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He wrapped his hand around my waist and pulled me against his chest. I let the cloak drop to the floor and bathed in the thrill that Riven’s hungry gaze sent through me. Any hint of pain had cleared from his face as he trailed along every curve of my body, licking his lips.

His desire wrapped around me, pressing me into the mattress until my heartbeat fluttered against my chest. My worries about sleep fell away just like Riven’s pain. We were no longer at sea. Nolonger headed directly into the enemy’s territory. The world outside of the room and his bed no longer existed.

Riven pulled himself on top of me and traced the neckline of my nightgown with his lips. His fangs scratched along my skin, leaving a trail of goosebumps as he pinned my arms beside my head in an iron grip.

I writhed against them but Riven only grinned. “The more you fight, the longer I’ll hold you there.” I stopped immediately and Riven chuckled against my ear. “So youcanlisten.”

I kneed him in the gut and used the moment of shock to flip myself on top of him. My hair spooled down one side of my face. Riven growled and grabbed the back of my neck, claiming my mouth with his own.

I let my body collapse into his touch. A soft moan grew inside my chest, ready for Riven to coax it out of me as his tongue brushed against my lip, and then he stopped.

His eyes pinched shut. “You’ve been drinking.”

I blinked as I sat back along his hips. Part of me wanted to lie, part of me wanted to tell him why I had drowned myself in wine, but I wasn’t willing to do either. I just sat there as the feral need in Riven’s eyes disappeared into something colder.

My face burned at the rejection. I flipped my leg over him and climbed off the bed. “I should go.”

“Keera, wait.” Riven pulled himself into a sitting position.

I shook my head and made for the door. A wall of shadows pressed against it so I couldn’t open it. I exhaled and turned around.

“If you want to leave, I won’t stop you.” Riven’s voice was hoarse, like he struggled to say the words let alone mean them. “But Iwantyou to stay.”

I huffed a laugh. “You don’t seem to want me at all.”

Riven’s shadows curled around my legs, dangerously close to the short hem of my nightgown. “That has never and will never be true.” He tugged at my leg with the shadow, beckoning me closer. I planted myself to that spot.

Riven eased out of the bed, his head almost scraping the rafters of the upper deck as he walked over to me. “Come to bed,diizra.” He grabbed my hand.

My throat tightened. I didn’t want to go back to my room and face my nightmares alone. Riven had subdued them before, maybe he could even keep Damien at bay. I swallowed my pride. “Okay.”

Riven pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead and scooped me up against his chest. He laid me down on the mattress so gently I didn’t feel his arms slip out from underneath me as he climbed in beside me. I rested my head on him and let one of my fears bubble to the surface.

“I don’t know if I can stop.” It was as close to the full truth as I would say, but still my heart raced at admitting it. I froze, waiting for the anger to come, but Riven only stroked my hair.

“Have you been using the elixirs?”

I nodded my head against his bare chest. That familiar scent of birchwood filled my nostrils and I took a deep breath of him.

Riven leaned his cheek against my head. “Have they been working?”

I nodded again.

“I’m proud of you for taking them.” Riven’s hand traced circles over my arm. “Rheih thinks she should have a sample of the elixir you asked for when we return.”

My lip trembled at the kindness in Riven’s words. Even in the face of my deepest shame, he didn’t turn from me. He didn’t try to force me to do something the way I’d been forced by so many forso long. He only offered his help and his comfort and trusted that I would find my way.

My eyes welled. I didn’t know how to have that much faith in myself.

“Your footprints were darker than they’ve been before, weren’t they?” I asked, ready to take the focus off myself.

Riven’s hand stilled. “How did you know?”

“Subtlety is not Nik’s specialty.” I laughed into his chest. “Syrra explained it. I hope you haven’t been hiding your pain more than usual to spare me from it.”

Riven’s heartbeat slowed and his back eased into the mattress once more. “I haven’t been trying to. I think it makes it easier to pretend that it isn’t getting worse.” Riven held me more tightly. “That I might not have as much time as I need.”

I shivered. There had only been one other Dark Fae born since the magic and the Light Fae had gone. Riven had never told me what had happened to him, only that his magic had been fractured too, getting more painful until the day he died.