Page 29 of Fae King's Forbidden Love

“Elix, stop!” His assertive tone froze me, but the worry in Jace’s dark eyes steeled me from barking back at him. “I don’t understand what’s going on. You need to take a breath here. You were just running a fever. I found you half-conscious in a cave, after a fire. I imagined the worst things possible…”

He trailed off, an almost inaudible crack entering his words.

“You know what you need?” he announced, changing the subject abruptly. “A hot shower. That will make you feel better.”

He rose from the bed before I could stop, retreating to a neighboring room, and seconds later, I heard water running from the adjoining bathroom, light flooding out from under the double doors. It was only then that I looked down at myself for the first time and saw the state I was in.

Ugh. I’m a mess.

The healer must have wiped me down somewhat, and someone had changed me into a simple, cotton nightgown, but the white was stained with streaks of dirt, and my hair still shookbits of leaves and grass from the woods free when I moved. I had a vague recollection of what had happened once I’d fled Homage, but even in the walls of Silverhold Tower, I didn’t feel much safer. I wouldn’t feel safe again until I was back home in Goldhaven.

Jace reappeared and extended his hand toward me to help me up.

“Let me help you,” he offered.

I accepted his hand warily, still unsure of what all this meant for us.

Why did he come looking for me if he really thought that I was tainted? What does he care if I’m in trouble?

“Jace, I need to tell you?—”

“In a minute,” he insisted, leading me into the bathroom. “When you’re calmer. Let’s just collect ourselves, and you can tell me anything you need to tell me, okay?”

I pursed my lips and swallowed my words.

Steam filled the spacious, tiled bathroom, the heat from the elegant stone shower already relaxing me. The glass-enclosed space was spread with soaps and shampoos for me to choose from, and suddenly, I couldn’t wait to get myself clean. I started to slip off my nightgown, and Jace turned his face away.

“I’ll be right outside if you need me,” he said, shocking me as he released me.

My body went numb.

After all I’d endured at Lysandra’s hands, the bombshell she’d dropped on me, and the fight I’d made for my escape, I was torn about wanting to forgive Jace. He had been looking for me, after all. I’d thought he had left me to fend for myself, but in truth, he had risked everything to find me.

“Elix?” he pressed. “Are you all right?”

I swallowed all my doubts and shook my head.

“You’re leaving me?” I breathed, hurt and shamed, as I backed into the shower. There would be more to overcome in this, but Jace was here now, and that was all that mattered.

He peeked at me. “I thought you’d want some privacy.”

“You thought wrong,” I muttered, pivoting into the rushing water. Immediately, droplets caressed my crevices, running along the aching muscles of my tired body, and I savored the feeling of the water.

The door creaked open softly, and I spun to see Jace naked before me. For a long moment, we simply stared at one another, unsure of what to do.

Tears of gratitude sprung into my eyes then, my happiness at being rescued, despite my earlier stubbornness front and center.

“Thank you,” I blubbered, bowing my head. “Thank you for coming for me.”

His arms were around me, his strong body pressing to mine for me to embrace every curve of his perfect frame.

“You didn’t really think I was going to let anything happen to you, did you?” he growled huskily. “Yes, I was conflicted when you told me, but Elix, you have to know that I love you. That wouldn’t change because of what’s running through your blood.”

I tilted my head back to look at him, but before I could answer honestly, his mouth crushed to mine, forbidding me from answering. A low moan of pleasure fell from my lips, allowing his tongue to prod against mine.

Inching closer, I willed him to pull me nearer, so that I was as close to him as I could possibly get, and he cupped my ass cheeks in the palms of his huge hands, almost lifting me.

As the hot water continued to rain down on us, Jace’s kisses grew hotter, more urgent. My nipples hardened as they anticipated his roving mouth upon them when his kisses dropped lower. One hand rose from my buttocks to cup and caress my breast, easing the taut skin into the opening of hisparted lips. Another low moan escaped me, my eyes closing as he suckled at the prickled flesh, tongue flicking and sending waves of electricity coursing through my body.

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