Page 68 of A Fate of Blood and Magic (Fated #2)

Chapter

Twenty-Nine

ELIAS

Every day, George, Donnie, and I searched my kingdom. We questioned the same people over and over again. We tortured our prisoners for answers they couldn’t give us.

And every day, we came back empty while the magic that had once been a vital part of the fae continued to malfunction, causing even more distress.

With hundreds of people displaced after the attacks, the school for the younger children had to cancel classes so the rooms could serve as temporary homes while several other fae left for other cities in our kingdom to seek refuge.

The school for the older children still worked as a temporary hospital for the injured.

In the two weeks that had passed, I’d had to address my people—acknowledging their worries along with their despair.

It was like an endless avalanche of questions and complaints that I couldn’t rid myself of.

With my magic gone . . . far too many times, I felt useless to my people.

Teddy had become an expert at excusing us from the growing number of people who wanted an audience with us.

I felt bad turning my people away or cutting their time short, but I wasn’t sure how much more I could take of this mounting guilt, especially with everyone’s magic being so temperamental. We still didn’t have answers as to why it happened or where the orb could possibly be.

With Alastor’s living book not giving us any answers, I didn’t know where to look. It was why I'd agreed so eagerly when Teddy mentioned staying home this morning. Then I wouldn’t have to face anyone’s questions or their judgment.

At least the third raid that George had led had been successful.

Several fae, including Everly and Finley, had come together with the shifters, and from what George had reported back, the humans had given up their compound easily, with even the soldiers asking for mercy and asylum.

While many of the imprisoned fae had been weak or ill, no one had died. It was the only good news I’d had.

With Hayden's advice, George was planning his raid on the final compound. I was glad Hayden still had a place among the warriors. George didn’t simply have Hayden at his side, but also the shifters and several dragons, including Nalari, aiding and advising him.

It made it easier to leave the task outside of my hands.

With the girls, Bon, and her oldest children in the girls’ playroom, I had Teddy to myself.

Well, as long as Bon kept the younglings entertained and away from the living room.

Thankfully, Etienne and Finley had moved into Leah’s home almost two weeks ago once she found a way to treat him from the book Brenton had brought.

When Teddy stood in front of the couch I lounged on, I took her plate of fruits and cheese and set it on the table beside me.

My hands found her waist, and when I tugged her to me, she came willingly.

Spreading her legs so she straddled my lap, she settled just over my hardening length that twitched at the contact.

I hissed in a breath, filling my nostrils with her scent while I nuzzled against her neck. I inched the fabric of her soft sweater over her shoulder while her head fell back with a satisfied hum.

She arched her neck to the side, and I grazed my canines across her warm skin.

While I wanted to pierce her skin and taste her, I took it slow, drawing a tormented moan that I swallowed with a languid kiss.

I flicked my tongue over the beating pulse in her throat, savoring the way she whispered my name again.

She lifted her hips slowly, only to drop down and rock against my cock.

Wanting more, I stood from the couch and carried her to our bedroom where I shoved the door closed with my foot.

Gently, I slipped her pants down and spread her thighs apart. With an appreciative moan, I dropped to my knees with a slight smile on my face while I stared at her pretty pussy.

“Elias.” Her whimper was a confession. She was mine just as I was hers.

The world around us melted away, charging the air with desire and chasing away the sadness that lingered in every corner of our home. I savored the moment, taking in the spark Teddy ignited within me.

Her eyes radiated with that same wanton desire, drawing me deeper and deeper into this moment.

My breathing quickened, and with my tongue, I parted her, luxuriating in her exquisite taste and intoxicating scent.

I moaned out her name just as someone knocked on our front door. At least they hadn’t barged in like Brenton had. Not that it would save them from me sending them straight to Enfierna for interrupting us.

They knocked again, and Teddy let out a frustrated laugh while I leaned my forehead against her in silent resignation.

“I’m guessing it would be a bad idea to ignore them?” Teddy glared at the door.

The third round of knocks came more urgently. “King Elias.” I recognized Pietro’s voice and cursed.

After a quick kiss to her forehead, I helped Teddy pull her pants back up.

“As soon as he’s gone, I’m feasting on you.”

