Page 31 of Progeny of the Cursed Egg (Dragonis Academy, Year 3)

I grin against her lips, withdrawing at a torturously slow pace before driving in again, deeper.

Her frustrated whine is as sweet as the humid air around us.

My shoulders flex with each measured thrust. Her fingers curl against my skin, urging me to go faster, but I keep my rhythm.

This is part of our reconditioning— I decide how this plays out.

Besides, there’s a dark thrill in seeing her perched on the brink of surrender.

“Please, Balor…” she moans when I adjust the angle just enough to keep her from reaching her peak.

“Patience, my love. Good girls get orgasms; bad girls get edged,” I murmur, nipping her shoulder lightly.

The second she whines again, I still my hips, letting her feel the weight of my control.

When her protests subside, I pull out completely and shift onto my knees, steam swirling around my torso.

“Hands and knees, love,” I instruct, tipping my head.

She obeys in record time. The sight of her bared, glistening skin is almost enough to break my composure.

Still, I move with deliberate slowness, entering her again and gripping her hips.

Then, I unleash a punishing rhythm—each slap of skin on skin echoes in the confined space, droplets splashing against the hot rocks.

My Jacob’s ladder piercings catch every sensitive spot, and she soon shatters around me.

Her wail reverberates off the stony walls, a symphony of pure, unrestrained need.

I slow when I feel her knees wobble, and together we sink into the water once more, settling onto our sides.

Our bodies remain joined, the heat of the spring enveloping us.

Carefully, I roll my hips, letting the piercings brush all her best places.

I bite down gently on her shoulder—just enough to make her gasp.

Her core clenches in response, sending another spike of pleasure through me.

Mina curls my arm tighter around her, guiding my hand to rest just beneath her breasts. Her heartbeat thrums against my forearm like a caged bird. “Someone’s very close…” I whisper, tracing the shell of her ear with my lips before nipping at her earlobe .

“Come with me, baby, please…” Her voice trembles as she arches back, trying to meet my gaze.

I kiss her cheek and angle my hips, fully aware it will send us both careening over the edge.

We rock together, the motion fanning the steam around us in ghostly swirls.

Mina cries out first, her body clenching so hard that I lose myself, pulsing in time with her erratic shudders.

In the aftermath, we remain cocooned in each other’s arms. The mineral-rich water soothes our overheated flesh, and the lingering steam presses in like a warm blanket.

My beloved mate is still trembling in my embrace, the center of my world.

I’d raze everything—turn it all to stone—if it meant keeping her safe.

I float lazily in the warm mineral spring, water lapping at my shoulders, while Mina clings to my side.

A gentle steam rises around us, creating a veil of heat that clings to my skin.

The subtle scent of earth and wet stone fills my lungs each time I breathe in.

Mina’s voice, hushed and concerned, breaks through the soothing ambiance as she confides her worries about the coronation.

I offer her the plans the guys and I have discussed, hoping they’ll ease her mind. “It’ll work,” I assure her, letting my hand rest on her bare shoulder. She looks at me with those dark eyes of hers, filled with a mixture of doubt and hope.

Before I can say more, Ziggy’s voice echoes from the edge of the spring. “Are you guys coming home soon? Dinner is almost ready.” His tone bounces off the cavern walls, a jarring reminder we can’t stay hidden here forever.

“Who cooked?” I ask as I help Mina onto the smooth rock ledge. Droplets cascade off her body, and I catch the faint scent of her floral shampoo mixed with the mineral tang of the spring.

“Abraxis and Klauth. We’re still in the Risedale nest, having dinner with Cora and Warwick,” Ziggy explains, his figure flickering closer in an instant. The temperature dips slightly when he appears—his presence always brings a subtle chill.

“That sounds great,” Mina says with a grateful smile. Her hand grips mine, and I feel the coolness of her damp skin against my heated palm. The moment she drags me forward, Ziggy places his hand on my shoulder.

In the blink of an eye, we phase back into the Risedale nest’s dining room.

The sudden shift hits me like a gust of wind; the room’s light and warmth replace the humid darkness of the spring.

Poor Warwick yelps, nearly toppling off his chair in surprise.

The savory aroma of roasted meat and spiced vegetables assaults my senses, making my stomach rumble.

Klauth rises from his seat at once, his stern gaze locking on me. He motions for me to follow him out of the dining room and into a narrow hallway. Each step I take echoes on the polished floor, and I catch a whiff of wood polish and parchment as we enter what appears to be an office space.

“What’s wrong?” I ask, noting the tension in Klauth’s broad shoulders.

“The priestesses have sent Priestess Elain to Blackhaven for interrogation,” Klauth says calmly, though his eyes flicker with intensity.

I narrow my gaze. “That’s not the only reason we’re here, is it?” I recognize his tell—the slight tilt of his head that always betrays him, just like Abraxis has his own.

“Did Mina claw or bite you?” Klauth demands no hesitation.

I scoff and arch a brow. “No, she submitted exactly like she’s supposed to. I remembered the assignment.” My tone carries a trace of annoyance; I hate being tested.

“Good. Let’s go enjoy dinner,” Klauth says, but I can’t miss the way his eyes shift. “Mina picked her two dresses for the Winter Formal. She’ll ride Leander’s Nightmare in the processional, like last time.”

He lifts his head, casting a wicked glint in his gaze.

“For Mina’s safety during the coronation, I want you shifted.

You and Ziggy will stay at her side at all times—one to defend, the other to ensure a quick escape.

Will you do me that honor?” He extends his hand, and I stare at it briefly, considering.

“Anything you need for Mina or the safety of this nest, I’ll do without question.

” I let out a half laugh. “I’m no hero. They sacrifice the girl for the world.

I’m the thing that goes bump in the night.

I’ll watch the world burn to keep Mina safe and never regret it.

” I clasp his hand firmly, the air crackling with unspoken resolve.

Klauth nods, a faint smile curling his lips. “On that, we agree completely. Turn everyone to stone if you have to, as long as Mina lives.” He pats my back, his palm warm through my thin shirt. “Now, let’s eat before our mate comes looking for us.”

As I follow him back toward the dining room, the scents of roasted garlic and spiced wine grow stronger.

I think about the stories everyone tells of Klauth, painting him as a monster.

He might be capable of monstrous acts, but he protects his mate above all else—and that’s not a monster. That’s a damn good mate.