Page 70 of Thorns & Fire (The Ashes of Thezmarr #2)

Torj

‘When a pair is soul bonded, it is the creation of something entirely new, like dawn born from the marriage of night and day’

– Tethers and Magical Bonds Throughout History

T ORJ THOUGHT HE ’ D known happiness when Wren had told him that she loved him. But watching her beautiful face light up with joy, watching as tears of laughter streamed down her cheeks, was something else entirely.

He studied her with a sense of wonder. That this woman, who had walked through shadow and fire, who had faced her own darkest monsters, was here with a smile on her lips.

He knew Wren and Dessa were worried about Zavier, who remained sedated in the infirmary, but he was glad they were here. The women celebrated Wren’s triumph together, and that was exactly how it should be.

Torj sat beside Wren at the wooden table beneath the stars, the grass growing wet with dew around them as the night wore on.

He couldn’t stop himself touching her: a fleeting squeeze of her thigh beneath the table, a brush of his leg against hers.

Every graze of contact sent lightning singing through his veins.

He could feel Wren’s power thrumming inside him, and as the hour grew late, he was practically vibrating with need for her.

‘Something wrong, Bear Slayer?’ she teased, her gaze dropping to the bulge he was adjusting in his leathers.

‘Nothing I can’t handle,’ he murmured.

‘Is it something I could handle?’ she asked coyly, glancing around at their drunk, distracted friends and wetting her lips.

‘You’re playing with fire, Embers...’ he warned.

‘Am I?’

He sucked in a sharp breath as her hand slid into his lap beneath the table, and another as she brushed over his hard cock, squeezing him through the layers.

‘You’re forgetting how much I like to go up in flames,’ she whispered in his ear.

Desire swept through Torj like a current, and he clenched his fists so suddenly he nearly upset his drink.

‘Alas,’ she said. ‘I need to speak with Wilder.’

‘That is not the name I want to hear on your lips right now,’ Torj grumbled.

To his dismay, Wren looked delighted. ‘I didn’t take you for a jealous Warsword...’

‘Only when my woman drives me to the point of madness under the table and then—’

‘Your woman?’ Wren echoed, grinning.

‘Yes,’ Torj replied, studying her expression for any signs of objection. ‘My woman.’

Wren was all smiles. ‘Well, your woman needs to speak to Wilder alone, without Thea. Can you occupy her while we get another round of drinks?’

‘Anything for you, Embers...’

‘Do I already have you wrapped around my finger so thoroughly?’

‘That’s been the case since the first day I met you,’ he said warmly, spotting Thea standing hand-in-hand with Wilder at the far side of their table, deep in conversation with Kipp.

He squeezed Wren’s knee before he got to his feet and approached her sister.

‘A word?’ he said to the older Embervale.

Thea flashed him a smile. ‘Can’t say I didn’t see this coming... Alright, Bear Slayer, lead the way.’

Not sure what Thea was talking about, Torj led her away from the curious looks of the others, hoping he’d be able to stall her long enough to give Wren the time she needed with Wilder.

Thea folded her arms over her chest and smirked. ‘So... you and my sister.’

‘Yes,’ Torj said simply. There was no point in denying it, not to Thea, who had seen them kissing in the alchemy workshop, who suspected – if not knew – about the soul bond.

‘And you’ve patched things up properly?’ Thea pressed.

‘We have.’

Thea nodded. ‘I’m glad to hear it, Bear Slayer. Wren was... not herself after the attack. I didn’t like seeing her like that.’

‘Nor did I.’

‘Good. Because if she ends up in that state again, you’ll have me to answer to.’ Thea’s words were light, but the storm in her eyes revealed the threat beneath them.

‘I love her,’ Torj told her.

‘Of course you do.’ Thea laughed. ‘You’ve loved her for years. Good of you to finally catch up. Now, what is it you wanted to discuss?’

For a moment, Torj blinked, until he remembered that he had asked Thea for a private word. He recovered clumsily. ‘I just wanted to explain. About Wren.’

Thea raised her brows. ‘So, it had nothing to do with Wren wanting to talk to Wilder without me?’

‘Uh...’

Just in time, Wilder and Wren appeared from the tavern, each carrying a fresh tray of drinks.

Thea clapped a hand on Torj’s shoulder. ‘No matter, Bear Slayer. Just remember... Hurt my sister again, and I’ll end you.’

He huffed a laugh. ‘Noted.’

She waved over her shoulder and strode back to Wilder.

‘What was that about?’ Wren asked, staring after her.

‘Just Thea threatening my life,’ Torj replied. ‘Did you have enough time to talk with Hawthorne?’

‘Yes. Thank you for that.’

‘Are you going to tell me what it was about?’

Wren sighed. ‘Not yet. Is that alright?’

Torj studied her as she seemed to gather herself, smoothing her palms over her apron and redoing her bun with her hairpin. Gods, she was beautiful. He admired the gentle slope of her neck, the slight flush of her freckled cheeks.

‘You’ll tell me when you’re ready?’ he asked.

‘I will.’

‘Then it’s alright.’

He led her back to the table, where Kipp was trying to convince everyone to play a drinking game.

‘Not on your life, Kristopher,’ Torj told him as Kipp tried to push a cup of fire extract towards him.

Wren laughed. ‘A wise move, Bear Slayer. You were a tad pathetic the next day.’

‘I learned my lesson,’ he replied, wishing he could pull her closer to him.

Kipp threw his hands up in surrender. ‘Fine, fine. I’ll have to ask my real friends.’

‘May the Furies take pity on them,’ Torj called after the strategist as he made a beeline for Dessa.

As they found themselves alone, Wren turned to him with a wicked grin, the very sight making his cock twitch.

With a quick glance around, she ran her hand over him beneath the table and he swore under his breath.

He’d have to untuck his damn shirt to hide the full outline of his cock straining against his leathers.

Wren watched him do exactly that, smiling at him smugly.

‘You’re pleased with yourself, aren’t you?’ he ground out.

‘Very,’ she replied sweetly, rubbing his shaft again.

He covered her hand with his, giving it a warning squeeze over the length of him before releasing her hand back into her lap. ‘Time to go,’ he said, adjusting himself and standing abruptly. They’d done enough socializing for one night, he decided.

‘So soon?’ Wren asked innocently.

‘You’d already be halfway up that hill if you knew what was good for you, Embers,’ he replied darkly.

His body hummed with barely contained restraint as he bid the others goodbye and waited for Wren on the outskirts of the gathering.

Her eyes were bright with mischief as she rejoined him.

They walked along the stone pavers towards the academy.

Torj waited until they were out of sight before he pounced.

She squealed as he swept her up in his arms and pulled her into a shadowed alcove behind a statue. ‘You’ve been playing a dangerous game tonight,’ he murmured, leaning in to breathe in the addictive scent of her, his nose grazing the delicate column of her throat.

‘What are you going to do about it, Warsword?’ she taunted, licking her lips as she stared up at him.

Torj captured her mouth with his. ‘Everything.’