Page 78 of Obsidian Throne

He moved his mouth over until he was just below my belly button, his gaze sliding up to meet mine.

“I’m afraid I’ve been neglecting you in truth this time.” He murmured the words against my skin, his warm breath sending delicious tendrils of fire all the way down to my toes.

If I could have spoken, I would have told him I didn’t blame him, not when he had lost his father and gained the full responsibility of his clan overnight, but he had effectively robbed me of my ability to form words.

He didn’t wait for my answer, sliding his papers and quill aside without looking at them. Then he picked me up with a firm hand on each of my hips, setting me on the empty space on his massive desk.

He kissed his way back up my body, bracing me with one solid arm behind my back. My entire body pulsed with need.

“Evander.” I breathed his name, a mix between a demand and a plea, and he froze with his mouth on my neck.

“Der’mo, Lemmikki,” he growled. “Do you have any idea what the sound of my name on your lips does to me?”

I shivered again, arching further into him.

Probably the same thing the sound of the wordsDer’mo, Lemmikkidid to me. But once again, I had no capacity to articulate that, or anything.

And really, there was no need for words, anyway.

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

EVANDER

Rowan wasn’t sleeping like she usually did.

After last night, I resolved to be back in our bed earlier. Even if I didn’t get any more sleep, at least she would.

My mind swam with the never-ending list of things to deal with, not least of which was Iiro’s uncharacteristic and ominous silence.

Crane had sent back word that they would stand with Bear, and Wolf did as well. I had been concerned on that last front, since Nils had been fonder of my father than he was of me, but he had stood by his loyalty in the end.

Taras and Mila would be back any day with word from Arès. I suspected he would stand with us as well, since he had never signed off on Iiro’s monarchy to begin with.

Not to mention the fact that this was his daughter’s clan now.

In theory, everything was falling in line.

Then why do I have the feeling I’m missing something?

I thought that I would feel freer with my father gone, but his ghost still walked these halls, reminding me of everything I had ever done for him. Because of him.

Reminding me that no matter what the people thought or how much they were forced to submit to me, half of my clan still cowered in terror when I walked into a room.

With good reason.

Which made Rowan all the more spectacular. Not only had she never truly been afraid of me, but day by day, she was reminding the people of our humanity, as she had with her snowball fights in the villages.

The court was warming up to her, even if most of the lords still didn’t know quite what to think, and the villagers were beginning to love her. Not only because she brought them food, but because she brought them laughter, something that they sorely needed after the dark reign of my father.

Tonight, she raised her eyebrows when I slid into bed well before midnight. She was still awake, which was telling in and of itself, and the firelight illuminated a pensive expression on her perfect features.

I held out an arm, and she eagerly nestled herself into me. Gently, I trailed my hand from her shoulder down to her wrist and back again. She sighed, equal parts relief and something I couldn’t quite identify.

“Lemmikki,” I said quietly. “What is it?”

“Do you think that I’m a monster, for the way I killed Ava?” she said the words quietly, shifting until she was laying back on her pillows and staring at the canopy overhead.

A huff of air escaped me.