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The darkness had almost immediately begun to rise from the depths of Kairth. The crumbling and decay remained, the Fae magick still missing, but the dark cloud Cas brought onto the city slowly lifted.

Mara hadn’t the heart to tell Aevum of his brother’s demise, but when they retrieved him from Evrardin’s quarters, it was as if he already knew.

“He’s dead, isn’t he?”

Mara bit her lip and looked to Ev.

“Afraid so.”

Aevum sighed. “I feel like he died long ago,” he mumbled solemnly. He looked at them with teary eyes. “My pain is gone.” He tried to smile.

“It is?” Evrardin asked, bewildered.

Something in the blood of the two princes were linked well enough that the affliction handicapping Acastus spread onto his brother, just as it had since Mara was bonded.

Mara and Aevum departed soon after, taking him to the east wing of the castle not littered with bodies. She was reluctant to depart from the tiny prince, but he insisted he would be okay in the care of handmaidens he trusted. “My mother…” he said slowly, just as Mara went for the door.

“I haven’t seen her. Aevum, I’m not sure?—”

He cut her off. “No. I know where she is.”

Mara looked at him confused.

“Evrardin had told her to flee.” Mara’s head shook in stunned silence. “She’s from the Dusk Court, you know? I think that’s where she returned.”

“But why would she leave you behind?”

“Ev promised to keep me safe. Knew I wasn’t well enough to travel.”

Mara’s heart swam at the protective nature of the captain.

“Well,” she began, “you might be better, but you still need your rest.”

He nodded and she placed a kiss on his forehead. She smiled at the handmaidens in his room who vouched to keep watch over the little prince.

Before long, Mara sat in the bathing room alone, beginning to tear her dress from her body. When she spun around to set the dress down, she yelped. Evrardin stood in the doorway as he so often did, looming over her.

“Seven hells, Ev. You gave me a fright.”

“Apologies,” he teased. “How is Aevum?” he asked her as he strolled farther into the room.

“As well as one can expect,” she muttered, using her arms to subtly disguise her body under her shift.

Distress crossed her face. “He’ll be okay,” the captain said.

She nodded, her eyes avoiding him. “I know.”

“Then what is it?”

She twiddled her thumbs and Evrardin entered her space, his fingers tilting her chin so she was forced to look at him.

“What’s to happen to us now?” she asked, her eyes broken.

“We can think about that later, liten rev . We only just escaped the day.”

She nodded but she knew Evrardin could still see the worry lingering in her countenance. She grabbed his wrist and turned his hand over, examining the wound that had begun to encrust crimson. “Sit,” she demanded, moving over to where there were extra linens.

“Oh, now you want to command me?” He raised a brow.

Mara scowled at him over her shoulder until he sighed and took a seat. She came to his side, taking his hand in hers, and pushed his sleeve up. She could feel his eyes burning through her as she began to clean the wound. She wrapped it slowly in the linen to seal it off, tying a little bow on the back of his hand. When she finished, her fingers lingered, and he took her hand in his.

Her eyes fluttered and he looked at her with what appeared on the surface to be animosity. But knowing him, this was just the way he looked at her, even if he was staring at her with admiration. While she had seen him smile several times now, it was still a rare occurrence. She wanted to grin at him, but her heart was racing so hard in her chest as he studied her, she couldn’t manage. “I’m not good at this,” she mumbled abashedly.

“You’re beautiful,” he all but whispered.

The embarrassment heightened, her face turning red. “Even like this?” she joked, her appearance worn, blood still coating parts of her body.

“Especially like this.”

She shook her head, her eyes darting from him under the pressure. She opened her mouth to deny his statements, but his hands were faster, gripping either side of her waist and pulling her properly between his legs. She was only slightly taller than him standing when he sat, making it easy for him to drag her mouth to his.

He kissed her softly at first, then he tugged her so she had to straddle his lap, his lips moving more violently against hers. “There was nothing worse I could have ever done,” he mumbled against her. He had thought he had lost her. He had thought she died at his hands.

