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Thea laughed, trailing her fingers down the plane of his chest. ‘That’s not what I’d call it, no.’

Wilder’s cock was still nestled against her heat, still hard and throbbing. How could it not be with a naked beauty like her astride him?

‘We’ll have to be quick…’ he heard himself say, already skimming her sides with his palms, watching her breasts rise sharply, her hard nipples begging to be taken between his teeth. He licked his lips, and —

Thea swung her legs off him. ‘Actually, there’s not enough time for all the things I want to do to you… Nor for all the things I want you to do to me.’ The brazen woman smirked. ‘So you’ll have to wait.’

Wilder’s mouth fell open as she walked to the bathing chamber naked, her hips swinging and the curve of her backside teasing him before the door closed behind her.

Gods, he had been right in every sense of the word.

Althea Zoltaire would be the end of him.

CHAPTER THIRTY

THEA

As they stood before the door to the Laughing Fox, Thea glanced at the Warsword beside her, who looked infinitely moodier than usual, and couldn’t help but smile.

He answered with a scowl that only made her grin harder.

Gods, last night had been… Everything.

She could still feel the imprint of him on her, like a brand on her body, on her soul, and she never wanted it to fade.

‘Having second thoughts?’ Wilder asked, his hand braced on the tavern door.

Thea pictured what they must have looked like to the patrons last night – and then, with a flush, what Torj, Cal and Kipp had seen back at their room. But the flare of embarrassment waned almost as quickly as it had come. She didn’t care what they thought, she realised.

‘Not a chance,’ she replied, giving Wilder a sultry look before pushing past him and entering the bar.

The Laughing Fox was one of those places that looked the same in the light of day as it did in the heart of night, and for that, Thea loved it.

‘— haven’t paid the last fucking tab, Kristopher.’

‘I assure you, Albert, it’s —’

Kipp was arguing with the owner of the tavern, his hands flailing about in front of him. Thea’s gaze immediately found Cal, who was gaping at their friend, baffled. Thea guessed he was thinking the same as her: how in the realms had Kipp managed to get back to the Laughing Fox and rack up another bill since the three of them had last been here? Between the battle with the reapers at Delmira, their close call with death in the flooding caves, the initiation test and their induction into Thezmarr’s Guardian ranks, there had barely been a spare moment to breathe, let alone travel to and from Harenth to drink sour mead and cause havoc. Kipp did seem to be an overachiever in that department, though. Thea watched on, fascinated.

‘Honestly, Albert, you should be thanking me! Look at all the patrons I’ve just brought you!’ Kipp gestured to Thea and Wilder.

‘You’ve got a pair on you, lad,’ Albert said, barely managing to keep the mixed notes of admiration and amusement from his gruff voice. ‘But Son of the Fox or not, a bill’s a bill, and it has gotta be paid. I won’t be serving you today till you’ve —’

‘Here,’ Thea said, stepping forward and producing the coin of the king from her pocket. ‘Does this cover it, Albert?’

‘You shouldn’t be cleaning up his messes,’ the barkeep replied.

But Kipp had already swept her up in an eager embrace. ‘I knew I liked you for a reason —’ He dropped her at once and raised his hands in surrender beneath Wilder’s towering frame. ‘As a friend only, I assure you, Warsword.’

‘Kipp!’ Thea hissed. Was he determined to piss off every person in the vicinity before mid-meal?

Albert handed the coin back to Thea, shaking his head, incredulous. ‘It covers it.’

‘I’ll pay you back,’ Kipp gushed.

‘No, he fucking won’t,’ Albert cut in gruffly, giving her friend a stern look.

Kipp shrugged happily. ‘I didn’t saywith coin, did I, Albert? Thea knows I’ll repay her with kindness and… discretion.’ He wiggled his eyebrows at her suggestively.