Page 28 of War Of Fire and Fortune
Chapter Fifteen
Rhet
The shadows swirled around me as I stepped out of my inky darkness and into my mate’s tent. I had to see him one last time before returning to Ember.
"You’re awake," I said, stating the obvious as Cyran glanced over at me. My heart raced, as I knew our time was limited.
Cyran’s wings unfurled, their magnificent span filling the tent. His feathers shimmered in the dim light, a breathtaking sight that never failed to leave me in awe. He strode toward me, worry etched across his perfect features.
"Of course I am," he replied. "I saw Ace when Emelyn and Luana brought him through and I felt you were here the moment you came through the shadows. What is happening?" As he reached me, Cyran's hands cupped my face gently. The familiartouch both soothed and pained me, knowing what I had to tell him.
I leaned into his touch, savoring it. "Cyran, I—" I started, my voice catching.
Cyran's eyes searched mine, his brow furrowing deeper. "Rhet, what's wrong?" he asked again, his thumbs caressing my cheeks.
The tenderness in his touch nearly broke me. I closed my eyes, inhaling his familiar scent. When I opened them again, I met his gaze.
"I won't be able to see you as freely," I said, the words tasting bitter on my tongue.
Cyran's hands stilled on my face, his wings rustling softly behind him. My heart ached as I felt his uneasiness flow down our bond. Since we’d found each other, we’d never not been able to see each other since I had shadows. Slipping back and forth to him had become a part of our everyday routine since the rebellion had started.
"I'm taking Kade's place," I continued, my voice low. "I'm going to play the part of Crow until this war is over."
"No. Rhet, please, it's too dangerous," Cyran pleaded, but I had already made my decision.
I cupped his face in my hands, like he did mine, feeling the warmth of his skin against my palms. My chest ached with the weight of what I had to say. "I know the risks, my love," I murmured, struggling to keep my voice steady. "But we've had all of my free time together, all the nights I've Hollowed to you over the years of this war."
Cyran's eyes glistened in the dim light, and I felt his pain as if it were my own.
"Kade has been sacrificing everything, even his own happiness, for the rebellion, for me to be able to be with you. What’s it been? Over sixty years since I found you at the rebellion camp? And now that Ace is back and Emelyn is here,I think this is where he needs to be. He deserves a break after everything he’s done."
I watched as Cyran absorbed my words, his beautiful features contorting with a mix of understanding and sorrow. He hung his head, his forehead touching mine. I could feel his warm breath against my lips.
Cyran's voice trembled as he whispered, "How much time do we have until you leave?"
My heart clenched. "I must be back in Ember by morning. I just needed to see you before I left because I don't know when I'll be back and I wanted to give you your anniversary gift early,” I said, and his eyes shimmered with unshed tears. Our anniversary was in a few weeks, but I doubted I’d be able to see him, so I wanted to do something to celebrate now. I quickly pulled the pouch out of my pocket and handed it to him to open. He pulled the string loose and let the bracelet slide into his palm.
“It’s lovely,” he said as I grabbed it and began clipping it into place on his wrist. “And warm.” He looked down at it, and I smiled.
“It’s because I infused it with my fire. So as long as I’m alive, it holds the warmth of it—of me. Until I can be with you freely again, I wanted you to have something of me.”
“Rhet, I don’t like thinking about goodbyes, not like this.” A tear slipped down his cheek, but I swiped it away and gave him a gentle smile.
“You won’t be able to get rid of me that easily, love. This isn’t goodbye.” I sounded reassuring, but the truth was, if Ember found out about my betrayal, they would surely end me. But I couldn’t think that way. I had someone to make it back to. Cyran leaned forward and kissed me gently before he paused and his eyes darted to the tent's entrance, gauging the darkness outside like it was an hourglass and time was slowly slipping by. I followed his gaze, feeling the urgency of dawn creeping upon useven in the middle of the night. I’d never been one to rush, we’d always had all the time we’d needed, but now that everything was limited, I didn’t know how Kade had been able to do this for so long.
Without a word, Cyran moved to secure the tent. I watched him, drinking in every detail—the way his muscles flexed beneath his dark brown skin, the graceful arch of his wings. My heart raced, but it always did around him.
As he turned back to me, his eyes blazed with fierce intensity that took my breath away. In two long strides, he closed the distance between us. His lips were on mine, no longer gentle, but desperate and hungry.
I groaned, unable to hold back the flood of desire that crashed over me and flowed straight to my cock. My fingers brushed over his stubbled face as our tongues danced, tasting, exploring, memorizing as if this would be our last time together. The kiss was electric, charged with all the words we couldn't say and all the time we didn't have.
He reluctantly broke away, his breath coming in short gasps. "You'll have to be quiet, my prince," he whispered, his voice husky with desire. "Wouldn't want to cut our time short by waking the rebellion."
Cyran's eyes glittered dangerously in the dim light. "No, my love," I countered, a wicked smile playing at the corners of my mouth. "You'll have to be quiet."
My hand slid down his body, finding the hard bulge in his pants. I stroked him once, relishing the way his breath hitched, the almost imperceptible shudder that ran through his powerful frame. My fingers made quick work of the fastenings of his pants, freeing his cock.
I sank to my knees before him, my heart pounding so loudly I was sure he could hear it. The sight of him, thick and erect,already dripping precum, sent a jolt of desire through me. I leaned forward, my tongue darting out to taste him.
