Page 160

He smiled. “And this time around was much harder of a fight.”

“Was the payoff everything you desired?”

“Do you even have to ask? You sent me to Serenity and back.”

She smiled and pressed her lips to the letter “K”.

“Baby, don’t do that unless you want round four.”

“Maybe I do.”

His laugh vibrated her body. “I’m going to need a rune for stamina and a hard cock.”

She burst out laughing and pulled herself up to his chest so she could look him in the face and tugged the soft blanket up with her. “I’m more than satisfied.”

His hand slowly rubbed up her bare back. There was something she needed to tell him, but she didn’t know how it would make him feel. And to lose this peace under the stars, wrapped in a warm blanket…

“What is it?” he asked. “I know there’s something you want to say. I can sense it.”

She gulped and let out a slow breath. “We’ll need War to open the way back to Runevale.”

“That’s fine,” he said without hesitation. “I always planned to go back. We’re not leaving him there.”

Her rapid heart slowed. That reaction was different than she anticipated. There wasn’t even a spark of jealousy in his face. “No, of course not. But I didn’t want you to be surprised. It will require all three of us to be at peace with each other, to be on the same side. After what happened, I didn’t want us to go back until we were happy again.”

“You have such a good heart. If it had been me it would have required vengeance, the heads of all my enemies, and maybe their offspring too. Not love and peace.”

Valeen rolled her eyes, but he wasn’t joking. “I never would have guessed. You wanting vengeance and heads rolling? Never.”

He smiled revealing his dimpled cheek and wrapped a lock of her white streak of hair around his finger. At some point she decided she’d keep that streak as a reminder to never hesitate. If she hadn’t hesitated in that fight, she’d have never been bitten.

“Do you think if he knows you chose me, there will be a problem with opening the way? If so, don’t tell him until after.”

“I don’t know how he’ll react. I hope he’ll be alright. I don’t want to hurt him.”

His body tensed and he stopped playing with her hair. His garnet eyes locked onto hers. “Remember when I said, if I had you, you’re fucking mine.” He gripped her inner thigh. “I think I’ll tattoo ‘property of Hel’ right here just as a reminder you only spread those pretty thighs for me.”

Valeen yanked on a lock of his hair, then kissed the hollow of his neck. “Stop it. I made my choice, and proved it to you over and over tonight. But he’s still my friend and yours. He’s your family… It’s War. He was a victim of Varlett and her scheme, too.”

And he was Thane. The part of her that was Layala still loved that part of him. Some of her would always be the elf Layala Lightbringer, raised by Aunt Evalyn in the human lands of Svenarum, the young mage who fell in love with a king. Even if she got her immortality back, she’d have this body with elven ears and features.

But even as Layala she fell in love with Hel too.

“Don’t even say her name. Once that bitch is dead, I don’t ever want to hear it again.”

Then he sighed, rolling her off his chest onto her side next to him, and worked his thigh between her legs. Propped up on his elbow, he brushed her hair behind her ear. “This will be hard on him.” Hel’s voice was softer now, almost remorseful. “He truly loves you, and I know what it feels like to watch from the other side.”

“I know.”

“It’s up to you to decide if you tell him before you open the portal to Runevale. I trust you,” he said.

She nodded.

“I was thinking of something a few hours ago. If Varlett has the demon prince’s ring, the last thing she’d do is summon its master. So either the council made promises to him they couldn’t keep and sent him to assassinate us, or she’s working with them and likely has been for a long time, and someone will get double crossed.”

“Well, when the demon and Varlett are dead, it won’t matter.”And that bitch is on her last day.“We need to take the advantage of surprise. The best thing we can do is pretend I’m still naive Layala and I don’t remember her deception. The only issue with that is if the price of me breaking my silence is something she’d notice right away. So far nothing has happened to me, but she promised it wouldn’t cost someone’s life or soul.”

“It could be any number of things, but it will likely be something to benefit her. And what will our reasoning be as to why we came back before you remembered who you are?”