Page 52 of Queen of Legends and Lies (Dragons of Tirene #4)
Chapter Forty-Three
I slip into the bedchamber, excited energy thrumming through my veins. “I know what to do now.”
The God of Lost Things, arrogant Orin—I will never forget his name—overworked my mind by talking in circles, but he made sense too.
Sterling sits up, eyes still heavy with sleep but also bright with affection. He reaches out and wraps his strong arms around me, pulling me down onto the bed. “I love your enthusiasm. Have I ever told you that?”
I can’t help but smile as his hard length presses against me through the blankets. Wriggling in his embrace, I grind myself shamelessly against him. “Mmm, and I love yours too.”
His lips find mine as he tugs me beneath the covers.
I laugh breathlessly against his mouth. As much as I want to lose myself in Sterling’s touch, a sense of urgency nips at the edges of my desire.
“We don’t have time for this. I need to tell you what I just learned,” I gasp out between fervent kisses, even as I arch into his cool caresses.
His fingers brushing over my nipple immediately changes my mind. “Which means we’ll have to be quick.”
Sterling chuckles low in his throat, his rough hands roaming all over me. “I can live with that.”
Our bodies tangle together, a frantic slide of my heated skin against his frigid flesh as we shed our clothes.
The magnitude of what we need to do lingers on the fringes of my mind, but for now, I let the blissful oblivion of Sterling’s lovemaking consume me. In his arms, even if only for a fleeting instant, the rest of the world falls away.
He rolls onto his back, repositioning me so that I’m straddling him. “Since you’re the one setting the pace.”
“Oh, yeah?” I laugh, rotating my hips, and he shudders beneath me. “Or maybe you’re just chilly still.”
I summon fire to the surface of my skin.
Grunting, he grips my thighs, arching his body closer.
I click my tongue at him. “I thought you said I could set the pace.”
Emotions flicker over his features. Lust, impatience, eagerness, and a tinge of pain.
“And I thought you said we needed to be quick.” He rocks his hips, sliding his length along my clit to drive me crazy.
Reaching between my legs, I grasp at him with a hot hand. He hisses out in pained pleasure.
I moan as Sterling fills me, clutching him close. “Quick.” I settle myself down on him and lean forward. Taking two fistfuls of the sheets over his shoulders, I stare him dead in the eyes. “And hard.”
Holding on tightly, I use all the muscles I’ve developed during my training.
Then I ride him.
Sterling groans. “Gods. You’re going to kill me, love.”
“Are you tapping out?”
“Never.” He meets my motions, coming up against me as I rock over him.
We move in a frenzied rhythm, chasing our pleasure with desperate intensity until we both climax.
Afterward, I collapse onto Sterling’s chest, lungs heaving and heart pounding. As we catch our breath, he traces soothing circles on my back.
This tender moment is but a brief respite, I know. The trials ahead crash over me again, cold reality intruding. But for a few more seconds, I burrow into his comforting embrace, fortifying myself with his strength and affection for the battle to come.
With a sigh, I reluctantly disentangle from his arms and sit up.
He props himself on an elbow, brow raised. “Not that I’m complaining, but why the sudden urgency? What’s going on in that brilliant mind of yours?”
I swing my legs over the edge of the bed and grab my clothes. “I had a visit from the God of Lost Things.” The words tumble out in an excited rush as I dress. “I think he was trying to tell me something. The way to defeat Narc…to purge his evil from the lands.”
Sterling sits up fully, sheets pooling at his waist. “A visit. From another god. How can you…” His expression becomes more focused. “Actually, maybe this is something I just have to get used to, being with you. Please, continue. I’m listening, oh chosen one of the gods.”
I pace the room, too energized to stay still or pay too much attention to his jokes. “We need to combine the powers of all four elements. Earth, air, water, and fire magic wielded together. That’s the key to cleansing Narc’s corruption.”
Sterling considers this as he pulls on his pants.
“It’s never been done before. The amount of power it would take…
” He shakes his head in amazement while hopping up and doing that little shimmy I love to watch.
It’s almost as fun as watching him undress.
Almost. “The amount of power we wield when we merge…and we have to double that?”
“At least. It sounds impossible. But I know it in my bones. This is our path to victory.”
Sterling crosses over to me, clasping my hands in his. Warm, brown, gold-flecked eyes bore into mine, searching and resolute. “If you believe it can work, then I’m with you. Always.”
