Page 30 of Wild Flame (Wild Bond #2)

Chapter Thirty

A featherlight touch over my bare skin had me rising to consciousness the next morning. I fought back a smile as I thought back on the previous night. After Malik had ravished me so thoroughly under the stars, he had been very attentive. Wrapping me in his own tunic to spare my modesty, and then refusing to hear my protests as he carried me back down to our rooms and then cleaned me up before settling me in the bed beside him until I fell asleep again.

Now warm fingers skimmed along the side of my breast and down over my flat belly. A soft, pleased sound escaped my throat as I opened my eyes. I lay sprawled on my back with my top half exposed and the blankets bunched low around my waist.

Malik lay alongside me, also half in the blankets, but propped up on an elbow and staring down at me with a contented smile.

“Good morning, husband,” I greeted.

His smile widened. “Good morning, wife.”

I stretched like a cat under his ministrations, and this time, I let the smile break fully across my face as I did.

His hand paused and moved up to trace along my lips. “I love seeing you like this,” he murmured as he played with my now somewhat tangled hair. “Soft and unburdened.”

“I do feel particularly relaxed this morning,” I admitted. Then, deciding to test out this new tentative bond between us, I ventured further. “I had no idea my body was even capable of something like that.”

He regarded me with a soft expression as the humor faded slightly and he spoke. “If you liked that little siren, then you will love what more I have to show you.”

“More?” I asked with a mix of question and anticipation in my tone.

His eyes flared, and he raised one bronze finger to skim the lines of my face. “More,” he stated emphatically, his voice an even huskier rasp than before. And this time, when he leaned down to kiss me, the thought of pulling away didn’t even enter my mind.

His lips had barely grazed mine when there was a knock on the door.

Seconds later, Harun’s muffled voice spoke through the wood. “Apologies, Your Majesties, but there is an urgent message for you, my king.”

Malik released a beleaguered sigh and collapsed onto me for a second before groaning, “You’re certain it’s urgent?”

I lifted a hand to stifle my sudden giggle at his response. He shot me a mock warning look.

“Do you think I would seek you out the morning after your Marking Ceremony if it wasn’t?” came Harun’s crisp and somehow apologetic reply.

Malik sighed. “One moment. This is not done,” he told me softly, cupping my face. Then, showcasing his Zehvitian lack of modesty, he rose from the bed completely naked and unashamed of his nudity. Though with a body like his, he had no reason to be. He at least deigned to pull on some pants while I scrambled out of the bed and pulled on my robe. I was still careful not to turn my back to him, and I wondered if there would ever be a day where I was comfortable letting him see it.

Pushing that thought aside for now, I belted the robe and quickly braided my hair down my back.

“Enter,” Malik called when I was finished, his eyes on me as the door opened and his second entered.

Harun wore his riding leathers, and a harried expression as he bowed his head in acknowledgement to me before turning to his king.

“What is it?” Malik asked, straightening at his friend’s look.

Harun sighed. “There has been another attack.”

“What are these called?” I asked Zara, pointing at a leafy bush with giant blue-black flowers so large they nearly overwhelmed the poor thing.

Zara had been surprised when I knocked on her door this morning since, in her words, it was expected her brother and I would be “occupied” for some days to come after our Marking Ceremony. But then I had explained about Harun’s message and the attack that had happened late last night in Henevar, a town just north of Taveran. Thankfully, there had been no casualties, but no one had seen anything either, including who the rider was who perpetrated the attack. Malik was preparing to leave with several of the Fangdar to investigate. Since Zara had a rare day off from rider training, she had readily agreed to accompany me on a walk to distract me.

Selasi and Yesh walked a few paces behind us as we strolled along a section of the gardens that I had not explored before in my wanderings.

