Page 135 of A Kingdom of Shadows

I look into his eyes, my nose against his. "Someone might come looking for us." Though I do not care if so, a Shadow Calp could appear, and I would still rather stay here with Darius where no danger lurks except our hearts.

A finger of his draws a circle along the crease of my hip, making me not want to get out at all. "Let them," he whispers with finality and swallows any noises I make, crashing his lips against mine as two fingers slide inside me and find that I am ready for him.

My hips grind to the rhythm of his movements. In, out, circling over my sensitive parts, we kiss with such carnal lust. He keeps my thigh up, tightening his grip on it as I tremble from pleasure the quicker the pace goes. A desperate sound emerges from my throat, that overcharging energy inside me flowing again. I pull back, my mouth hanging open as the intensity of his fingers builds this pressure that I know will not last long. My eyes flutter open for a moment, enough to see a golden glow emitting from our skins like part of our powers have waited for a moment like this to meet.

I feel an energy source tumbling into him, joining and welcoming each other, but soon I groan with annoyance and desperation at the deprivation of his fingers no longer in me.

I'm pushing my body further against him in protest when he drags his teeth across my jaw and whispers, "You'll need to be quiet now, Goldie."

I'm nodding feverishly, falling prey to the desire in his voice as he leaves sweltering kisses along my skin. I'm panting, grinding my hips against his. He cups my rear with one hand while the other uses it to position himself by my entrance. I can feel the tip grazing over my sensitive spot, teasing me, and playing with me.

"Darius," I beg, and he smiles as if he has all the time in the world to ruin me.

"What is it?" He mocks with a whisper against my ear.

A shriek rips from my throat, quickly swallowed by his devouring kiss as he slides into me inch by inch. My mind cannot think of words nor form sentences from my tongue, for I had never been used to these sensations, not before meeting Darius, not before realizing who it was, I wanted.

It's as if the weight of the world lifts away from us. Patterns and swirls of gold pour from our bodies as Darius picks up the pace, and a crescendo of ecstasy drifts over me as my body tightens around him. He pumps in and out of me, rough and wild, before he presses a thumb against a part of me that has me cry out his name, and I come apart as his hand covers my mouth.

My legs jerk, and I shudder out of pleasure. He slowly slides his hand away from my lips, and our breaths are ragged against each other's skins as he holds me against the river's rippling waters. He presses his forehead onto mine, and it's a gesture I treasure.

"You've bewitched my heart, Goldie," he says. "Unconditionally in every way, I never want to be cured from it."

A breath of laughter leaves my lips. "I didn't know I could do such a thing."

"Oh, you've been doing it for quite some time," he says, capturing my lips as he smiles and lifts me from underneath my rear.

I laugh with delight, breaking away from the kiss as I smile down at him.

He stares at me, his eyes gleaming with affection. "Nara?" his whisper ignites that magic again. "Marry me."

My heart thumps in the absolute joy that it takes all my might not to eagerly nod.

I drop my lips to his and whisper, "Only one more to go."

Chapter Fifty-Two

Like all dreams, eventually, you have to wake up. My moments of euphoria in Darius's arm yesterday had ended, and now we are facing the king in his throne room with the last stone in my hand.

"Marvelous," Dusan whispers in deep fascination, taking the stone from my grip and raising it to eye level. He glances at Aeron, standing beside what remains of the group we first left with, and Arlayna. "I suppose I must thank you, Aeron, for caring for my niece. I hope she wasn't too difficult to work with."

Meriel barks out a laugh from her seated position by a chaise. "Oh, Dusan, Arlayna is a respectable woman. On the other hand, Faye would have likely jeopardized all their lives."

At that, Faye shifts uncomfortably beside her. She pouts her lips as she looks in Arlayna's direction, and I feel for both of them for a moment. Two sisters who are always compared to one another.

"I assume you both must want to rest after that long excursion?" Dusan says to us, and Tibith climbs onto my shoulder as I glance at Darius.

We both stare at each other, knowing the answer to that question. Resting means waiting longer, and we can't waste more time than we already have. I have to get to my brothers again. I need to make sure they are alright, or sooner or later, that letter I had received would consume me.

I shoot Darius a firm nod, and he turns to Dusan. "We would rather journey to the Isle of Elements instead," he says.

Surprise flickers across the king's jade eyes. "Very well." He raises his chin at us and clicks his fingers before Thallan comes forward. His eyes are healed, but the scars running along his skin show the damage Darius had caused. His gaze narrows in on us as he holds a polished oak box. He stands beside Dusan lifting the lid. Inside lay the three other stones we had collected on a velvet cushion.

My heart begins to thump too quickly with anticipation as Dusan plucks each stone from the box and—

"Wait!"

I wheel around as Aias comes rushing into the throne room. His dark eyes cut to mine, and I frown at him, not expecting to see him until after we had returned from the Isle of Elements.

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