Page 3 of Forged By Malice (Beasts of the Briar #3)

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Rosalina

T he library finally feels like home again now that Farron’s returned. I peer over at my mate as he goes over the notes I’ve made in his absence. Beneath the table, I rub his leg with my foot. From the little quirk in his lip, I can tell he’s trying hard to ignore me.

“How was your trip to Autumn?” I ask.

He peers up from the notes. “It was fine. My father’s really settling into his role as steward.” Farron still bears a great pain from losing his mother in our fight to protect Autumn. He’s keeping busy. We both are. When we first returned to Castletree, before he was ready to return to his realm, we spent many long nights here in the library. At first, we allowed ourselves to rest, to read until midnight and get lost in stories without trying to decipher each word. We’d fall asleep in front of the fire with no worry of him transforming into a beast.

Then we transitioned to making a memory book for his mother, something small and personal, writing down every little detail he could remember of his time with her. But with the continued decay of Castletree, Dayton and Ezryn’s curses unbroken—and Kel refusing to break his—there’s an unspoken urgency for us to get back to work.

“There’s hope in the people,” Farron continues, snagging my ankle beneath the table. “Everyone at home is talking about you.”

“About me?”

“You saved the Autumn Realm, Rosalina.” He draws my foot into his lap, tugging off my slipper to massage my foot. “Not me, not Kel, not Ez or Day. You saved us all.”

My eyes flutter closed, and the memory plays in my mind’s eye: the four princes overtaken by vile magic of green flame as I explode in a burst of golden roses and thorns.

“My whole realm knows what you did,” Farron says. “They call you the Golden Rose. ”

“The Golden Rose,” I repeat, my hand instinctively going to my necklace.

“How about you?” Farron pulls my other leg into his lap. “How’s your research going?”

“Remember that book I found? It’s no ordinary text. It has snippets of the Queen’s own writing.” A pang of guilt washes over me. I left out the fact that this new book I found was actually the book Caspian stole from the Autumn Realm’s sacred alder tree … which I then stole from Caspian.

I will tell Farron. I just haven’t found the right moment yet.

“The Queen was really fascinated with humans,” I continue, trying not to get distracted by how amazing it feels to be this close to him again.

“I was really fascinated with a certain human.” Farron reaches across the table and glides his finger over the tip of my pointed ear.

Because I’m not human. At least not fully.

“How’s the magic practice going?”

“Flame comes easily. I’ve only set two dresses on fire!”

Farron had explained that a mate bond amplifies what magic you have. I discovered in my battle with Lucas that I can summon white flames. And of course, there’s the strange case of me being able to manipulate the thorns, both Caspian’s and the ones from my bracelets.

“Glad it wasn’t this dress.” Farron’s gaze drops noticeably to my chest.

“Hey, we’re supposed to be researching.” I knock him in the stomach with my foot.

He gives me a devious grin and slides a hand up my thigh. “Sure, Sweetheart. That’s why you’ve been giving me that look since we got in here.”

“I don’t have the slightest idea what you’re talking about.” I blink innocently at him.

But when his hand caresses over my thigh, then higher, and his fingers brush my slick entrance covered by absolutely nothing, he knows the truth.

He gives a throaty chuckle that gets my stomach fluttering. Then he pounces with all the speed and strength of a fae prince and gathers me into his arms. I kiss him hard, devouring his mouth as I push my tongue between his lips.

I’m allowed only a moment before he throws me on my back on the table. The Autumn Prince places a hand on either side of my head, leaning over me, a tousle of auburn hair across his brow, and the yellow glint of the predatory wolf behind his gaze. “If you wanted to be fucked so badly, you should have just asked.”

I practically melt from his words, writhing on the table, desperate to feel him between my legs. “Maybe this is just my Wilde Courtship taking over.”

Farron laughs, undoing his belt with one hand and reaching beneath my skirts with his other, beginning to massage my clit. “We’ve only found two references to that, and it’s scared me both times.”

The muscles in my core tighten. I’m so eager for him. Wilde courtship … During our research, we’ve found few mentions of this mating phenomenon: a brief seasonal state of uncontrollable desire. A frenzy that takes over mated pairs if they haven’t consummated their bond in some time. It might be a myth, because thankfully, it hasn’t seemed to affect anything between Kel and me. It’s possible that it’s only for couples who have accepted their mate bond.

“I think we’re managing to keep it at bay,” I smirk, moving my hips up against the wonderful friction of his palm.

“It’s only been six weeks of not turning into a monstrous wolf at night,” Farron smirks, “and I am going to take full advantage of it.”

With him back and forth between his realm and Castletree, we’ve spent every moment he’s home together, sometimes in his room and sometimes mine. I can’t get enough of him.

And it seems he can’t get enough of me either.

My mate drops his pants, not even bothering to remove his shirt, and spreads my legs, slipping his long cock deep inside.

