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I wrapped my arms around his neck, holding him close. He lifted me, then lowered me once more, guiding me until I was fully seated, stretched around him. He let out a low growl, his chest rumbling, and I contracted around him.

Water splashed around us as he effortlessly lifted me again, guiding me up and down. I rocked, stomach clenched, thighs trembling, muscles locking up. My head fell back as he sucked and bit at my throat.

Lorian guided me backward, the new angle making me gasp as he thrust into me. I ran my hands over his chest, his shoulders, his face, as if I could lock the feel of him into my mind. As if I could memorize the hard planes of his body. As if this moment could last forever.

I was clamping around him, and he circled my throat with his hand. My gaze jumped to his. Lorian’s eyes were so dark they were almost black in the dim light, and the way he watched me…

I cried out, pleasure crashing through every muscle and nerve in my body. He kept moving, guiding me onto him, stretching out my release as I shuddered in his arms. I wrapped my arms around him again, holding him close as he buried his head in my neck and emptied himself inside me with a husky groan.

We stayed like that for a long time, then rinsed, still kissing and touching and stroking. Finally, we dressed, making our way back to the cave.

I wasn’t particularly hungry, but I ate a little dried fruit and sipped at some water, curling up next to Lorian.

But I couldn’t sleep.

Across the cave, Asinia tossed and turned restlessly, while Demos sat up and drank some water. Eventually, it was my turn to take watch, and I sat by the cave entrance until Demos joined me.

“Can’t sleep?” I whispered.

“I don’t think any of us can. Well, except Cavis.”

I cracked a smile. His soft snores cut through the silence of the cave.

“You feel it too?” I’d thought it was just my claustrophobia getting the best of me once more.

He nodded. “Something is wrong. My instincts are screaming at me. But I can’t understand what it could be.”

I glanced behind us. Asinia was sitting up, brushing her hair and pulling it into a braid. Lorian leaned against the cave wall, watching me.

“So, no one is sleeping?” I asked.

“Not anymore,” Cavis muttered, and Thol snorted.

“In that case, let’s keep moving,” Lorian said.

We packed up, falling into the same rhythm as we continued our search. I might not have been able to sleep, but I felt better after bathing and eating. Still, panic pricked at me. How much longer would we be down here? Would we ever find the hourglass?

I was so immersed in my thoughts, I jolted when Demos grabbed my shoulder, hauling me toward him.

A cracking sound echoed through the cavern, like the grinding of ancient bones. The rocky ground beneath us shifted. I dropped into a crouch, slamming one hand against the cavern wall.

A glint of metal caught my eye. Silhouettes peeled themselves from the shadows, all of them moving with an almost unnatural grace. My skin turned clammy, and I gulped frantically for air.

The iron guards.

They wore sleek, blackened iron armor, designed for maximum mobility and protection. Their helmets would make it even more difficult to kill them, although there was a slice of flesh unguarded between their armor and helmets.

I backed up, hitting Asinia. Thol was to my left, Lorian on my right. Cavis and Demos must be on the other side. We’d formed a rough circle, but in this limited space, it would only make things more difficult. I counted them. Five. More than enough of the elite fighters to prove challenging with so many of us in such a small area. And with the fae iron eating away at our strength and power.

“Give us the heir,” one of them demanded. “And we will allow you to live.”

It was a lie. I knew it was a lie. Even if I went with them, they’d never let the others go.

His armor was subtly different, adorned with silver trim on the edges.

Telean had told me what that meant. He was a captain, answering only to the Iron Commander.

“Leave,” Cavis said. “Or die.”