Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 115347 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 577(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115347 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 577(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
“Taking a little feel of my own before we restart our journey.” Acting on desire rather than reason.
“In that case, carry on.”
Be smart about this. Taking everything before he’d settled things? Foolish. Though it cost him parts of his sanity, Micah released her gradually and eased back, half expecting her to bolt again. But she kept her word, merely arching her brow at him in expectation.
“Well?” she demanded. “Do your part.”
Her eagerness went straight to his head. Micah held her gaze as he undressed—slowly—revealing his upper body in the bright light of day, up close and personal. His heart thudded faster as she looked him over. Her lids dropped, her eyes slanting with desire.
She flicked her tongue over an incisor. “Maybe I’ll keep you chained to my bed.”
And like that, he throbbed. Needing a moment, he busied himself, gathering their satchel—the blanket—his discarded clothing and their supplies. Things he’d scattered over the ground as he’d chased his wife through the forest. Vee held a post nearby as promised, but without a hint of remorse.
As he led her through the oasis, his thoughts refused to settle. At any other occasion, the lush, dewy foliage and wealth of flowers would have mesmerized him. A dream come true. Now he could think of nothing but his companion.
Make her surrender soon.
When they exited the paradise, they entered a stretch of land that offered mile after mile of sandy ground and bare, gnarled tree limbs. He hardly noticed because he still scented his wife.
“You left Norok in charge of our people, didn’t you?” she asked with a disgusted tone, sidling up to him to keep pace.
“My people,” he corrected without heat. For now. “And yes.”
“For the record, your queen advises against this always. He isn’t loyal or reliable.”
“And you are?” Irritation spiked. She sought to drive a wedge of dissension between him and one of only three people he could trust. “Norok has his faults. Many faults. Since the day he swore his fealty to me, he’s been nothing but steadfast. But you?” He planned to win her, yes. He would not pretend they had no issues. The very reason they were trapped in this mess. “You, I cannot trust.”
“That’s true. I’ll betray you at the earliest opportunity.” She dabbed a bead of perspiration from her brow before patting his cheek. “I’m not trying to hide it. That doesn’t mean I won’t help you out upon occasion.”
“And Norok is trying to hide it?” Micah shoved a branch out of their way then changed the direction of the conversation. Gentling his tone, he asked, “Why didn’t you seek out a fae family when you were a child?”
“Oh, you care about my past now?” She snorted. “You think I didn’t try? I assure you, I did. Soon after I killed... Kaysar’s parents—” her voice caught “—I was forced to escape two hungry centaurs. Their brethren chased me through the Forest of Many Names for weeks. Then I came upon a group of oh, so unhelpful Winterland soldiers. Little did I know they were in the Summerlands to hunt child slaves for their king.”
He stiffened and missed his next step. “Were you hurt?” He’d only recently learned of the atrocious crimes perpetrated by Winterland royals. Collecting the young to use and abuse in the worst ways. Something King Kaysar had apparently experienced firsthand. Not that his horrifying past excused his present-day actions.
“Yes and no,” she admitted softly.
“Tell me all of it.” He moved the next branch with a little less force. He needed the information like water. “Please.”
Up went her defenses. He felt it happen, the very air around them thickening with challenge. “Why should I share my sob story with you?” she snipped.
Deserve that. She wished to make another bargain? Very well. They would make another bargain. “Tell me, and I’ll give you back the jewels.”
She perked up, allowing him to help her over a fallen log. “All of them? Nothing missing, nothing broken?”
“Nothing missing, nothing broken,” he agreed.
“Okay. Yes. But I’ll tell you when I’m ready, and not a moment before.”
Rather than press for more, he nodded. “Deal.”
They cleared the tangled limbs as the sun descended, darkness just beginning to paint the land. He spotted the entrance to a cavern in a lone beam of light and drew to a halt. Other than the oasis Queen Cookie had cultivated in only a matter of days, he knew every inch of the Dusklands, inside out and underground. This deep, shadowed opening did not belong here.
Another change made by the Unhinged One’s queen? Did she hope to encourage more “honeymoon”? Make Micah long for a permanent truce so he could concentrate fully on his wife?
A terrible, brilliant plan. Micah glared at Vee, blaming her for his weakness. “Keep your word. Stay put while I search the area for threats.”