Page 59

Chapter Fifty-Nine

R eign

The soft whisper of the lapping water of the luminescent lagoon drew me from a deep sleep. An overwhelming sense of peace, of happiness, of utter completeness enveloped me as my lids slowly opened. Aelia’s head was tucked beneath my chin, dark wisps of hair tickling my lips with each inhale. My heart felt so full, I was certain it would shatter from the weight of it. From loving her.

I could scarcely believe that after all this time, after everything we’d endured, we had finally completed the bond. The constant agitation in my chest had subsided, the incessant longing finally extinguished. I’d never felt more at peace. It was as if I’d spent my entire life missing the other half of my soul, a part I never knew I needed. Until now.

Noxus, it was astonishing.

I tangled a finger through a lock of dark hair, sweeping the silky strands behind her ear. The cuorem bond hummed happily along, the shimmering threads racing between us. If I closed my eyes and focused, I could feel her inside me. The slow, steady thrumming of her heart, the whisper of breath filling her chest, her thoughts quiet and calm in sleep.

After we’d cemented the bond last night, we’d both been so exhausted from the onslaught of power and emotion, we had fallen asleep almost instantly. It was as if the cuorem needed us to rest, to solidify the ethereal ties between us. I felt everything now so acutely. It truly was as if we had become one, our souls eternally entwined.

A pang of fear sliced through the peaceful moment, thoughts of my father shattering the tranquility. The blood vow. With our hearts and souls so intimately tied, I could never raise a hand to my mate. I was fairly certain I’d cut my own arm off before ever doing Aelia harm. Could the cuorem possibly be powerful enough to supersede the binding promise to my father?

I wouldn’t dare take the risk.

Aelia stirred on top of me, her movements inciting a swirl of heat below. We’d fallen asleep completely bare, too exhausted to reach for our discarded clothing. More than that, I needed the feel of her skin against my own. Mated for not even an entire day, and already, I was certain being apart from her would be pure torture.

Aelia’s lids fluttered, revealing those silvery-blue orbs that had become permanently engraved in my mind.

“Good morning, love,” I whispered.

A smile crept across her face as she lifted her head and propped her chin against my chest. “Good morning, professor.”

“Why so formal?”

Her smile grew more brazen, sending my heartbeat scattering. “I was just remembering another cave we spent the night in, back when I was only your student and you, my professor. As I recall, we awoke to similar circumstances.”

An unexpected chuckle filled my chest. “First of all, Aelia, you were never only my student, and secondly, had we spent the night like this, completely naked, I would have been completely incapable of keeping my hands to myself.” To prove my point, my palms skated down her bare skin, following the curves of her perfect form.

She wriggled on top of me, inciting another surge of heat below.

“And if you keep that up, love, I will lose all control.”

Good . Her sultry voice sailed across my mind, the sound startling for only an instant. Of course, I knew the side effects of the cuorem bond, but I never expected them to manifest so quickly. From what I’d read regarding the mythical connection, we would eventually be able to feel each other's emotions, thoughts, and sometimes even physical sensations, regardless of the distance separating us. More than that, it had been known to enhance abilities, with each partner amplifying the other's power.

With my mind reeling over the ramifications of this connection, I focused on the twisting tethers around my heart and turned my thoughts to Aelia.

You want me to lose control ? I willed the question through the channel of glittering golden threads.

Aelia’s eyes widened, her jaw nearly unhinging as she regarded me, before a smile burst across her face. “Did you just speak in my mind?” she squealed.

“Oh, good, it worked, then.” I grinned, pleased not only with myself but with the knowledge that already our connection was deep enough to allow for this sort of intimate mental communication.

“Perhaps I should have been more thorough in my research before binding myself to you after all.” A smirk tipped up the corners of her lips. “I’m not sure I can suffer through an eternity with you trampling all over my thoughts.”

A dark chuckle vibrated through my core. “Too late. You’re stuck with me forever, princess.” I pressed my lips to hers, and a cackle erupted between us, her mirth trickling through the bond. Her happiness was so contagious that I could do nothing but join in her laughter.

I’m not sure I want you eavesdropping into my most private thoughts . The admission soared through our mental link.

Then you’ll simply have to learn to block me out. I tangled my legs around hers, pinning her against me.

Hmm… I suppose I could do that, just like with Sol. She fluttered kisses across my jawbone, slowly inching down my neck.

That scorching heat between us began to smolder . Yes, it must be very similar, I would imagine . Even in my head my voice sounded ragged. Already, the need to bury myself deep inside her again battled to the forefront of my mind.

It was the cuorem; the fated mate bond was designed to procreate, to drive us mad with lust until we satiated that desire. Again, from what I’d read, often a newly mated pair spent weeks locked up in their bedchamber until the craze subsided. Unfortunately, Aelia and I had no such luxury of time.

Still… perhaps we could indulge in each other just one more time before leaving this peaceful bubble.

Yes !

