Page 43 of Oaths & Vengeance (Realm of Zadrya #1)

Aella

F ive weeks had passed with daily training for my weapons and magic since I’d last seen my husband. He’d only asked me to open a portal that one time since the attack at Petosty, and I supposed he took the hint that night that I needed space after our last meeting.

The break from him had finally ended with a sebeska finding me while I worked on my light magic at the pit this morning, thankfully without an audience.

I was terrified of seeing Darrow tonight because it had been over two months since I’d last had sex, and my physical urges grew with each passing day.

Thoughts crept into my mind of his promise to fulfill my needs if only I asked, as well as memories of him touching me.

My dreams were especially vivid, leaving me frustrated and panting when I woke.

I had to remind myself that it was nothing more than a game for Darrow.

He only saw me as a means to an end. How bad would it be to fall for my enemy whose heart was as cold as ice and would never thaw for me?

It would be the ultimate vengeance against me and my family, with no way to escape due to our marriage vows.

I braced myself as I stepped from the portal onto Veronnian land near Durelle’s cabin.

The forest was dark and silent, except for Darrow standing ten feet away.

He’d pulled back half of his brown and black streaked hair, and his face was mesmerizing in the moonlight.

Additionally, he wore form-fitting, black leather pants and a matching tunic that left a tantalizing glimpse of his muscular chest. No matter how much I tried, I couldn’t deny my attraction to him. Even my anger had abated with time.

Two months ago, my fury was like rock-hard ice.

I could clench the jagged ball in my hands to remind myself of what he’d made me do to my own people, but it had melted over the weeks and slipped through my fingers no matter how hard I tried to hold onto it.

The fact of the matter was, he’d kept his promise, and loss of life had been minimal—far less than the deaths from my uncle’s malicious attack.

The woods appeared empty aside from Darrow, making me stiffen. “Where is everyone else?”

“It is only the two of us tonight.” He took my hand, his warm and rough, and led me away from the ring.

“What?” I tried to pull away from him, but he wouldn’t let go. He continued to guide me through the darkness to a place just past the trees. “I thought you summoned me here to portal you somewhere.”

We stopped a short distance beyond sight of the ring, where his horse fed on some foliage, and a blanket lay across the ground.

Moonlight filtered through an open spot in the canopy to shine upon the silver cloth.

“You will be transporting us to a meeting once you’ve regained enough energy to open a portal to Jolloure. ”

“Why is there a blanket there?” I asked warily.

He gave me one of those taunting smiles that made my thighs clench. “I thought we’d have some quality time as husband and wife while we waited. I even took the time to scare all the dangerous creatures far away so we wouldn’t be disturbed.”

“No.” I shook my head, backing up a step. “We are not doing that.”

He moved fast, pulling my body into his strong arms and surrounding me with his scorching heat. The scent of sandalwood and leather filled my nose. “Why not?”

“Because I’m being torn by two sides, between you and my uncle, and you’re never going to truly care about me or what I want.”

Darrow nuzzled my neck, sending a shiver down my spine. “I do care about your well-being, Aella. If you ever need me, don't hesitate to ask. You’d be surprised what I’d do for you.”

Only for his own benefit. He was well-known for his ability to seduce women .

“I don’t want to fall for you, Dare,” I said, finding it hard to think with his lips and breath teasing my skin. What was wrong with me that I didn't want him to stop?

He pressed kisses below my ear, along my jaw, and then my mouth before pulling back a tiny fraction.

“We’ll be married the rest of our lives, Aella.

At some point, everyone will know, and then we’ll have to share a home together.

Do you really think you can go on forever resisting me and feeling nothing? ”

“I know you can’t love me back,” I said as one of his hands roamed toward my backside. Annoyingly, I had no desire to stop him.

He met my gaze, only inches separating our faces. “Who told you?”

“Does it matter?” I asked.

A flash of annoyance crossed his features before he smoothed them again. “Very well, it’s true that I’m cursed and cannot love. I can still care, as well as feel lust and possessiveness for you. Isn’t that enough?”

“Not when it means you can use my feelings to manipulate me while I can’t do the same to you,” I argued.