“Cyalla.” Zara answered my question while shooing Mesmera away from the tiny butterfly she had been stalking as it flitted skittishly about the flowers. “It means sky bloom ,” she explained, glaring down at her dragon, who now sat sullenly at her side. “They’re beautiful, but are one of the deadliest plants here. They even put scorpion and manticore venom to shame.”

Having been about to touch one, I yanked my hand away.

Zara laughed. “They’re only poisonous when eaten.”

I scowled at her, and she shook her head as we continued walking, her dark hair gleaming in the sunlight.

She waved her hand in the air, the bangles on her wrist clinking together. “Enough about plants. Plants are boring. I want to talk about the ceremony. You looked so beautiful. My brother couldn’t take his eyes off you.” She smiled and sighed. “And your dress. When Malik had it commissioned, I knew it was perfect for you. I bet all the dressmakers are already being bombarded with similar orders by all the betrothed women in the kingdom . . .”

Her mentioning Malik had my mind drifting to memories of last night and everything we had done, and I had to repress a shiver. Even now as I walked along, only half listening to Zara as she continued to gush about the ceremony, I could still feel the slight ache between my legs and had to fight back the erotic images that tried to replay in my mind.

Absentmindedly, my fingers began tracing the new markings on my wrist and the design that whirled partially up my forearm. I knew it wasn’t possible, but I swore I could feel the ghost of him pulsing through it.

“You’re not even listening to me, are you?”

The exasperated tone came from beside me, and I startled. “What?”

Zara rolled her eyes. “It’s fine. I can guess where your mind was if that smile on your face is anything to go by.” She held up a hand as I opened my mouth to protest. “And since it involves my brother, I don’t want to know.”

Now it was my turn to roll my eyes at her. My gaze returned to the path ahead as she linked her arm through mine. But I halted almost immediately when a flower I knew all too well caught my eye. I blinked and then immediately broke away from her and strode over to the small collection of them on the side of the path.

“What flowers are these?” I asked, gesturing to the beautiful blooms. Each flower had five pointed petals with a light shock of violet in the center that bled out into the deep orange, nearly red color at the tips. They were identical to the flowers Malik had been leaving for me since he announced our betrothal.

“Isholets,” Zara replied.

I froze, then turned in surprise at hearing that word from her. “What?”

She gave me a bemused look. “They’re isholets,” she repeated. “It means hidden flame in one of the old tongues. The late queen—Malik’s mother—had them planted here, I believe. They were her favorite flower.”

“ Malik’s mother . . .” I said, my voice suddenly rather faint as I absently plucked one, staring down at it. I thought back to that night when Malik had followed me into the city, then back to the palace. How we stood in front of my chamber door, and how he had taken in my hair and eyes in the faint torchlight—my reddish hair and violet-gray eyes—and then first whispered the endearment. The same night I had stared back into his penetrating eyes and felt truly seen for the first time in my life. And nearly every day since.

“Are you all right, Leida?” Zara asked hesitantly.

“Yes,” I replied in a small voice, reaching out to stroke the delicate velvety texture of the petals, feeling something in my heart squeeze and refuse to let go. “Yes, I’m fine.” My mind whirled. All this time. Isholet. Hidden flame. That he had thought of me that way . . . called me that, even back then. And knowing what it meant to him. His mother’s favorite .

His mark. The flaming flower on his arm.

I sucked in a breath at the realization, only now recognizing I had been holding it. I stared at the flower. And a strange sense of urgency overtook me.

I had to go. I had to go find him . . . or . . . thank him. I needed—

“I have to go,” I said aloud.

Zara blinked. “Go? Now? Where?”

But I didn’t take the time to answer her. Instead, I spun and strode up to Selasi. “Where is Malik right now?”

His brow pinched. “He was preparing to leave for Henevar, my queen. He’s probably in the main courtyard, if they haven’t already left. Wait! Where are you going?”

Again, I didn’t answer, and I didn’t stop. Even when Zara called after me, and I could feel my guards following. In fact, I didn’t stop until I found myself taking the stone steps down to the wide courtyard several minutes later.

