Page 11 of The Call of Crimson (The Crimson & Shadows #2)

CHAPTER SIX

brEYLA

T he stone floor is cool to the touch as my bare feet pad along the throne room floor. Shadows fall along the walls, wrapping around every curve and distorting my view. Strong, defined, bare thighs are spread wide on the seat.

Darkness obscures my vision, only pieces of the male are visible to me. Chills erupt along my spine as a hand trails up his thigh. The shadows shift, revealing his cock standing fully at attention between his muscular thighs.

He’s hard—rock solid with a bead of arousal glistening on the head of his cock.

My mouth dries, my tongue darting out along my bottom lip as I watch his hand grasp his length. He squeezes the base, pumping himself in slow, deliberate strokes.

He chuckles softly, the shadows shifting to reveal a gold crown with black jewels on his head.

With his free hand, he curls his fingers, beckoning me toward him.

I bite my bottom lip as my feet move forward of their own volition. Somewhere along the way, I come to the conclusion this must be Aurelius, his still-obscured features are enough to convince me. As I reach the throne, I decide I must be dreaming because I’m not angry at him—I’m desperate for him.

If this is a dream, it doesn’t matter. I can let myself feel the damning pleasure he never fails to deliver.

His hand continues pumping his cock, thumb rolling over the tip in slow, tantalizing motions.

Using his free hand, he palms me just below my ass, pulling me forward onto the throne. I land straddling him and realize for the first time that I’m naked.

Rough fingers trail the skin of my thigh, drawing invisible patterns on my heated flesh.

My core clenches, and I rock against his leg, letting him feel the wetness pooling at my center.

“I want you inside me,” I whimper with another roll of my hips.

I reach through the shadows still obscuring his face, willing them to move. They don’t respond.

He pumps himself faster, a lustful groan escaping his mouth. His other hand grasps my hip, urging me to move higher up his lap toward his waiting cock.

I lift up, aligning my center over his weeping length. A frustrated sigh leaves my lips when he keeps me hovering above him.

“I said I want you, Aurelius,” I whisper.

He rubs the head of his cock through the wetness pooling at my center, taunting me with what I’m so desperate to feel right now.

The shadows move again as he leans forward, trailing aggressive kisses along my throat. His lips reach my ear, and he purrs, “You said my name wrong, My Queen.”

Recognition hits me as my body flies backward off his lap. I land on the throne room floor, staring into Ayden’s unobscured face in horror.

I narrow my eyes, anger flaring in the pit of my stomach. “Fuck you, Ayden.”

“Do you want to, love?” he asks, his hand still stroking down his length. “You were dripping for me.”

“That wasn’t for you,” I seethe. “I thought you were Aurelius.”

“Did you now?” His honeyed eyes blaze, roaming my exposed form from head to toe. “What was your excuse for the hallway incident?”

“Is that what this is about?”

“That is precisely what this is about, love. Consider us even.” He disappears, the dream fading into blackness.

Two days pass too quickly.

I thought that saying goodbye to Elijah, Ophelia, and Jade would be the hardest part. But leaving my kingdom behind was proving to be even worse. Rimor was my home, and I did not want to leave it.

Trunks had been packed and loaded into the carriages. All the belongings I cared to bring were shoved into wooden boxes, ready to take me to my new life. It had taken such drastic turns in the last few months, I could hardly believe this was happening.

“Remind me again why we must leave so soon?” I ask Ayden. It had been an annoying task to avoid him since his walk through my dream, but I couldn’t stand to look him in the face after. Even now, I shift uncomfortably under his intense gaze.

“Time isn’t on our side,” he replies, voice cool and rehearsed. “Though fall has just arrived here, winter comes earlier, and harsher, in Prudia. With a party this size, we’ll need at least a week to reach the castle. I’d rather not be caught in the first frost.”

His answer is logical and rehearsed. And I don’t believe it.

“Have you said your farewells?” he asks.

I nod. We said them last night, and I made it clear I didn’t want them there for the send-off.

“Having them here would make it feel more… permanent. I’ll see them again. Once I figure out how to dissolve this godsdamned marriage contract.” I would make no attempt at hiding my intentions with Ayden.

“Will I be dragging you kicking and screaming down the aisle, love?” He teases.

“You can count on it.”

One side of his lips quirk as he rubs his chin. “Funny. That’s not quite how I remember it the other night. It was you who dragged me into that kiss, was it not?”

