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fourteen

Ereon

C arnaxa’s beautiful, a goddess amongst the wicked. I know that many fill this room, but right now, all I see is her. From the moment I walked into her presence, I couldn’t keep my eyes off of her. I don’t know where she got the dress she was wearing, it clearly wasn’t made by any of the women around here. It hugged her body perfectly, accentuating her curves.

My father thinks that because he let his dog beat me today after he told Carnaxa about tonight, that I will bow down. I know what he requires of me, but I can’t give it to him. I don’t care how many punches to the face or whips across my back I have to endure. It’s what we argued about after she left the throne room today: what is expected of me. It’s expected of every man in Shaston to perform the plal ryow with his bride, but I know my performance will let those watching down. When I entered this room and saw Anara, I stumbled. I wasn’t ready to see them together, but seeing Carnaxa’s eyes filled with fear — I had to take control of the situation as best I could.

“Trust me, Princess.”

She looks up at me, and I can see the fear she’s trying to hide. My fingers undo the laces from her corset and then gently lower it down and away from her chest. Her sleeves snag on the bracelets she wears. The silver and gold that adorn one wrist, from her mother, and the leather one I gave her before we entered Shaston. She keeps her eyes on me as she pulls her top off and lets it fall to the floor, leaving her in a thin white slip. I can’t help but smirk. Her blue eyes look up at mine and I pray to her goddess that Naxa will remember me — remember what we shared — remember Thylas.

I know it’s Thylas’ eyes that currently torch my back. Possibly Rhenor’s eyes too, since he is also expected to be here as the male of his family. Siphonie is being restrained somewhere and I pity the man who was left in charge of making sure she complies.

I subtly look around the room. The women have left, except those tasked to clean up. I know Anara is here somewhere still, I can feel her presence. I didn’t know my father would bring her here to flaunt her in front of Carnaxa. It would be different if she had awoken and remembered everything. I would have explained the best I could. Surely she would understand. She has me and Thylas. This would have been easier if she recalled all that we’ve shared. How she was the one who beckoned me to join her with Thylas, how she wanted me just as much as I wanted her.

I cup her cheek with my palm. Confusion flickers through her eyes and I wonder if she’s remembering the last time I gave her a night to be with the one she actually loves. I don’t have any misconceptions that I could compare to him in her eyes. I’m the monster from her nightmares after all, no matter how much I want to be something different.

Her eyes fill with tears and I close my eyes, angling my head to the ceiling. Please, let her remember. Then I realize — she still thinks she’s a maiden. She doesn’t remember our coupling, or that Thylas holds that honor. I really am her monster, here to take her perceived maidenhood in front of every KiTor my father deems worthy to watch.

My father claps his hands. “Get on with it Ereon. We don’t have all night for you to fuck her.”

I turn around. “I will when I’m ready.” My tone is cold and flat. My eye is already swollen, causing a sharp pain with every blink, and the left side of my rib cage is throbbing in discomfort. The marks on my back are likely still stained with blood.

“I’ve got you.” I take her hand in mine and pull her toward the bed. Her nails dig into the back of my hand, but I don’t care. I’ll take whatever pain she needs to give me. I situate her as best I can between the wall, the bed, and me .

“Princess, I need you to know what’s about to happen.” I don’t mean my words to come out as harsh as they sound. I don’t want to force her, but that’s how it just sounded.

She nods her head before biting her lip and looking around. “They will watch?”

“Yes.”

“Okay.” She takes a deep breath. “I’m ready. But what about after ... The woman, Anara, said something.”

Of course she did. She would have wanted to prepare her. I should have told her long before now what the plal ryow was. I had moons with her and yet I said nothing. I thought I wouldn’t care and then when I did, it was too late.

“Do you need to know how to do it, Prince?” Ataiun shouts above the rest of the men. I watched as he boldly walked into my ceremony with the whip on his hip that dripped with my blood.

Carnaxa’s face blanches with fear. “Ignore him.” I take a step back, giving a small path to the bed. She keeps her head lowered and sits on the edge of the bed. I step in between her legs and I sigh deeply. Everyone is watching, everyone is expecting me to hurt her. A lot of men during the consummation try to hurt the women they are wed to, raping them in front of others and some even allow others to join. I won’t let this turn into some such spectacle. Perhaps my father will be let down, but right now he doesn’t matter.

I look down at her, but I don’t think of how she doesn’t know me. I don’t think of the fact that she wouldn’t be so scared if she only knew, but she doesn’t. She’s still a woman though, and I know even before the night we shared — feelings were there. Surely she still has those feelings buried inside her somewhere.

