Total pages in book: 208
Estimated words: 209645 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1048(@200wpm)___ 839(@250wpm)___ 699(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 209645 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1048(@200wpm)___ 839(@250wpm)___ 699(@300wpm)
Yes.
Annoyed.
“I would not fake finding you irresistibly attractive, incredibly good company, endearing, kind, intelligent—”
“All right,” she interrupted him. “So why—?” she stopped herself speaking, slid a hand up his chest to his neck and whispered, “Oh, True.”
She did not need him to tell her why he had held himself back.
“You needed time,” he muttered.
“Thank you, bello. But please trust my assessment of my own self when I assure you, I don’t need any more time.”
“We have an audience.”
She was coming up on her toes, pressing closer, her other hand gliding up his chest toward his neck.
“Who cares,” she murmured.
“Farah.”
“Kiss me.”
Her hand had made his neck, and both were sliding into his hair, her fingers putting pressure on.
“Farah,” he warned.
“Kiss me, True,” she demanded.
Bloody hell.
He couldn’t deny her.
And he couldn’t deny himself.
Not with her being like this.
Not just with her being her.
Not any longer.
He kissed her.
The moment his lips touched hers, his entire body came alert and his gut started to warm.
When her lips parted under his, and his tongue instinctively snaked out, joining their mouths, his skin tightened all over his frame and his gut and chest started to burn.
He pulled her closer, angling his head, his tongue dancing with hers, not like it was the first time they danced, like they’d known the other for eternity.
Her smell.
Sublime.
Her taste.
Outstanding.
The feel of her soft body pressed to his.
Superlative.
It was the best kiss he’d ever had.
She was the taste of destiny.
Destiny mixed with love.
To end, it was bloody, fucking fantastic.
He broke their lips, murmuring, “Darling.”
“I think maybe,” she breathed, “if you do not wish to…” She didn’t finish that. She concluded, “You should sleep in another room tonight.”
It was good to know the kiss affected her the same.
And fucking frustrating as all hell.
“I think this wise.”
“And I think it’s important you know I do not mind if you wish to stay with me.”
“We will join on our wedding night, Farah. That might not be the way of the Firenz, but it is the respect a Dellish man gives his future wife.”
“You being Dellish is usually quite charming. Now it is not,” she groused.
He grinned.
She narrowed her eyes at him and warned, “We will be kissing much on our way to Notting Thicket.”
“That will make it difficult to make haste,” he teased.
“Do not kiss me like that,” she whispered, suddenly very serious. “Do not make me feel like this. Do not make me this happy, True Axelsson, and then take it away from me.”
This happy?
He became serious too.
Deathly.
And he locked his arms about her and dropped his head so close, all he could see was her eyes.
“Never,” he vowed.
Her hand still in his hair put pressure there.
So True made her happy again and he kissed his Farah, thoroughly.
So thoroughly, a cheer of encouragement filled the air as the Lights danced in the sky and the sprites zinged through the golden globes.
Prince True didn’t hear it.
Because True Axelsson was finally kissing, really kissing, the woman he loved.
70
The Call
Lady Farah
Room above The Antlers Pub and Inn, Five Miles from the Lights
WODELL
“Silence,” I called into the air, feeling silly. “Silence, are you there?”
There was no reply, which I did not find surprising, but I found it frustrating.
I didn’t have a good deal of time, True wished to be away and soon.
But I had to do this, and it had to be fast.
“Silence,” I whispered urgently. “Can you hear me? Are you there?”
“Farah?”
Thank the gods.
“Silence,” I answered. “Can you…?”
I trailed off when I saw a vision of her shimmering before me, slowly coming into focus.
What wonder.
“Faith!” she exclaimed. “Look at you. You’re right there.”
I smiled.
“What is this?” a deep voice that seemed as if it came through a tunnel could be heard and then a hazy arm could be seen and Silence, who had grown distinct, suddenly disappeared.
“Mars!” she snapped, and I could focus on her shimmering some five feet to the left from where she’d been.
She was standing, appearing to push against a hold and glaring up at something.
“What is this sorcery?” he demanded, and although I heard Mars’s voice, and there was a large area close to Silence that was wavy, his frame was obscure.
“Farah is calling,” Silence told him.
“I see nothing but sinister particles,” he retorted.
“They’re not sinister, they’re Farah. I see her perfectly well,” Silence returned.
“Well, I do not, thus you will leave this place.”
“Mars!” she cried, now appearing to struggle. “It’s Elena’s magic. So we can talk to each other when we’re far away. It is fine. I am safe. Go. Go on.” She seemed to be pushing at something. “Go, Mars. It’s girl time.”
“I do not like this for I do not trust this so I shall not go. If you are so certain this is fine, then speak to my little sister. But if I do not have a good feeling about it, we will leave this place.”