Page 137 of A Court of Wings and Shadows

A vase exploded across the mantel.

The floor beneath us hummed, wild, primal, like it could barely withstand the pressure of two storms colliding.

“Zander,” I cried, my back arching, magic sparking from my fingertips, casting jagged streaks of lightning across the ceiling.

He growled, deep and guttural, a sound that vibrated through me. “I thought…” he choked, thrusts hard and unrelenting, his fingers finding the apex of my need. “I can’t—” his voice broke, “I can’t lose you, Ashe.”

The way he said my name shattered me.

Tears slipped free as pleasure tore through me like a supernova. My climax came on a scream, storm magic ripping from my body in blinding arcs, blue and silver lightning crashing across the room. The walls trembled. The window panes groaned.

And when he came, it was a god’s reckoning.

Black flames climbed his spine in a rush of divine fury, his magic roaring out to meet mine in a searing burst that fused us, his Dark Fire swallowing my storm magic and binding it to him like a vow.

We collapsed together, tangled in each other and the wreckage of our power. The bedspread beneath us was soaked in sweat and energy, still crackling faintly.

His head dropped to my shoulder, and I threaded my fingers into his damp hair, holding him close. His breath was warm against my collarbone, steady now. Alive.

He’s alive.

I still have him.

But the terror of almost losing him still whispered through my ribs.

I closed my eyes and pressed a kiss to his temple.

He’s mine. And if fate ever tries to take him again… I’ll burn the gods-damned realms to ash.

I glanced around the room, ignoring the carnage we had created, before I noticed that there was a bottle of wine and several glasses on the table. Only one had been knocked over.

“How about a drink?” I asked.

“I think I can manage that,” he murmured, voice low and teasing as his magic coiled lazily around my waist like smoke. “Though maybe we should stick to water instead of wine. I’ve heard what happens when you drink too much. While I’m sure it would be highly entertaining.”

I turned in his arms, my magic flickering with playful heat as I met his gaze. “Are you implying I can’t hold my liquor,prince?”

“I would never,” he said with a grin that lit his features like wildfire. Dark Fire sparks flared in the air between us. “But if I read that report right, the last time, you challenged a fertility idol carved from runestone to a duel andlost.”

“That statue cheated,” I muttered, but the laughter slipped from my lips like sunlight. This was why I was falling for Zander. This side of him he rarely showed anyone.

I startled when someone rapped on his door hard. “Prince Rayne!”

Chapter

Thirty-Two

Morning light filtered softly through the barrack windows as I slipped inside, as quiet as a shadow. My boots made barely a sound against the stone floor, and I exhaled in relief when I saw the others still wrapped in sleep.

I crossed to my wardrobe and pulled out a fresh pair of clothes. I’d barely tugged them on when I heard a rustle of blankets.

Riven turned over, blinking blearily at me. Her voice was scratchy with sleep. “Do I want to know where you were last night?”

I smirked. “Probably not.”

She sat up straighter. “Was it fun?”

“Terrifying,” I said, and her face sobered. “Zander was attacked last night. Someone drugged him and came for him while he slept.”