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“I didn’t want to serve you,” Blynth said suddenly. Next to me, Lorian tensed, and it was my turn to squeeze his hand. “When I learned you were alive,” the general continued. “I asked myself what you could possibly have to offer—a village girl who knew nothing of our history.”

I wasn’t surprised. I wouldn’t have wanted to take orders from me either. And still, his words made me tired.

But he was still talking. “If you can achieve this…if you can truly bring our people home…I’ll happily kneel to you for the rest of my life.”

I attempted a smile, but it was likely more of a grimace. “We need to begin moving our people out of the fae lands and into Gromalia.”

Blynth studied the map. “You’re hoping Rekja will join you and his army will become ours.”

“I’m hoping we will march together, yes.”

“And what of the amulets?”

Lorian leaned back in his chair. “We have two of them. My brother has people searching in northern Eprotha for the third. We suspect Regner has hidden itin one of his mines. I am waiting to hear from Conreth, but we may send a group of our own.”

Blynth nodded. Slowly, he got to his feet. “In that case, I will take my leave. I hope we can speak again soon, Nelayra.”

I smiled at him. “Yes, of course.”

The moment the door shut behind him, Lorian silently cupped my cheek. “I’m sorry he got so close. That I allowed him this close.”

“Stop, Lorian. You didn’t allow Zathrian to do anything.”

My cousin had proven over and over exactly what kind of man he was—and the lengths he would go to for power.

But no matter what horrors came to pass, we would face them together. My heart rate steadied, and I pulled Lorian close.

As if reading my mind, he shifted his hand to my chin, tilting my head back until I met his eyes. “I need you to promise me that you will never risk your life like this again. That you’ll never almost throw your own life away to save mine.”

“I can’t do that.”

“Listen to me, wildcat. Our story doesn’t end when this life does. You’ll be mine in the next life––and the life after that. If you hadn’t wielded time, I would have waited as long as it took to see you again.”

Tears rolled down my cheeks. I heard what he was saying. But every time I closed my eyes, I saw the moment Conreth’s power hit him. And the way his body had just… shattered. He was there, and then he wasn’t. For a fewsickening, awful moments, he had left me.

And out of all the darkest moments of my life, those were the worst.

He sighed at my silence, gently brushing away my tears.

“What am I going to do with you?”

I reached for him, guiding his mouth to mine. “Love me,” I murmured against his lips. “Just love me.”

He let out a rough groan, gently biting my lower lip before laving the tiny sting with his tongue. My knees weakened, and he pulled me closer, deepening our kiss, his tongue stroking against mine.

I breathed in the scent of him, basking in the feel of his arms around me. A moment later, he was pulling me out of the cabin, ignoring anyone who attempted to talk to us as he dragged me back to our own.

He slammed the door in Galon’s face and immediately locked it. I let out a choked laugh.

“Lorian!”

“He can come back later.”

He pulled me close, his quick fingers easily unlacing the ties holding my dress in place, until it was only held up by his chest plastered to mine.

The dress fell to the floor, and he lifted his head. Sliding my hands up his chest, I unbuttoned his shirt, taking a detour to smooth my palms over the bumps and ridges of his abdominals. I let one hand dip teasingly low, and Lorian shuddered, pressing against me.

Shucking off his shirt, he pushed me back onto the bed, grinning down at me when I gaped up at him in surprise. I hadn’t even been aware that we were moving.