She inched up to nip my chin. “Promises, promises.”

I pressed my lips to hers, my tongue slipping past the seam to tangle with her tongue in slow, exploring strokes. Already lost in her, I palmed her ass, kneading it with my fingers. Her moan echoed in my head, only to be disturbed by Pietro’s incessant knocking.

I ran my hands through my hair before pointing at the other side of the room. “Stand over there.”

She pursed her lips and angled her head to the side in question.

“You are a sinful temptress,” I told her, my voice rough with need. “I need you far away so that I can answer the door without you enticing me.”

Her head fell back with her laughter, exposing that beautiful neck I hadn’t bitten in far too long. Guardians, she was the good and light in my world, and I yearned to lose myself entirely to her so that nothing existed beyond us.

She did as I requested and leaned against the wall farthest from me, a far too satisfied grin playing on her lips.

“You’re still too close,” I grumbled, making her laugh again.

I stalked toward our front door and wrenched it open, scowling at Pietro, who shifted on his feet .

“What is it?” I asked with a snarl.

His eyes flared, the yellow flashing to black for a few beats before they returned to their natural color.

Instinct had me pulling on the power I still possessed that made the very air we breathed tremble with authority.

When it rose and gripped Pietro like a vise, he dropped to his knees and bowed his head before me.

“We have an emergency, Your Highness,” he said, his eyes on my bare feet.

“Rise,” I told him.

He brushed his pants off, picking at some invisible lint before he met my glare.

“What kind of emergency?” I asked.

“We caught humans trying to sneak through the first tear you created,” Pietro said, straightening the blue guard’s vest he wore over his tunic. “I asked your warriors to hold them in the human realm until you figured out what to do with them.”

“Prisoners are now under Donnie’s and George’s jurisdiction,” I said.

He huffed. “I understand, Your Majesty, but they are unavailable.”

“Then take the trespassers to the same holding cell where the other prisoners are kept until either our commander or our patrol chief can see to them.” My tone was far harsher than it needed to be, but I was trying to delegate.

I was trying to be a better leader by permitting those I trusted with roles I knew they’d excel at.

I was trying to find time between all my responsibilities to spend time with my mate.

I was trying, so desperately trying, to stop the reeling of my mind that played my every mistake on a loop.

I hated not having Teddy’s mind-speak magic or my ability to bend space.

If we had either, we could get in contact with Donnie and have him figure it out.

Somehow, the scholars had to figure out how to get the technology from the human realm working here so that these barriers in our communication didn’t continue to exist.

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty, but this is a matter you need to tend to,” Pietro said.

When I growled, Teddy twined her fingers through mine and kissed my shoulder.

“I’ll see if Bon or Alastor can watch the kids tonight so we can finish . . .” She gazed up at me, her blue eyes holding the most enchanting glimmer of mischief.

I grinned like the fool I was. “I’ll be out in a few beats,” I told Pietro.

“We’ll be out in a few beats,” Teddy said with a raised brow.

“You’re coming with us?” I asked.

Her gaze held mine. “Yes.”

I didn’t bother arguing, not after I’d already promised to share my burdens and responsibilities with her. It would be a quick trip where she could see the realm she missed, if only for a short while.

“We’ll be out in a few beats,” I amended, not moving my attention from Teddy.

“Your Highness?—”

“Unless you’re suggesting we go without socks or boots?” I asked.

The way Teddy snickered made my heart race with anticipation for tonight. When I closed the door in Pietro’s face, I palmed her ass again. I loved the way she yelped probably as much as she enjoyed eliciting that same reaction from me when she poked my sides.

While Teddy hurried to the girls’ room to speak to Bon, I replaced my clothes with my fighting leathers and grabbed two daggers that I kept hidden by our bed. From the door of our bedroom, I felt Teddy’s idle gaze travel over my body. She licked her lips, and I ushered her out of the room.

“Stop looking at me like that,” I warned.

“Stop looking like that.” She pointed at my tall frame.

I slipped one of my daggers into an ankle holster I placed around Teddy’s ankle before I did the same with mine. Without warning, I caged her in my arms, and when our lips met, I couldn’t help the way I rubbed my cock against her stomach.