His mouth covers mine, sealing the promise with a fierce kiss. Drawing back, he strides to the bell pull near the door and tugs it.
Moments later, just enough time to allow me to finish dressing, a maid appears and dips into a curtsy. “How may I serve, Your Highness?”
“Gather Agnar Kerrin, Bastian Drago, Leesa Axton, Helene Mortimer, and Elijah Durand. Have them join us here immediately.” Sterling’s stomach rumbles, and he grins. “And, please, send up food for everyone.”
“Of course.” The maid bobs her head and hurries off.
After moving to the public sitting room, I resume my pacing, mind whirling with plans and contingencies. The immensity of what we’re about to attempt threatens to overwhelm me. But I can’t waver now.
Too much depends on our success.
Something occurs to me. “Hey, you never told me how you and your mother were able to speak directly into my mind.”
Sterling shrugs. “I don’t think anyone knows for sure, but my mom stumbled across a mention in an old book that suggested in times of need, it might be possible between people with royal blood who’ve power merged.
” He raises his hands when I start to protest. “I know that the Bardas weren’t the original royal family, but maybe as far as the magic’s concerned, any member of a family who sits on the throne counts. ”
I huff. It figures that the magic rewards violence.
Before I can say anything else, Agnar knocks and enters, his mood subdued. The skin around his eyes tightens with weariness and grief, a testament to our losses. “How are you both this morning?”
“Well enough.” Sterling runs a hand through his silky hair, then quickly ties it back with a leather cord. “But there’s much to discuss.”
Two maids arrive, laden with trays bearing fruits, pastries, cold cuts, and two steaming pots of fragrant tea. They set the spread on a side table and curtsy out. Just as they leave, Bastian and Leesa walk in together.
My heart clenches at the sight of the bandage swathing Bastian’s head. Yet another stark reminder of how close we came to losing him in the battle against the traitors.
Emotion threatens to choke me as I race over to hug my brother.
Bastian returns the embrace fiercely, his solid strength an anchor against the storm inside me. Tears prick my eyes, blurring my vision.
“Hey, no tears from my little sister.” He pats my back. “I’m fine. It was just a cut. Wasn’t all that bad. Head wounds bleed a lot.”
“You also had a concussion. Don’t you ever scare me like that again,” I mumble into his shoulder.
“Yes, ma’am.” Bastian pulls back and tweaks my nose, his hazel eyes a mirror of my own. “I shall endeavor not to.”
I give him one last squeeze while sending up a silent prayer of thanks to the gods for sparing him. We can’t keep losing the ones we love to this bloodshed. It has to stop. And with the path the god illuminated for me, maybe now we finally have a chance to end it.
I disengage from Bastian to regard the assembled group, these souls knitted to mine by battles fought and bonds forged.
My chest swells with fierce love and determination.
Here, among this small group, I am Lark.
Simply Lark. And we’ve worked together, defeating enemies and surviving no matter the cost, since well before I was queen.
A soft knock and not so delicate cough breaks up our reunion. Helene and Elijah are waiting at the door. I motion for them to come inside, noting their uncharacteristic silence with trepidation.
After recent events, the mood is a little somber.
“Thank you for coming. I know we’re all weary in body and spirit. But I’ve called you here because there’s been a development.” I take a deep breath, conscious of every eye trained on me. “I believe I know how we can defeat Narc. Once and for all.”
I now have everyone’s full, undivided attention as they become even more aware that this isn’t just some leisurely meal.
Agnar has a grape halfway to his mouth, and he uses it to gesture for me to continue.
I pause to meet each of their gazes. “First, I owe you an apology. All of you.” My voice wavers, and I clear my throat before continuing. “I’ve been hardheaded, stubborn. Pushing you away in some misguided attempt to protect you when we should’ve been facing this together. I’m so sorry.”
“No need to apologize.” Leesa reaches out to squeeze my hand, eyes soft with understanding. “You just didn’t want to risk losing people you care about, and you thought if you did things on your own, no one else would get hurt.”
My sister gets me.
“Wait, are you admitting to making mistakes?” Bastian tosses me a wink. “You feeling all right?”
I snort and just shake my head. “Well, it took the God of Lost Things to tell me I was screwing up.”
“Sounds about right.” Agnar swallows the grape, then rifles around his plate and picks up a piece of ham. “That would take divine intervention, though I don’t remember praying to that particular god for help.”