He kissed her with all his force, his feelings radiating around them, trying to squash out his pruning thoughts. Her hand slid up his cheek, caressing his beard, and he held back a groan. “Don’t think I’ll get used to this.”

“What?” she whispered.

“Being touched this softly. This sweetly.”

His hands slid under her shift, and she squeaked, their lips parting fully. “I should clean first,” she said embarrassed. She hadn’t believed him when he called her beautiful, and she didn’t feel it now. Her hair had been ruffled, her arms stained with blood, her forehead sweaty.

“I’m still at war with how breathtaking you are,” he admitted. He tucked her hair behind her ear then slid it to the back of her neck. “I have never wanted anyone as badly as I want you right now.”

She silently gasped, blushing at his confession, possibly not believing her ears. How could she, a bratty little princess, make the esteemed captain fall to his knees like this? She hoped he didn’t fight it. Hoped he was done fighting.

His eyes flickered between hers, waiting. When she said nothing, he gently stood, propping her back on her feet. “I can wait in your chambers while you wash if you’d like. Though, I don’t think I’ll be able to leave even if you ask me to. So please don’t ask me to.”

She couldn’t hold back any longer, the tears beginning to pour down her cheeks. His brows knitted in concern, his hand clinging to her cheek, his thumb brushing away the continuous stream.

“I’m sorry,” she hiccupped. She couldn’t quite pick apart why she was crying now. She was so overwhelmed with love and gratitude. With the need to know what was to come of the pair of them after all this settled. She couldn’t believe that this brute had been able to speak so softly to her. How she was free of her marriage with Acastus, and that opened up all sorts of possibilities in her wake. The absence of her father and brother. It all crashed down on her at once, her body still rushing from the earlier events.

Her hands grabbed his belt, and she began to undo it. “Princess?” he asked breathlessly.

“I want you, too,” she said shyly, using her free hand to wipe her face, the tears stilling momentarily.

“You’re crying.”

“Not because I’m upset,” she said, smiling up at him.

He chuckled loosely. “Let us wait until after?—”

She cut him off, taking her shift and pulling it over her head. His eyes glazed down her exposed body, his throat bobbing as he swallowed. She welled with warmth as he appraised her. Is this what love felt like?

He reached for her and she yelped. He slid his arms around her back and spun so he could place her against the wall, using his other hand to pry at his stubborn trousers. She wanted him to be gentle with her. To be slow and take his time. To love her the way they both deserved. But not right now. Right now, a feral instinct took over and she didn’t want him to push it back down.

His lips ravished hers.

The captain’s hand parted her hair, tugging her back so he could nip at her neck, relishing in her tiny gasps, treating them like a reward. His other hand wrapped firmly around her waist, angling her hips so they dug into his. Both of them were sore and tired, Evrardin’s hands bruising as he held her like she might trickle through his fingers if he didn’t pay attention. Mara’s nails raked down his back.

He was quick to thrust into her, both of them gasping, clawing for air. “Don’t think I’ll ever get used to this either,” he groaned. Each time he moved, she was squished more against the wall, her eyes fluttering, her mind reeling. He moved like he was thinking about what he had done to her earlier. Like he was punishing himself. Hoping he could grind the memories of his dagger piercing her heart through the joining of their bodies.

“Ev,” she murmured, her words slurred. Her small hands caressed his cheek, making him pull back to look at her. His muscular arms held her waist in his grasp, his hips unrelenting in their mission. She looked upon him with heavy-lidded eyes. “I’m in love with you,” she gasped, her voice small as she spoke.

He slammed into her, then stalled, his hand caressing her cheek, brushing his thumb along her red and swollen lips as she panted. She almost convinced herself Evrardin didn’t hear her, but maybe he had just taken a moment to digest words never spoken to him before because he finally cursed under his breath. “I didn’t think it possible to love someone as hard and fast as I’ve fallen for you, liten rev. ”

Her lips tipped up and he reflected that devastating smile she so rarely had the pleasure of experiencing. Then he pressed his mouth to hers.