Page 123 of King of Death

But the moment the guards heaved open the palace doors, and I saw Lonan standing rigid in front of his throne across the cavernous space that still separated us, I forgot all about the gruesome souvenir I had brought.

The cold air in the empty front hall made my skin prickle. At first, I couldn’t move as the doors closed behind me, leaving us in silence.

Then I was striding forwards in a desperate rush, the back of my throat aching.

Lonan’s dark eyes flashed. He started walking closer, his steps growing quicker and quicker, and then my face was buried against his neck as I threw my arms around him painfully tight.

“Lonan,” I whispered, my voice hitching. When I felt the warmth of the acorn at his throat seeping into my skin, I let out a choked sound and tried to get even closer.

His long fingers threaded through my hair as he went lax against me, a long sigh leaving him.

“Ash.” He pressed a soft kiss to the sensitive tip of my ear, making me shudder. “Are you alright?”

I nodded quickly, squeezing my eyes shut as I breathed in his scent. “I’m fine. I missed you.”

He gently urged my head up so he could look at me. His throat bobbed, black eyes tight with yearning as they roamed over my face before dipping to my mouth.

“I missed you too,” he said hoarsely, cupping my nape and pressing our foreheads together.

God. My eyes fluttered shut with pleasure at the feel of his long fingers sifting through my hair. His nose brushed my cheek, and all I wanted, more than anything, was to feel the cool softness of his skin under my lips, to breathe in his scent of winter smoke. My throat ached with the force of it. My eyes filled with hot tears. My fingers curled into his shirt of their own volition and clung.

“I missed you too,” Lonan repeated, his breaths unsteady against my cheek. He turned his head just a little, until I felt the whisper of his mouth brushing over mine. “I missed you too.”

I parted my lips to speak, but then his mouth was on mine, hot and urgent, already opening to plunge his tongue inside. A plaintive sound escaped me as I kissed him back. My heart was hammering and my hands were shaking as I burrowed them under his shirt to touch his bare skin.

It felt like he’d been gone for weeks. Months. We couldn’t stop kissing. Lonan’s mouth was feverish against mine, all the pent-up emotion pouring out as he shuddered against me.

“Ash.” He sounded as drugged as I felt as he spoke between more frantic kisses. “I didn’t want to leave you.” He broke the kiss, breathing fast, to trail his lips over my jaw and down to my neck. “I didn’t want to leave you.”

“I know,” I whispered, pressure building behind my closed eyes. “I’m sorry.”

He wrapped his arms around my neck and pressed a gentle kiss to my pulse point, sagging against me. His body was loose, like all the tension he’d carried for years had drained out of him.

“I’m sorry too,” he murmured, sounding almost drowsy with relief.

I understood the feeling. It was like everything was finally right. Like for the first time in over a year, I could breathe.

“You don’t need to be.” I couldn’t let go of him. My body refused. “I’m so glad you’re okay.” Reluctantly, I took a tiny step back so I could cup his face. “Are you? Okay?”

The smile he gave me was one of Lonan’s rare, wide grins. God, I couldn’t even remember the last time I’d seen it.

“Yes.” He kissed me again, firm and quick. “I’m alright. I have many things to tell you.”

I smiled back. “I have things to tell you too.”

“But first, let me take care of you.” He stepped back and looked me over. I flushed, rubbing a hand through my wild curls. I was filthy and dishevelled, but at least he couldn’t see the healing injury on my side. It had closed over already, but it was still tender, and I had discarded my ruined shirt—sliced open from Balor’s blade and coated in both his blood and mine—and put on a fresh one. I still looked tired and bedraggled, and god, all I wanted was for Lonan to make me feel better, but he was king now. I knew the responsibility he had. I couldn’t demand he drop everything just to look after me.

I almost buried myself back against him, but instead forced myself to say, “You must be busy. I can wait—”

“No. None of that matters,” he said, but he sounded a little distracted, and my stomach jolted when I saw his dark eyes locked on the sack hanging from my hip. “Ash… what is that?”

I looked down quickly. Blood had seeped through the thick cloth before drying, turning the bottom of the sack dark and crusty. I knew Lonan would be able to identify it immediately.

Suddenly, I was doubting my decision to bring it with me.

I licked my lips, mouth dry with nerves. “It’s Balor.”

Lonan’s eyes widened as they snapped up to my face. “What?”

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