Page 47 of Between These Broken Hearts (Cursed Stars #2)

When I open my eyes at first light, a heavy arm is draped over me, a big hand splayed against my belly—my soft belly. Mine.

I pull in a deep breath and revel in the way it fills my lungs. It feels so good to be in my own skin I want to stretch like

a cat. But I don’t want to disturb Misha, who’s sleeping behind me. I don’t know what to expect when he wakes, and I don’t

want to miss a single moment of him holding me like this.

He hums and his hand slides up my stomach and between my breasts. His hips shift closer and I’m aware of the hard length of

him against me.

My cheeks heat and I clear my throat. “Good morning.”

He hums again and nuzzles my nape, then guides me onto my back, bracing himself on his elbows above me. I part my legs, welcoming

the weight of him as he settles between them.

I explore his chest, then the breadth of his shoulders, with my fingertips, and he shivers above me.

He trails kisses from the corner of my mouth to my jaw to the crook of my neck, and breathes me in. “This,” he says, nipping at the sensitive skin there. “This is what you’re supposed to smell like.” Pushing himself up onto one palm, he uses his free hand to trace my collarbone.

He trails one finger from the hollow of my neck down between my breasts and to my navel. I arch into the touch, silently pleading

for more.

“Does it feel different?” He tracks his fingers as they trace invisible paths across my rib cage and beneath my breasts.

“What?”

He smiles. “When you wake in your true form—does it feel any different than when you’re shifted into someone else’s?”

“Yes.” His touch is inching upward. I can barely breathe, let alone think. “When I’m in another form, everything is somewhat

muted. When I’m just me, it’s—” His knuckles brush across my breast and I gasp, bowing off the ground.

“It’s what?” he asks, as if he isn’t the one driving me to distraction.

“It’s like the clouds have parted,” I say, stealing his words from last night.

“Lucky for us the sun is shining today.” He lowers his mouth to my neck. Lower. “The things I want to do to you,” he whispers

against my skin.

“I think you already did.” I arch into the teasing sweep of his lips against my belly.

“I’ve barely gotten started.”

I fell back asleep in Misha’s arms, and when I dreamed, it was of his hands on my skin and his promises whispered into my

ear.

When the birds wake me at sunrise, I’m alone.

I crawl out from under the protection of the big pine and find Misha sitting on the edge of the cliff overlooking the mountain range below.

He looks pensive and I wonder if he’s worried about the meeting with Sol today.

Or, more likely, worried about whatever it is that’s happening with his magic.

“Did you sleep at all?” I ask, crouching to sit on the cool stone beside him.

“Some.” He turns his attention to me, and the way his expression morphs from worry to tenderness fills me with warmth. He

scans my face over and over, as if he’s trying to remember it. “How long do I get to see you like this in the morning?”

I glance down and brush pine needles off my shirt. “By ‘like this,’ do you mean half-dressed and covered in pine needles,

or...”

He grins. “Not what I meant, but I’m not complaining about that part either.”

“Konner said Erith can’t track me from wherever he is until Mordeus completes his resurrection.”

He grimaces. “Let’s hope it’s never complete.” He blows out a breath and rolls his shoulders back, as if physically moving

into a change of subject. “What about you? How did you sleep?”

“I feel well rested.” I smile shyly. “I had someone keeping me warm, though.”

He takes my chin in his hand and leans forward to press a kiss to my lips. “I want to do so much more than keep you warm.”

My heart tumbles into a sprint. “I want that too,” I whisper.

“But how much? Because I’m sitting here this morning wondering how reckless I am to want to give you everything.”

There’s a riot of spastic butterflies raging in my belly. “Why do you think I need everything?”

“Last night, you let a king make love to you. It seems unfair that tomorrow you could find me as nothing more than a male

who lost it all.”

I cock my head to the side, trying to understand everything he’s not saying. “Is this about your magic? Do you think your

court is in jeopardy?”

His throat bobs. “It’s possible. No one in Faerie should assume their kingdom is safe until Mordeus has been defeated.”

“Do you think they’ve had any luck finding the witch and making a new deal?”

“I can only hope.” He sighs, brushes his hands on his pants, and pushes to standing. “We should get back to the castle before

Sol grows too impatient.”

“I apologize for the delay,” Misha says as we file into the meeting room where Sol and Konner are waiting. Despite Pretha

and Amira’s efforts to keep Sol distracted yesterday, there’s an undeniable tension shimmering around the table. I might have

blamed that on our late arrival if it weren’t for the four heavily armed sentinels Misha has stationed in the corners of the

room.