A wave of ecstasy crashes over me, and Farron pumps in and out with agonizing slowness. I descend into whimpering bliss. Papers fly around us with our movement, fluttering off the table.

“Farron!” I cry out my mate’s name, grasping for purchase on the wooden table as he thrusts into me. The Autumn Wing’s library spins above in a glorious twirl of orange and red leaves.

“Stars, I missed you.” Farron leans over and kisses me. I sigh into him, breathing in his delicious scent of wood smoke and apples. “I’ll never get enough of you.”

Running my fingers through his hair, I say, “I know what you mean. But I did really want to show you my notes.”

“Later, Sweetheart.” Farron grins, unlacing my corset and running his hands over my aching breasts, before straightening and thrusting again, filling me so deeply I cry out. “Gods, you feel so good.”

A tingling sensation glides over my skin and warmth blooms in my belly. I tilt my head and see Ezryn. By his stance, leaning on the bookcase, legs crossed, I don’t think he’s just arrived.

What is his perception of us, with me splayed on this table, skirts up, breasts out and bouncing, and Farron, half-naked, thrusting into me like a wild animal? But the thought doesn’t embarrass me. No, my whole body ignites with a desperate need, giddy at the idea of him watching us. Farron follows my gaze, and through our bond, I know he feels the same.

“Isn’t she absolutely perfect, Ez?” Farron gasps. “Just look at her.”

“I am,” Ezryn says. “Put her legs over your shoulders.”

“What—” I begin, but my voice cuts off as Ezryn moves toward us with swift, deliberate steps.

“You’ll be able to get even deeper,” he growls.

Farron takes my legs and lifts them over his shoulders, dragging me to the edge of the table. My cry turns into a moan as Farron’s cock sinks deep.

“Rosie, yes,” Farron groans, and I swear I hear a matching one from Ezryn.

I desperately search for words through the euphoric sensation. “How do you know that, Tin Man? You’re always covered in metal.”

“It’s my helm I can’t remove,” he says flatly. “Not everything else.”

My eyes shoot open, and jealousy spikes through me at the thought of him with anyone else. Though of course I know he has been. I give an involuntary yelp as this new position slides me closer to the edge of the table.

Ezryn grabs my shoulders, holding me steady, his gloved hands rough and so close to my exposed breasts.

I know he’s not mine, not the way Farron is, or even Kel. I can’t keep the Prince of Spring, but still I cry out, “Ezryn, touch me.”

His grip tightens, and he’s silent for a devastating moment.

“Fuck,” he swears under his breath. Then he rips off his gloves, and I see a flash of his large, tawny hands. One seizes my breast, clutching firmly, before tugging on my nipple with his forefinger and thumb. His other hand runs almost reverently up the side of my neck before grasping my hair.

“Gods.” Farron bites his lip, watching us. He keeps my legs tight to his chest. “Like this, Ez?”

Ezryn tilts his head up. “I’ve got her. You don’t have to hold back.”

“You’ve been holding back?” I gasp.

“Only a little.” He gives a rueful smile. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

“She’s not a delicate human.” Ezryn gives a sharp tug on my hair, as if to prove a point. “She’s a powerful fae. She’s shown us that much.”

“What do you think, Rosie? Ready?” Farron asks.

“Yes. Yes, Farron.”

Farron pulls out of me completely before slamming deep. And his speed—I can barely comprehend it, almost a blur as it sends my body into a new high.

I scream, not caring if anyone hears, and grasp out behind me, my sweaty palms sliding down Ezryn’s armor.

“Do you like that, Petal?” Ezryn lets out a growl, pulling my back against his chest, so I’m a V between them. “Do you enjoy having your pussy ravaged?”

Tears of pleasure run down my cheeks, my core tightening, tightening, tightening.

“Use your words,” Farron says, the commanding voice of a High Prince. He pounds deeply into places I didn’t even know could be touched. I feel my inner walls clenching around his long cock.

“Yes, yes, I do,” I babble. “Farron, Ez, I’m—”

“Come for us, Baby Girl.” Ezryn lowers his head to my shoulder, and I feel the cool press of his helmet against my cheek.

My orgasm crashes through me, vibrating my entire body from my face to my toes. I sense Farron’s own hot release, emptying deep.

Ezryn holds my shaking form as I come down from the high. He lowers me gently to the table and brushes loose pieces of hair away from my brow.

“Aren’t you glad you came to check on us?” I ask dreamily.

“Very,” he says.

“Why were you here, Ez?” Farron says, pulling up his pants. “Not that I’m complaining.”

“I’m leaving for Spring tomorrow,” Ezryn says. He turns to Farron and ruffles his hair. “Meet me in the training grounds this afternoon. We’ve got time for one more lesson. Let’s see if you can be as quick a learner at magic as you are at pleasuring our girl.”