Relief washed through me when I saw that Malik and his men hadn’t yet left. Dragons in their minor and natural forms filled the space, but I hardly took notice as I made my way over to where Azrun stood near the center of all the activity. I was so used to seeing him in his minor form that sometimes I forgot how massive he was. A small thrill went through me when I saw Malik standing near him. He was surrounded by his men as he listened to something one of them was saying. Harun and Taj were among them, as well as another member of the Fangdar, Sumal. I had not had any real interactions with him since his duties were mostly in other parts of Zehvi. They were all clad in dragonscale armor and if I wasn’t so focused on my goal of reaching him, I might have taken note of how magnificent Malik looked.

As I approached, Taj noticed me first and said something to Malik. Malik’s eyes snapped to me. His dark brow furrowed, and he immediately came striding over.

“What is it, Leida? Is something wrong?”

I wondered why he would assume something was wrong, then realized I had never sought him out like this before.

“No, nothing is wrong. I simply wanted . . . to um . . . to tell you that . . . that I . . .” I trailed off as I glanced around, becoming aware of all the attention on us. His men kept a respectful distance, but I could still feel their curiosity and concern. And now that I was here and staring up into those warm golden-brown eyes filled with questions, my nerve wavered, and I suddenly felt unbearably . . . shy .

When I said nothing further, he stepped closer. “Leida, what is it? We need to leave—"

“I came to tell you that I know,” I finally blurted, a little too loudly, considering how close he stood.

“You know?” he repeated, watching me closely, trying to assess what had me so worked up.

I swallowed hard, clutching the flower in my hands as I explained, “I know what it means.”

His gaze dropped to the flower in my hand, then back to my face.

I reached slowly forward and ran the tips of my fingers ever so delicately across the binding mark on his wrist. The flower. I met his stare. “I know what it means.”

I watched comprehension dawn.

That infernal blush came over my cheeks at that look, and I glanced down. And for perhaps the first time in my life, I found myself blabbering. “We were in the gardens, and I saw this, and Zara told me what it meant . . . and then I had to see you, and I just sort of found myself here, and I—”

Warm fingers tilted my chin. My gaze shot up to his as he leaned down, so we were now eye to eye.

We stared at each other.

The flower dropped to the ground as my arms encircled his neck and I crushed my mouth to his. He responded instantly by wrapping an arm around my waist and pulling me up with him as he straightened to his full height. My feet dangled in the air, but he held me securely against his body. Realms! I loved how big he was.

I nipped at his bottom lip until he growled. I was so wrapped up in the moment—in him—that I hadn’t noticed the men around us whistling and cat-calling. I pulled back and glanced around at the grinning riders and then hid my face in Malik’s neck in complete embarrassment.

What was I thinking? Kissing him in public?

When I finally pulled back, Malik brushed my nose with his. “Do not be embarrassed, siren. They are simply happy to see their king is happy with his queen. It is good for our people to see such things.”

Our people, I thought.

And it was not just his men, I realized. I had forgotten about the many guards and servants that were about. And Zara had apparently followed me all the way from the gardens as well. She was looking on with a broad smile. Selasi and Yesh, who stood not far from her, were fighting grins.

“You’re smiling, isholet ,” Malik teased, though his eyes shone as he said it.

“Put me down,” I huffed.

“No.” He smirked. “I like you right here.”

“I thought you had somewhere to be?” I reminded him, feeling the need to distract him so I could get these unruly emotions of mine under control.

His expression sobered, and I instantly regretted reminding him of his upcoming journey. He sighed. “You’re right. As much as I would like to stay and explore this new affectionate side of you, we do need to get going.”

He finally put me down, then he crouched, picked up the flower, and slid it behind my ear. “I will see you when I return tomorrow, and we will explore then.”

“May The Warrior walk with you and The Maiden keep you safe on your travels,” I murmured.