Page 97 of A Clash of Embers

“Now crawl into that bed before I make you,” he whispered, with a widening smirk that instantly made my insides warm.

I raised my brows, “Or what?”

He laughed, “I can make you.”

I rolled my eyes at him because the cursed time for me had begun this morning, along with the nightmares. "The cursed time of the month started for me. I can't."

Eros smirked, his hands flexed at his sides. "And the problem is?"

My mouth opened slightly in shock because that seemed like something he would want to stay far away from. Then a certain anxiousness washed over me, a feeling of vulnerability.

"I just don't want to, that's all," I said somberly.

Keeping a clear head was important for me, especially for what was to come tomorrow. I didn't want to rush anything between us either, because I was scared that if I felt like I needed a parting gift from him, then it would truly be goodbye.

"What else is going on, Clara?" His chest rose with a deep breath as he scooped me into his arms in one swift movement. He held me tightly, standing in the middle of the room. A room that didn't belong to us. A home that wasn't ours. But our final night together for gods knew how long.

I turned my head to look at him, the concern etched into his face. A single tear escaped my eye as my mother's voice rang in my head to stay strong and not cry. Not to show all my emotions at one time.

"I'm—" I sighed, closing my eyes, taking in his presence fully. Writing every detail in my memory. The teakwood, the roses, the emerald of his eyes. The way he smiled, a slight dimple emerged. When he held me, he sighed, relieved that I'm there with him.

"I'm scared. What if I say goodbye forever? The last time I told you goodbye, I thought you were dead, and this time... This time there is nothing to save you. This time if you die, you won't come back."

I saw his thoughts swirling in his head, but he kept them closed off from me. He didn't want me to know he was nervous, so he kept me out.

"We're not going to say goodbye because you and I will always belong to one another. You and I will forever be entwined as one. In this world or the next because we are everlasting."

Eros leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss into my mouth. Not urging. Not rushing. Just taking his time to explore every part of my mouth. Tenderly.

He pulled back, his expression haunted, "Tonight, let's just lay with one another. No goodbyes."

I weakly smiled as I replied, "No goodbyes."

Chapter 47

On our way to the cliffs, I decided that I needed to clear the air with Consul Loveridge. She let me know something that was dark inside of her mind and I wanted to give her peace in knowing that I wouldn’t share that information with anyone.

“Consul. I wanted to talk to you for a moment, please” I begged as I approached. She was well-put together with her black hair pulled tight in a low bun with no stray hairs swaying in the cold wind. Her weapons were strapped to her body, ready and willing in case of an attack.

She ignored my question entirely as she asked, “It’s odd, isn’t it?”

I pursed my lips and tilted my head, curious at what could be odd. “What’s odd?”

“The fact that Athiana is justlettingus go to the Cliffs. I know that we need to open the lock, but why does it seem like that’s what she wants us to do? Your mother told me she would meet with Queen Anne again before we left. That she had something sheneededto resolve.”

That’s interesting information for me to find outnow.I couldn’t have known this before.

“Are you privy to the information about what she was seeking to resolve?” I asked.

The Consul glanced at me with a look that said,If I did, would I be asking about it?

“I’m just trying to ask if you have a hunch as to what it was about?” I asked again.

She sighed as she stretched her neck to the side, searching for her answer. “I think that they knew Athiana would do something to try and stop us. I think your mother went to Queen Anne to plead with her for any information to be able to warn us.”

“What should we be warned about?”

The Consul snickered with a half-hazard smile, “Clara. I know you control nature. I know your abilities, but so does everyone else, including Athiana. What you don’t know is Athiana has control over many things. She cancreatethings that won’t respond to you. No matter how hard you try. They will only answer to her.”

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