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Valen wrapped an arm around my shoulders, holding me against his side. “She’ll be all right. I sent a draught with Sol should she need it.”

Nearly six months after the death of Davorin, Livia still had wretched nightmares. She’d scream, pleading for us to survive. She’d cry for her Uncle Tor—as if she knew what had happened, though we’d all vowed never to speak of it. How would we explain to Aleksi his father had come so near death, only to be pulled back by a boy we’d banished in the tides?

The sea fae king might feel it a sense of honor to avenge his father, but the same emotions lived in our realms. Alek would feel indebted. Truth be told, Sol and Tor did. They despised how our battle ended with the boy who’d saved Tor as a prisoner in the sea realms.

They understood. Erik Bloodsinger felt no loyalty to us. He’d healed Tor not out of love for him, but as penance to be repaid to Stieg.

To the sea king, that debt was square. Doubtless if the king faced Stieg on a battlefield now, the boy wouldn’t hesitate to attack him.

Harald was a wretched man. I was glad he was gone, but I couldn’t fathom what he’d burned into his nephew’s head about the horrid earth fae they hated so much.

I turned down a corridor, but Valen tugged me in the opposite direction, laughing. “Still forgetting the directions, Elise?”

I groaned. “Hells, I’m never going to get accustomed to the shifted walls of this bleeding castle.”

During the shift of lands, Ravenspire remained intact for the most part, but there were a few differences. Whole rooms turned in the opposite directions. Even the damn peaks were out a different window. The Ribbon Lakes were less ribbons and more ponds where we’d fish and spend warm afternoons.

The townships and docks of Mellanstrad were shifted into one flat township now. And the peaks had more caves and forests where a few of the Timoran people and Night Folk with the urge to hunt took up residence.

Our closest friends remained in the lower cottages and homes around Ravenspire. Siv and her boy were always close. She named him Mattis and often told him, even as a tiny babe, of his father who’d died to protect our world.

Halvar, Kari, and their brood lived in the eastern wings of the palace. Herja and Hagen opted for a large longhouse beyond the gardens. The same as Tor and Sol took up the longhouse nearer to the ponds since Livia and Alek had a love for swimming.

Another worry I kept hidden about my girl—she was too drawn to the water. After witnessing her draw to the sea king, it was always a concern. Likely a worthless one, since sea fae were locked away.

Valen’s grip tightened on my hand as he closed the door to our bed chamber behind us. A sly grin crossed his handsome features when he pulled me close. “Alone for the first time in a while, my love.” He pressed a kiss to my throat. “How should we spend our time?”

A grin split over my lips. “I could take something sweet. Maybe we should head to the cooking rooms and—”

“Wrong answer.” Valen’s teeth scraped against my neck. I sighed and tilted my head, giving him more access. “Anything that does not include my mouth on your skin, Elise, is the wrong answer.”

A heated tremble rippled up my arms. Since the day I fell in love with Legion Grey in that old schoolhouse, my heart had never ceased beating for this man. All the battles, the fears, the scars, the damn curses we’d survived—it was worth every step to end in Valen Ferus’s arms.

“I think I like your answer,” I whispered, tracing the point of his ear.

I kissed him, desperately. Gods, I would never tire of this man’s taste, his kiss, his passion. Sweet or greedy, it didn’t matter. A touch, a kiss, a smile from Valen sent my body aflame.

“I hope you weren’t planning on remaining clothed,” I rasped against his skin when his teeth scraped over my throat.

The glossy midnight of his eyes flashed like dark flames. “Not a chance.”

The gown I wore was simple, laces down the back, and Valen’s hand made quick work of unthreading them, baring my body to him.

He groaned and slid a rough palm between my breasts, down my belly, until his fingers teased the sensitive folds of my core. I gripped his wrist, urging those clever fingers into the slickened center.

“So wet,Kvinna,” he moaned and kissed me, grinning. “All for me.”

Valen slid his finger into my entrance. Deep, long thrusts dragged me toward a burning precipice. Slowly, he added a second finger, stretching me to the fullest.

I let my head fall back, rough gasps slid from my throat. My legs trembled. “Valen . . .” I couldn’t catch a breath. “I need you.”

“You have me.” Valen widened his fingers inside me until my knees quaked. He tightened his hold on my waist, and bit down on my shoulder. “Always, Elise. You have always owned me.”

“I need you inside me.” Three hells, I would go mad if I did not feel his body against mine soon.

A deep, growl rumbled from his throat. Valen removed his fingers, glistening with my arousal, and sucked off what was left.

His eyes rolled back in his head for a breath. “I’ll never tire of the taste of you.” With the same hand he gripped my chin, tugging my face close to his. “On our bed, on your knees, Elise.”