Page 76 of The Moon’s Fury (Moon & Sands #2)

H ands on his chest, Layna led Zarian backward to the overstuffed sofa in the seating area. He tugged her into his lap, fingers playing with her hair.

“Tell me everything.”

He shot her a wry smile. “I’d been to Valtisaan on various missions over the years, but never longer than a few days at a time.

But when I was searching for my”—his throat bobbed—“brother, I was there for several weeks. It’s when I learned of sihrrock .

I didn’t think much of it, distracted as I was.

And then Jamil found me and brought me back to the Oasis. ”

He paused, gaze drifting as he pieced his history together in his mind. “Two years after that, I returned to Valtisaan. I was there to—” He broke off suddenly, and she splayed her palm over his chest, rubbing gently. “I was there to kill someone.”

“Marwon?”

He shook his head. “No. An adviser on Tamzin’s council.

I couldn’t even tell you why.” A dry laugh escaped him, but it was a wounded sound, all humor beaten out of it.

“After it was done, I went to a tavern, ready to drink myself into oblivion. And I did. I drank until I could barely stand. They threw me out. Marwon found me and brought me to his apartment. While I nursed my hangover the next morning, he managed to tell me about his family in broken common tongue. He had come to the continent searching for work. His father was sick. A recruiter found him in Baysaht and brought him to Valtisaan.”

Zarian’s jaw clenched, another deep sigh escaping him before he continued.

“By then, I knew what Valtisaan did. Marwon’s time was limited.

I told him what I knew. He was already starting to suspect something was off.

Other workers had disappeared. So we left.

I brought him back to the Isle, and…” His hands squeezed her thighs.

“And something about this island felt like home. Even back then.

“I stayed with Marwon for a week before returning to the continent. It was easy to explain away my absence as a drunken escapade.” A crease marred his brow, and his hands inched higher on her thighs, squeezing tighter.

“When did you go back?” she asked, twining her arms around his neck.

“A year after that. I couldn’t stop thinking about this place, the peace I felt here. How my mind was silent.

“My father gave me more leeway. ‘Time off,’ as it were,” he said with a twist of his lips. “I think he was trying to make up for what he did to my brother.”

She cupped his cheek, and the sadness in his eyes nearly brought her to tears. He continued, “When I returned the second time, Marwon had already built his villa.”

“Where did he find sihrrock ?”

Zarian dragged his thumb across her lips.

“So impatient,” he murmured. She bit his thumb, and he grinned.

“He found a vein in a cave. I’ll show you tomorrow.

He must have seen the longing in my eyes when I looked at his villa, because he offered to build me one.

I declined several times, but he ignored me.

So I helped him build this,” he said, gesturing around the room.

“I’ve returned every so often, whenever I could find time to make the journey.

I brought Jamil with me once or twice. It’s always been my plan to settle down here one day. If I lived that long.”

Layna was quiet, worrying her lower lip between her teeth as she processed everything Zarian had told her. “I thought sihrrock was only found in Valtisaan.”

“It’s only been found in Valtisaan so far . There could be veins all over the continent. In another decade or so, I suspect life will look very different.”

“But life could be different now for so many people. If the Medjai weren’t helping Valtisaan keep it a secret.” Anger twisted in her gut, but she pushed it down.

The Medjai weren’t her problem anymore.

“Do the other islanders know of sihrrock ?”

“Not since I was last here years ago. I don’t know if that has changed.” He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Any other questions, my love?”

“You helped him build this? I didn’t know you had skills outside of swordfighting and brooding,” she teased. He pinched her side, matching her smile with his own.

“‘Helped build’ in the sense that I am very good at felling trees and carrying heavy things.” He kissed her, quick and light. “Come, I’ll show you the rest.”

There was a small washroom on the first floor down a narrow hallway that led to a flight of stairs. On the second level, Zarian showed her two unfurnished rooms and another washroom.

At the end of the hall were double doors that opened to reveal a bedroom. There was a large bed with a driftwood frame and a plush mattress. Two windows flanked the bed on either side.

Zarian shot her an apologetic look. “We’ll get more furniture. And whatever else you like.”

The attached washroom was larger than she expected. There was a tub in the center, and a standing shower nestled into the wall.

When they returned to the bedroom, Zarian pulled out white sheets from one of the dresser drawers. Together, they fitted the sheets over the bed. She bit her lip, eyes fixed on the large mattress. A question burned her throat, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to know the answer.

Zarian, ever perceptive, seemed to sense what was on her mind. “I’ve never brought anyone back here.”

A relieved breath escaped her, and she smiled at him.

He grinned back.

Moons, she had never seen him smile so often, so freely, anywhere else.

“There’s one more place to see.”

Back in the hallway, there was a door she hadn’t noticed before. Behind it was a flight of stairs leading to the rooftop.

Layna’s breath hitched.

Sunlight shone on a large flat terrace, lined with walls that reached her waist. Tall palm trees stretched out behind the villa and on either side.

But it was the horizon that stole her breath.

A beautiful sandy beach melted into the waves, gently lapping against the shore. The sun shone down on the bright, blue water, white foam glistening at the water’s edge.

She stood quietly for a moment, breathing in the salty, ocean breeze, listening to the sounds of wind rustling between leaves, the crash of the waves, the squawks of seagulls.

Her mind was quiet. Zarian came to stand beside her.

“It’s beautiful,” she breathed.

“It is,” he agreed, eyes fixed on her face.

Layna rolled her eyes, hiding a smirk. “You’re so predictable.” She turned, intent on exploring the other side of the terrace.

She hadn’t taken two steps when Zarian grabbed her arm and yanked her toward him. Her back collided against his firm chest, the air whooshing out of her as his muscled arms snaked around her like a vise.

“Good,” he growled in her ear, tightening his hold around her limbs.

“I want you to find me predictable. I want you to wake every morning with the absolute certainty that you’re mine .

That my love isn’t some fleeting thing—it’s fixed, immovable.

Yours . I want you to be unshakably certain, that no matter what beauty lays ahead, my eyes will only be searching for you.

Do you understand?” He pressed an open-mouthed kiss just under her ear, teeth nipping at her skin, and her knees buckled.

He loosened his hold only to scoop her into his arms. Layna squealed at the sudden motion, wrapping her arms around his neck. “I said”— a kiss for every word—“Do. You. Understand?”

“Yes,” she breathed.

Moons, this man. They’d spent every waking moment together for months and months, and still, he made her knees weak.

“Good.” His teeth found her earlobe, tugging gently. “I just remembered. I forgot to show you something in our bedroom,” he murmured, his tongue hot on her neck.

“Oh? And what might that be?” she breathed, tilting her head to give him better access. His teeth scraped against her collarbone, and she sucked in a sharp breath.

“Paradise,” he growled in her ear. “But you’ll need to get on your knees first.”