He gently took my hand. When I didn't resist, he pressed it against the front of his pants, shocking me with the hardness there. “You’re manipulating me even when you’re not around to see it. All I need to do is think about you, and my cock gets hard.”

More like stunningly rock solid and far too tempting.

“You can get anyone you want, so use some other woman,” I said, pulling my hand away.

Darrow shook his head. “I’ve grown bored with the others, which is certainly your fault, yet I gave you a break from me so you could come to terms with our arrangement. No other woman has touched me during that time.”

I couldn’t help being a little satisfied that he was also suffering on some level. “I’m not having sex with you in these creepy woods at night. Forget it.”

“What if I promise only kissing and touching?” he asked, fiery need in his eyes .

Trying to deny the lust he clearly felt, or my own, for that matter, was impossible. I needed to remember why I should hate him, not want him badly. “You stand for everything I hate, Dare . All Veronna wants is to force Therress back under their rule again, and that includes me.”

“Oh, I definitely want you under me in every way possible, but as for the rest, it is all lies,” he said fiercely.

“Do you deny that five centuries ago, Veronna taxed the people within my land twice as much as those west of the Sobaryan Mountains?” I asked, pointing out one of the strongest arguments we had for rebelling.

He flashed his teeth. “If your tutors had bothered to tell you the whole story, you’d know your people agreed to that deal in exchange for not having to provide soldiers to fight against Karganoth. Our side of the range took the brunt of the losses while yours enjoyed peace and safety.”

I opened my mouth to say something, but I couldn’t refute it without looking into the matter more fully.

It made too much sense to argue until I knew for sure.

Pushing that point aside, I grabbed at another one.

“What about taking ninety percent of the holmium from the mines and only leaving us with ten percent?”

He arched a brow. “We were fighting a war with the dark elves, and you of all people understand how critical holmium is to moving armies quickly. Therress didn’t need it as badly as us, but the irony is that when your side decided to rebel, you began sending a quarter of what you mined to Karganoth and have ever since. ”

My jaw dropped, and I finally managed to pull away from him. “Now, I know you’re lying.”

“Am I?” He stepped into my personal space again. “There are no holmium deposits in Karganoth, but if you were to visit, you’d find they have no trouble using their portal rings. The ice giants would never deal with them, so where are they getting their supply?”

I glared at him. “The king would never allow my uncle to do that.”

“True, if he could catch him in the act, but Lord Morgunn is quite adept at sneaking those shipments out without being caught. Even the few times we have intercepted a boat, it mysteriously caught fire and erased the evidence before we could see what was on it,” he said, shaking his head.

“ Your family has been doing that for centuries, aiding the dark elves in their cause to get a foothold in Zadrya. Veronna and Juvarn to our north are the only ones fighting to stop them.”

I looked away. The things he’d said made more sense than I liked to admit and unraveled a history I’d always been taught to believe. I had no way to disprove him at the moment, and I didn’t dare ask my uncle. Even posing questions along those lines would send him into a fit of rage.

“How can I verify what you’re saying?” I asked.

He searched my gaze. “You could choose to believe your husband, or if my word still isn’t good enough, you could check the histories at the royal library in Porrine.”

“I’ll do that.” When I found the time and opportunity.

Darrow caressed my cheek. “I wouldn’t lie to you about this.”

“Not even so that I’ll give my body to you?” I asked, raising a quizzical brow.

His lips quirked. “You barely spoke to me for two months after I made you assist with my attack on Therress. I wouldn’t dare lie about this and risk your wrath once more.

We will be married for the rest of our lives.

I’d rather not test how long you can hold a grudge if I tell you falsehoods about our lands’ history, especially since you will be able to find the truth now that you know to look for it. ”

“Okay,” I said, feeling my resolve against him cracking.

“I want you, Aella, in any way I can have you tonight,” he said in a husky voice that sent deep awareness through my body.

I realized at that moment that he was seriously desperate to have me, and that gave me some power over him.

Maybe I should turn the tables on my husband for once.

It didn’t have to be emotional, and I didn’t have to let him always take charge.

Gathering my courage, I kissed him, making it as deep and passionate as possible until he was groaning and holding me so close I could feel his cock straining against his pants. Then, I pulled back to meet his gaze.