Aelia’s voice stole through my thoughts, catching me off guard.

Did you hear me ?

I did. Naughty boy, professor . She waggled her dark brows at me, a flirty grin parting her lips.

Another deep chuckle reverberated deep in my chest, followed by a stronger burst of satisfaction and pride. I hadn’t even meant to share my inner ramblings with Aelia, and somehow, she’d discerned my thoughts all the same.

If you don’t learn to block me from your mind, professor, we’ll never leave this cavern . Her cheeks blushed an enticing crimson as she swept her lips over mine. But you’re right, we should certainly indulge at least one more time .

You’re not sore after last night ?

Her cheeks flared a brighter hue. “Surprisingly, no,” she finally whispered. “Should I be?”

“Some females experience discomfort after their first time.”

“Well, then, I suppose you’re just that good.” A sinful grin lit up the flecks of silver in her brilliant irises.

“Oh, princess, you know just how to stroke my ego, don’t you?”

Her head bobbed before her hand slipped between us, stroking another part of my anatomy. This one so much more satisfying. Her mouth captured mine, and I was nearly lost to the wicked sensations, but a flicker of logic rippled through the lusty haze.

“Wait,” I groaned.

“What is it? Are you sore?”

I barely restrained the laugh. “No, love, I’m just fine. It’s you I’m worried about.”

“What about?”

Cradling her face in my hand, I brushed my thumb across her cheek. “Not that I don’t cherish the idea of fathering dozens of your children in the future, but I’m afraid now is not the right time. It’s imperative we procure a potion to ensure any untimely surprises.”

“Oh!”

“I can send a message to Gideon and have one of my shadows retrieve it.”

Her lips puckered, eyes growing wild with panic. “Must we tell him? How embarrassing…”

“It’s only a matter of time before everyone discovers we’ve completed the bond.” And as immature and childish as it seemed, I couldn’t wait for everyone to know Aelia was finally mine . The cuorem was unbreakable, a permanent tether that would bind us for life and into the worlds after.

A hint of dread trickled through our newly formed connection, instantly souring my mood.

“What is it?”

“Ruhl…” she whispered.

And all it took was my half-brother’s name to send my jealousy to new, unfathomable heights. Rage pounded through me, raw, pure and completely overwhelming. The grisly desire to wrap my fingers around my brother’s throat and squeeze until his neck snapped was palpable. It was the new bond; it had to have been. Drawing in a steadying breath to force down the fury, I focused on Aelia, on the pucker of her lips, the confusion in her gaze. She must have felt the uncontrollable frenzy…

“He deserves to hear it from me,” she finally said, her voice nearly trembling from my wrath. “It wouldn’t feel right for him to learn the truth from Gideon, especially since we are still technically betrothed.”

“The betrothal was a farce,” I hissed, that anger boiling up beyond my control once again. The idea of my cuoré belonging to anyone else had unfettered rage seething through my veins.

“I know.” Her hands curved around my face, thumbs gently sweeping across my skin, tempering my wrath. “And I would never wish to be with anyone but you, my cuoré, my love.”

With every word, the anger began to subside. Aelia’s love for me, her loyalty, her devotion flooded our bond, slowly driving away the maddening sensations. My body relaxed, the tension coiling around my muscles gradually dissipating.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered as the overwhelming emotions subsided. “I don’t know what came over me.” Well, I did, but I didn’t feel it was necessary to rehash at the moment. Clearly, she’d felt it all through our flowing connection.

A faint smile crawled across her lips. “I understand.”

And she probably did, like no one else in the world could.

“Now, do you think it will be too much of a risk to indulge one more time before we seek out the contraceptive potion? It isn’t near my time of the moon.”

Excitement engulfed the bond, a powerful tangle of mine and hers. “It’s well worth the small risk in my opinion.” My hands skated down her back, hands curling around her waist.

“Agreed.” Her smile was more radiant than the Raysa-blessed sun as she straightened, baring her perfect form.

My hand skimmed the inside of her thigh before settling at the hollow between her legs. A hiss escaped my lips as I felt how ready she was for me. Gently lifting her, I guided her over my arousal, and the cuorem again flared to life.

Slowly, I lowered her, inch by inch, her head falling back on a moan.

Is this okay ? I released the thought and let it sail through our connection.

Yes, please, more . Her breathy plea was all the encouragement I needed.

Losing all restraint, I rolled my hips until I was fully sheathed inside her. She groaned my name, her body easily molding to mine. And gods, it was more glorious than I remembered. The roar of sensations coursing through me was more powerful than any storm I’d ever encountered, wild, electric, and all-consuming, as if the gods themselves had set my soul ablaze.

As our bodies moved together in perfect unison, hearts beating in time, I truly understood what it meant to be cuoré. The profound, mystical connection between our souls was all-consuming. Aelia and I were perfect counterparts of one another, two souls bound together across time and space.

I knew now, without a shadow of a doubt, what I had to do to ensure this lasted forever.