I stare at him, not an ounce of shame in me. “If you want a reaction from me, you’ll have to try harder.”

I swing up onto Luna’s saddle, checking my satchel one last time.

Aurelius rides up beside me, astride his horse, Crea. “Don’t encourage him. He’ll only try harder.”

I had avoided him since the council meeting, still hurt by his words about being a hypocrite.

My feelings on his presence with us are conflicting.

I still felt the sting of his betrayal, even more so each time I discovered there was something else he knew about this betrothal.

But a part of me that I want to ignore is grateful to have a piece of home coming with me.

“Are you sure you don’t want to travel in the carriage?” Ayden offers for the third time today.

His normally unruly curls are tamed back today, sunlight highlighting the deep brown color that sets him apart from Aurelius’ black locks.

My eyes sweep his form, prior embarrassment still threatening to make an appearance.

I really do not want to admit how good he looks in riding leathers, but the truth is undeniable.

The male is devastatingly handsome.

“Worried I might run off on you?” I tease.

“To be frank—yes.”

“My natural response typically involves fighting, not running,” I say with a wink, not wanting him to know I couldn’t handle being trapped between him and Aurelius for even an hour, let alone a week. “I’d be more worried about me throwing knives if I were you. I could use some target practice.”

Ayden’s personal guards tense, hands drifting to their swords at my empty threat.

Ryder and Zion step in behind me, blades already half-drawn.

Ayden sighs, shaking his head. “Stand down. I can handle my fianceé and anything she might throw at me.”

“Are you three quite done with whatever this is?” Ayden’s cousin, Lady Charlotte, asks.

Her long blonde locks are braided down the center of her back, the tip nearly reaching her waist. While she isn’t dressed in leathers like us, she is dressed to ride, white blouse tucked into the waistband of fitted pants, riding boots, and a cloak.

I’m surprised she isn’t opting for the carriage, given her usual polished demeanor.

“Yes, we should be on our way.” Ayden looks to the sky as if he is expecting bad weather. “We have a lot of ground to cover if we want to make it to the inn by nightfall.”

And with that, we’re off.

We make good time, traveling a straight six hours without stopping. It would have gone faster without the carriage and full entourage, but still, I can’t complain. By late afternoon, we reach the forested area that separates Ciyoria and the outskirts of Caedel.

Caedel marked the border between Prudia and Rimor, often housing citizens of both kingdoms, though it was technically in Rimor.

Despite any conflict between our countries, the people here always lived in harmony, making the area a neutral territory of sorts.

It was one of Rimor’s largest cities, the surrounding farms responsible for supplying a majority of the capital’s grain and textiles.

It would be the last city we’d see before crossing into Prudia.

The shade here is dense and damp, a welcome relief after the heat of the sun. We call a rest to feed and water the horses.

I sit with my back against a tree, a canteen of blessedly cold water in hand, thanks to a guard with the Kaminari Gift. The magic-chilled drink soothes my dry throat.

“Here. Eat this.” Ayden commands, holding out a piece of bread and a handful of berries.

I take the food without a fight, shoving it into my mouth. “We should reach Caedel in the next few hours.”

A twig snaps behind me, and my head snaps around to find the source. I sit at the outskirts of the group, so there’s no one behind me. “What was that?” I ask quietly.

Ayden scans the trees. “I don’t see anything.”

In the distance, I catch sight of the faintest irregularity in the shadows. It’s too dark, unnatural.

“There’s something there,” I say, rising to get a better look.

“What’s wrong?” Aurelius asks, coming up behind me.

“There’s someone out there,” I say with certainty.

“I don’t see anyone.”

The shadow moves, and I catch a flicker of red. Drawing a dagger, I take off after the moving shadow.

“Breyla, wait!” Aurelius calls.

I ignore him, trusting my intuition instead. Both males follow, but I pay them no mind. Someone is watching us, and I want to know who.

I move swiftly through the underbrush, dodging and weaving around low-hanging limbs and large roots. Flashes of black and glimmers of red evade me as I push my muscles to carry me faster. Finally, I close some of the distance between us, enough to get a better view of who I’m pursuing.

I nearly gasp as the features come into view, and it’s none other than Lord Craylor, the former spymaster who had been missing since my mother’s death. Why he’s following us in a forest, I have no idea, but I have questions.

“Breyla, stop!” Aurelius roars as he crashes into me, taking me to the ground. Our tangled bodies meet the densely packed earth, the scent of dirt filling my nostrils as I turn my face to him.