Page 162 of A Bond so Fierce and Fragile

I’m… I’m…She didn’t know what she was trying to say, but Raine growled against her breast, his sharp teeth rasping against it as he thought,I’m right there with you.

His cock twitched in response, and that was that. Frelina’s blood raced, her pulse beating so wildly she thought she might pass out as her eyes shut, stars and moons and suns dancing in the darkness.

Raine groaned as he drove into her—harder and harder—until her pussy closed around his cock, squeezing it, and they cried out as one as warm, hot wetness spilled within her.

Raine’s head fell to the mattress beside her, and they were both silent as they caught their breaths, the bed squeaking from their untamedness.

“I think I’m ready to die now,” Frelina mumbled as she played with a strand of his long hair.

Raine’s laugh exploded through the room, and when he rolled off her, he pulled her body to his own, nestling his face into her neck as he whispered, “I plan on keeping you alive for a long, long time.”

Frelina swatted at him, closing her mind as she caught a glimpse of just how much Raine meant what he said.

She would not read anything into it.

Just like he wanted.

Like she wanted.

He seemed to fall deep into thought, his hand tracing over her stomach in slow, deliberate circles, and a sense of unrest swept through the room so swiftly that Frelina wiggled out and got to her feet.

She struggled to look at him as she mumbled, “Let’s get to the party. I’m sure Elessia is desperate to be saved from talking to too many people.”

Chapter 35

Lessia

Lessia sat with her friends, warmth that shouldn’t have found its way into her chest the night before war still clawing through as she let her eyes rest on each of them.

Kalia was seated beside her, her white hair fastened into a tight braid that hung over her shoulder as she kept one eye on the makeshift dance floor ahead and one on the Faelings moving about the ships.

While the humans, under Loche’s orders, hadn’t said a bad word to any of them, a sense of apprehension filled the air whenever one came too close, especially when it was Lessia—although given what she’d done to them, that made complete sense.

Right now, most of the Faelings sat on some of the empty wine barrels lining the stern of Loche’s ship, watching as humans swung each other around to the soft tunes. Exactly like she, Amalise, and Ardow had done the past few hours, catching up on seemingly mundane things, but the things Lessia wanted to remember, should everything go as she expected tomorrow.

Lessia waved to Ledger as he ran past them, watching as he approached a group of humans to refill his cup, and she couldn’thelp but smile when the gray-eyed boy threw around quips that made even the most uneasy man in the group laugh.

“What are you thinking about?” Ardow leaned over Amalise’s lap to look at her, and she was glad the guilt that had painted his gaze darker ever since she’d helped him escape Ellow was nearly erased.

They’d set those grievances aside, especially once Ardow had understood just how far Meyah had led him astray, and she’d heard from both Amalise and Zaddock how Ardow had apologized not only to Loche but to every human he came across, and how he and Venko had done everything they could to prepare for tomorrow.

Venko was the one who’d provided the abundance of food that lay on the serving trays around them, and he’d also funded several of the ships, donating weapons and other resources to ensure they were all fully stocked.

And Ardow… She knew that guilt still lingered somewhere inside him, because he’d fought to be on Loche’s ship, to be placed with the group that would be positioned in the bow, meeting the rebels first, to maybe, just maybe, make some of the ones he knew pause before they blindly threw themselves into the fight.

She smiled at Ardow when he raised his brows.

What had he asked, again?

What she was thinking about?

Lessia met Amalise’s eyes before she spoke. “If there is some way I can convince you not to be on that ship tomorrow.”

Amalise hummed in agreement before she bore her eyes into Lessia’s. “I don’t understand why I have to be on the stupid cliff while you both stand in the front lines.”

This was why Lessia had lost every fight with Ardow today about his decision. Merrick would be in the bow of Rioner’s ship,and since she’d promised to try to be right next to him the entire time…

“You know why,” Lessia said softly, praying that Amalise wouldn’t start crying, like she had twice today. “He needs to know I’m safe.”