Did your parents teach you nothing about hospitality?

He quirks a brow at me. You didn’t expect me to let her run loose around my castle, did you?

Sol shoots us an accusatory look. “You’re lucky you had Konner join us this morning, or I might have dismissed any thoughts

of alliance after being brought here on false pretenses and made to wait.”

“It was unavoidable, I’m afraid,” Misha says. “I had an unexpected complication arise in the western region of my territory. By way of apology, I’ve brought a couple of friends to join us.” He leans his head out into the hall. “We’re ready for you.”

Sol’s glare falls away as the queen of the shadow court glides into the room, red hair loose around her face, posture regal.

“Good morning,” Brie says, nodding to our Eloran guests. “Thank you for letting me join.”

Behind her, Remme steps in from the hall. Misha and I met with Brie and Remme when we finally made it back to the castle and

Misha updated them on what we’ve learned since we last spoke.

“This is my friend Remme,” I tell them as Remme surveys Misha’s guests skeptically. “He’s here to represent the interests

of the Chosen Eloran monarchy.”

Konner acknowledges him with a lift of his chin, but I don’t miss the look Sol shoots him—a look that says maybe she’s not

so happy about Remme being here.

“We’ve caught the queen up on everything Konner shared with Felicity about Erith’s special brand of immortality,” Misha says.

He pulls out two chairs opposite Konner and Sol and nods for Brie and me to sit. Remme sits beside the shadow queen, and I

expect Misha to take the seat at the head of the table, but instead he lowers himself next to me. “And we’re ready to hear

what you have in mind for Elora and how an alliance with the Wild Fae Lands might work,” he says.

Sol looks to Brie. “What about the Unseelie Court? Are you offering us an alliance as well?”

Brie lifts her chin. “I would need a great deal more information before I could consider that.”

When Sol goes stiff, Konner puts a hand on her arm. “In that case, we’re glad you’re here.”

Sol sighs, directing her attention at Misha. “Luckily for you, I find your sister and former queen quite delightful, and Konner

has used his time since arriving to convince me to forgive you for scheming against me and to forgive this one”—she points

at me—“for taking my form.”

Misha nods to Konner. “I appreciate that, Konner. Thank you for your diplomacy.”

Konner glances toward the door. “I appreciate you bringing the shadow queen and a representative from the monarchy, but I’d

hoped Kendrick the Chosen himself would be joining us for this meeting.”

“He’s detained in the Eloran realm at the moment, but we will bring him up to speed when he returns.” Misha waves a hand and

a breakfast spread appears on the table between us, complete with croissants and pastries, coffee, tea, and juice. “Please

help yourselves to some refreshments,” he says, taking the pitcher of orange juice and pouring himself a glass.

Konner rubs his eyes. “Given Kendrick’s vested interest in the direction this conversation goes, I’m almost willing to wait

even longer if it means he can join.” Brie leans forward to object and Konner holds up a hand. “But we don’t have the luxury

of time, so we’ll have to do this without him.”

I fold my arms. “What do you mean? Aren’t we here to talk about how we’ll put the Eloran monarchy into power?”

“Unfortunately, no,” Konner says.

Remme’s chair squeals as he shoves back from the table. “I told Felicity this morning that it was foolish to trust anyone

from the palace.”

Brie puts a hand on his arm. “Let’s hear what they have to say.”

Remme huffs but seems to relent. He snags a croissant from the tray in front of him and tears into it without bothering with

a napkin or plate.

“It’s not that I don’t understand the efforts of your people,” Sol says. “I get it. The monarchy is what came before the Seven,

so in your mind the monarchy is the solution.”

“But it is the solution,” Remme says, tapping his fingers on the table. He looks to Konner. “Even you see what has become of the Seven—or

were you lying when you spoke to your sister about this matter?”

“I spoke only the truth,” Konner says. “But the old system is too flawed, too vulnerable to exploitation.”

Misha narrows his eyes, leaning back in his chair, juice untouched. “ Was it ever exploited?”

“Why do you think the Seven chose to overthrow the monarchy to begin with?” Sol cocks her head to the side. “My grandmother

never would’ve been part of it otherwise. There’s a reason people believe we protected them from the fae—the queen was allowing

her allies in Faerie to take our humans, to turn them into their unwilling servants.”

Remme opens his mouth to object, but Brie stops him with a hand on his arm again. He glares at that hand.

“Why would the oracle choose someone like that to rule?” I ask.