I wrap her legs around my waist, and she stifles a gasp. With her skirt bunched up between us, I reach down, letting my fingertips trace her legs from ankle to knee. I feel the soft flesh on the inside of her thigh and I lean down, my lips barely touching the shell of her ear as I whisper, “Look at me, Princess.” I pull away, letting my finger trail under her chin, gently pushing up her face so her eyes meet mine. “I’ve got you. Close your eyes and focus on how you feel. Don’t look around, don’t listen to them. Give me your attention, not them. Just feel.”

I glance down at the shell — my shell — that is now embedded in her skin, and she nods her head. Her eyes shut and her legs stay wrapped around me. My father sighs dramatically and I can tell I’m pushing my limits even more than usual with him. The men in this room want a show, so I’ll give them one to gossip about as they return to their rooms. I reach beneath her, lifting her around my waist before climbing onto the bed with her. The men cheer again, saying things I should do to her and positions they want to see.

I softly lay her down, staying balanced on my knees as I lean up. She looks like she’s sleeping, but her skin flushes, the vein beneath her freckles beating stronger. Quickly shedding the robe, I throw it down and swiftly the gestures silences the abhorrent comments and cheers. My back. It’s all I have to offer to keep them from noticing her. While there are rumors that my father punishes me, it’s the first time the truth of those rumors is here in every KiTor’s face.

“Breathe, Princess,” I say as I lay down on her, my forearms on either side of her head, making sure not to pull her hair. “You may not remember what’s happened the past few moons, but I do. I’ll keep those memories for the both of us if I have to. But you have to know something ...” I lean in closer. “You have already been touched. I was there and I promise to tell you about it, but know that this will not be the first time and it won’t hurt. I swear it.”

Her eyes flutter open at that. Staring down into her ocean-blue eyes is enough to make me once again forget anyone else is here. I reach my hand between us, pulling her slip up her thigh, watching her eyes as I do. If she shows one instant of not wanting this, I’ll fake it.

My fingers feel the heat of her core as I gently rub across her clit. She moans faintly and I circle her again. I kiss her neck, but not enough to leave marks. Her wetness coats my finger tip and I run my finger down her slit. Slowly, I slide a finger into her and let her adjust, adding pressure to her clit with my thumb that circles it. She bites her lower lip, closing her eyes, and her back arches. Sliding in and out of her a few more times, I take my hand away from her and reach down to ready myself. I’m already erect — I was hard as soon as I saw her. I move the long fabric from between us.

“You ready?” I ask in a hushed tone.

She meets my gaze as her hips rise and her legs tighten around me. “Yes.” She smiles up at me and I hope that she’s remembered. “I’m ready, Prince Ereon. ”

With her simple words, she breaks me. She doesn’t know me, anymore than she knows anyone in this room. I’ll hate myself for this — I’ll hate Thylas and the fact that he could have her, all of her. It wasn’t supposed to be like this.

“It’s not our night …”

I spoke those words, hoping we would have a night of our own. A night when she would have me and love me and ... I shake my head. It doesn’t matter. The shell against my chest seems to hum with warmth as I glide myself into her. She moans against my chest, and I almost come at the feel of being inside of her. I kiss her forehead, hoping one day she’ll forgive me. Cheers erupt around us. The men seemingly have forgotten the marks slathered across my back. I glide in and out of her, letting her adjust. She squeezes me with her thighs and I stop and look down.

“Kiss me,” she whispers between us, so low I can barely hear it among those cheering. I do as she asks, I kiss her. I balance on one forearm while I wrap my hand around her cheek, pulling her into me. She tastes of Antalis, sea salt and sugar and everything I remember. I graze my teeth against her lower lip and her arms wrap around me.

My tongue explores her mouth, dancing with her own. The noise around us goes silent, she takes over all my senses. I don’t know when it happened, but I realize she’s kissing me back. Her fingertips are grazing the still-burning whip marks, but she doesn’t stop and I don’t either. I push into her over and over. Maintaining the kiss between us, I continue until my lungs are about to burst from needing air .

I pull away, but she puts her hand in my hair and pulls me back to her. The shells between us start to glow and pulse. I release her, slowing my pace but not pulling out.

“Princess ... look.”

She opens her eyes and follows my gaze. There, between our two shells, is that beautiful gold rippling. Flowing and ebbing amidst us. It’s such a welcome sight and her eyes widen with surprise. I thought I had imagined it the first time.

“Ereon.” My name, without the title, is a prayer on her lips.

I wrap my arm behind the crook of her knee and lean up on my own knees, the ripple of gold growing longer but not breaking as we create more space between us. I push into her harder than I mean to, but she moans loudly and the room fills with echoes of her pleasure and our bodies coming together. At the sound of her enjoyment, I gyrate faster until I feel her tightening around me and I find my release inside of her.