying yet. I need to strengthen my back muscles, and I could use one-on-one sparring, especially if we don't know what's coming."
His eyes met mine. I glanced at Luana.
“Fine, I’ll leave you two to it then,” I announced with a knowing smirk, eyeing Ace and Luana as they squared off in the center of the clearing. The pair had been inseparable since his healing had begun, their touches lingering, eyes locked in silent conversations. It was almost comical how transparent they were, their hands and mouths betraying any sense of decorum when they thought no one was watching.
Ace sent me a rueful look, his head shaking slightly as if to chide me for my teasing. But there was a glint in his eye, an acknowledgment of the little trap I'd set for him.
“Good luck, brother,” I signed. He wouldn’t be getting much training in if he was up against against Lu. He wouldn’t be able to keep his hands to himself. My laughter bubbled up as I turned on my heel and strode away from the grounds.
Kade's presence was close behind.
"Kade, I'm exhausted," I muttered more to myself than to him as we left. It was late summer now, the weather had been hot. I was excited for it to start cooling down. "I need to wash off this day. Don't wait up."
Before the words fully escaped my lips, strong arms enveloped me, lifting me. A hollow sensation enveloped us. My heart leapt into my throat, and I couldn't suppress the squeal that followed as we reappeared beside the river, the cool air brushing against my heated skin.
"Kade!" My protest died on the wind as he set me down gently, the grass soft beneath my boots. The water babbled nearby. Shadows danced across Kade's features, making him appear both alluring and dangerous.
"What are you doing?" I asked, the words catching in my throat as Kade's hands hovered at the hem of my shirt. I had done well keeping him out the last few weeks, only focusing on training or Ace or, well, anything other than him, but each dayhe worked his way back into my heart, and if I was being honest with myself, he’d never left.
"Taking care of you," he said softly, and his eyes searched mine for consent. There was weight to his gaze, a silent plea that begged me to let him close. Even if just for a little while. I nodded, unable to find my voice. "I've watched you take care of everyone but yourself for weeks." His fingers brushed against my skin as he lifted the fabric over my head. The cool air kissed where his touch lingered, sending a shiver down my spine.
He dropped to his knees, gently coaxing my pants down, and I stepped out of them. "I've wanted to care for you all this time, but I've given you your space, and now I just want the honor of washing my mate." The wordmatevibrated through the air, igniting a flicker of something wild within me. My heart stumbled, then raced like a drumbeat of longing I’d tried so hard to quell.
As he shed his own clothes, I stepped into the water, embraced by its coolness, It settled me. He joined me, and his fingers wove through my hair, massaging my scalp in a way that untangled more than just knots. It felt divine—each stroke eased the tension that had wound itself tightly around my bones.
His hands then glided over my body, thoroughly washing away the grime and sweat. When he was done, he cradled me close, lifting me out. He dried me on the shoreline and then Hollowed us back to my tent. Once there, he placed me in a nightgown, then picked up a brush, running it through my damp hair with strokes that felt like promises before braiding my hair.
Once finished, he tucked me into bed, the blankets like a cocoon around me. His lips pressed a tender kiss to my forehead, lingering as though savoring the small press of my skin. Then he rested his head there, closed his eyes, and breathed me in. In that moment, I realized how much I’d missed this—how muchI’d missed him despite the chaos that had been churning inside me. In his embrace, I always found my peace.
"Goodnight,mei wynsora,"he whispered, the shadows gathering around his form, readying to Hollow him back outside. Yet, as tendrils of darkness curled at his feet, my hand shot out, my fingers wrapping around his wrist. He halted, turning back to me, his eyes searching my face.
"Stay," I whispered. The word was heavy with all the unspoken longing that had festered between us.
