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Our mouths collide, and I lose myself in the heady pleasure of kissing her. Of confirming she is mine and I am hers.

I’ll do whatever she needs from me—but gods willing, let me never have to leave her side again.

When our lips part, her voice spills out in a murmured rush. “When I heard—I was so worried— Did Valerisse find out you’d come?”

“No. I discovered her soldiers looting the governor’s house before I could get in there. Saw the men they were stringing up and heard the talk about marching, and I knew I had to get back. ”

No need to mention the close calls. But everything else I witnessed?—

“Your plans have been working,” I hurtle on. “The other gods—they’ve been regaling Valerisse’s military camps with omens, trying to unsettle them. Prospira, Jurnus, Inganne—maybe more I didn’t see. They’re on your side. And I heard the soldiers talking?—”

“Hey.” Aurelia touches my face, her dark blue eyes capturing my soul. “You can tell us everything in a proper briefing later. Right now… I just want to celebrate that you made it back to me.”

I can’t hold back my grin. “Sabrelle herself couldn’t keep me away. But… I’m not in the best condition for any major celebrating.” I cast a critical glance down at my travel-soiled clothes. “I can’t remember the last time I had a bath.”

A mischievous light glints in Aurelia’s gaze. “We can take care of that right now.” She glances over at Marc. “If my maids come early, tell them I asked not to be disturbed yet.”

He nods, his penetrating gaze clinging to her like it so often does these days. But he doesn’t raise any protest when she takes my hand and walks me to her bathing room.

My empress sets the water running into the marble tub, a dollop of soap frothing it, and reaches for my shirt. I’m not about to let her do all the work. We yank the stained fabric off together.

“Couldn’t wait to get me undressed, huh?” I tease automatically.

Aurelia’s hands still by my waist. She looks up at me, enough anguish surfacing in her expression to drown my playful inclinations.

“You’ve done so much for me,” she says, her voice gone raw. “Let me look after you a little?”

My heart skips a beat and then pounds harder, but there’s nothing unpleasant about the heady thumping. It’s a different sort of thrill than the carnal sort I’m most used to provoking… but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Aurelia has two other men she can turn to for anything she needs—three now, going by the more affectionate vibe I’ve picked up on between her and Marc since his marriage ceremony for us. I’ve never thought of myself as having all that much extended value to a lady even without competition.

But it mattered so much to her that I returned. That I’m here with her, alive and well—the simple fact of it, even if I had no news to share, even if all I do with her in this moment is give in to her bathing me.

And that’s why I’d run all across the continent, through enemy armies and under burning skies, in an instant if she asked it of me again.

So much love wells up inside me I can barely breathe. This isn’t going to be only a bath, no matter what she’d be satisfied with.

I kick off my shoes while she loosens the ties on my trousers. After shedding pants and drawers, I’m stripped of everything but the ring that binds my heart to hers, but you’d have to cut that off my finger to remove it.

I step into the rising water of the bath before any more stink of the road can drift off me.

As I slide deeper into the soothing heat, the bubbles tickle my nose. Enchanted currents ripple against my skin, whisking the dirt and sweat down a pipe.

Aurelia grabs more of the soap.

“I can—” I begin.

She stops me with a firm look. “Let me.”

The trace of a plea in her tone halts my voice. I tip my head back while she lathers my hair and then rinses it. The strokes of her fingers over my scalp send a different sort of heat coursing over my skin .

By the time she’s continued her ministrations down my chest, my cock is standing at attention. Desire smolders low in my belly. I consider her nightgown—simple by imperial standards, and no doubt she has plenty of the things—and grasp her by the waist.

“What—?” she manages to gasp before I’m lifting her over the edge of the tub. She isn’t the tiniest of women, but she’s no challenge for my strength.

I settle her on top of me, her legs splayed around my waist, and we both groan as my cock rubs against her sex.

Aurelia glowers at me even as pleasure warms her expression. “You were supposed to be?—”

“I let you take care of me. I’ve spent too many days away from you, Shepherdess. I’ll be damned if I’m not going to have you as close as I can get now.”

I roll my hips beneath hers, and her breath breaks.

She bows her head, her mouth crashing into mine. I swivel one palm against her breast through the wet silk while grasping her thigh with the other.

I know this woman’s body so well it only takes a moment to line her up perfectly. Then I’m plunging into the most giddying place I’ve ever known.

Aurelia’s slick channel squeezes my cock, and I almost explode just like that. Holding back the surge of my impending release, I rock up into her.

I’d heighten her pleasure with my gift, but I’m afraid reaching for the shadows again after the recent strain will throw off my regular aptitude for this act. I want to savor every moment of our reunion fully.

She wants an attentive lover, not one half unconscious with pain.

The water sloshes around us as we buck together. Every inch of her dampened skin glides so perfectly against mine. Bliss flares with each desperate caress, each urgent kiss .

She must have needed this too. I’ve only had to test my restraint for a short span of delicious torment before one flick of my thumb over her clit has her arching over me, shuddering with her release.

The sensation flings me over the edge with her. I come hard, burrowing my face against the crook of her neck with a scrape of my teeth.

Aurelia relaxes over me and touches my jaw to guide me into a gentler kiss. She stays there with her head tipped close as her breaths even out.

“Welcome home,” she murmurs.

A smile stretches my lips. I pull her even closer, reveling in the understanding that no matter whether my family gets off their asses, no matter what treacherous soldiers threaten this palace, that’s exactly where I am.

And where I’m going to stay, even if it kills me.