by C. E. Olson
“Then send Vaenor back to your court to gather as many as he can. We’ll wait here, and when the time comes, we’ll travel to Attarand together,” Varis says. “Our chances of making Balian listen will be better if our numbers are stronger, anyway.”
Aine glances at her guard and steps in closer. “Once this is done I will give you all a choice of your own, but for now... I need you. I need all of you.”
They bow without hesitation and Vaenor looks pained as he rises again. “My Queen. We will return with the sun.”
Varis watches them as they take their leave, then faces his makeshift family. “Then I suggest tonight, we take a break. It might be the last one some of us ever get.”
Now that her subjects are gone, Aine melts into his arms and holds him like he might float away. “I missed you.”
Reeve and Laix take that as their cue to give them some privacy and when the door closes, Varis tips her head up and kisses her. “I missed you, too. Thank you for visiting me.”
“I would have visited more if you got some sleep. You must be exhausted.”
“You're not wrong. But with any luck, we’ll have plenty of time to rest once this is all over.” Varis kisses her again to remind himself of everything he's fighting for, then lifts her off her feet. “I was right, by the way. I woke up to quite a mess thanks to you.”
“Oh, did you?” A playful grin slowly grows on her face as she tugs his hair. “I can’t imagine why, I told you we should stay on task.”
Varis hums and carries her toward the trees. “And what if my task is sinking inside of you and ignoring all the problems of the world? Would you like me to stay on that task?”
The noise she releases reminds Varis how real she is this time. No dream could ever compare to this.
“Yes.” Aine leans in and kisses him so messily he can feel the desperation oozing out of her. “Please, Var.”
Everything inside of Varis warns that they don’t have time for this, even though he’d just suggested taking a night off. Yet, as he presses her against the thickest trunk he can find, he’s not thinking about anything but the ways this can be taken away from him. The ways she can be taken away from him... and it snaps something deep within him. He strips her down to nothing right there in those woods, swallowing each surprised gasp that works its way from her gorgeous, full chest. “Let them come,” he whispers against her skin as he kisses down her body. “I’ll kill them all.”
When his tongue slides between her thighs, she clenches them around his face and thrusts her hips forward. Her moans cause a bird to fly from its nest, but the flapping wings don’t deter him in the slightest as he lifts her legs up over his shoulders and helps her brace against the tree, not stopping for a second.
“So bloody good!”
He stops to tease her, replacing an insistent tongue with soft kisses. “Are you comfortable up there, Your Grace?”
“Yes!” she rushes out, and Varis has a feeling she’d say she was comfortable on a bed of nails if his face was between her legs. He returns to his teasing and doesn’t let up until she’s begging for mercy. “Varis Kester, I yield!”
He bites over her inner thighs and chuckles as he feels her shaking. “Then let go for me, Your Grace. I think you've earned it.”
This time, he doesn't stop until she's nearly ripping his hair out and squeezing his head so tightly that he can't move. Aine releases him with a choked-off sob, slumping against the bark, completely boneless. “Get inside me... please.”
Hearing her like this has him moving quicker than normal, freeing himself from his pants and pulling her down on top of him. As Varis eases his way into her, he trails his fingers up her back to see what the damage is from the bark. “Heal yourself. I'm not moving until you do.”
“I’m fine!” Aine moves her hips against his hands, but he feels the moment she gives in and does as she’s told. “Happy?”
“Yes. Thank you,” Varis whispers before driving himself deeper and stealing her words with a kiss. And now, all those thoughts come back to him until he's so determined to keep her close that he's barely moving at all — just barely rocking into her until she's begging him to move faster, harder, deeper — and he'd die before he lets his Queen down.
Varis flips them, keeping a hand under her for support as he finally stops holding back. Her broken moans are pure, palpable pleasure as she wraps her legs around him and fists her hands in his hair. “Oh gods! Varis!” Aine comes completely unglued with another body-trembling orgasm, and this time, Varis struggles to hold on himself.
Over and over, Varis buries himself inside of her until the entire world fades away. There's nowhere else, no one else, nothing else but this, and as he draws a third out of his mate, he tips over too.
Slowly, the world comes back. He slips out of her, shivering as he's exposed to the cool air around them. “Who needs a bed?” he teases with a breathy laugh.
“Not the Fae Hammer.” Aine huffs and runs her hands through the dirt with a sated smile. “I could live like this... as long as I was with you.”
Varis' smile fades slightly as he realizes how plausible that really is. “I'm glad to hear it, and I'll take it under advisement. I think it's safe to say I'm unemployed.”
“You have a job.” Aine wiggles her body with her bottom lip between her teeth. “And you did it very, very well.”
“Funny,” he huffs, then kisses her again before rolling over and getting to his feet to dress. “We should go spend some time with the others. Come on.”
When they return to the house, Reeve and Laix exit the back room like they’d just finished the same thing, but Reeve looks anything but sheepish. “Little dirt never hurt, huh? Who wants a drink?”
Aine rolls her eyes, but nods at the offer. “One drink should be fine, right, Var?”
“One, five, what do I care? It's the end of the world, Your Grace. I suggest we drink like it.” Varis takes the bottle from Reeve and drinks deeply, hissing as he pulls it away from his lips and passes it on. “By five, I meant more like twelve.”
“Gods be good.” Aine sighs and snatches the bottle from Reeve before he can drink and chugs her own five drinks to keep up.
“Now we’re talking!” Reeve copies them, attempting to show them both up, but Laix takes the bottle before he can drown himself.
Varis loses track after that. All he knows is that the bottle is gone quickly and replaced by another, and a third after that. He stops Reeve from opening a fourth with a shake of his head. “No, no, enough that’s. This enough. That’s... fuck.”
Aine giggles, her cheeks pink from the alcohol even though her and Laix stopped a bottle behind the brothers. She climbs into his lap like they’re all alone and then nuzzles into his neck, humming along to the tune he heard her sing back at the river.
“Aw, look at how cute they are,” Reeve teases. “Never thought Varis bloody Kester would get himself a partner.”
He glares at his brother over Aine’s shoulder. “Shh. Bet I could still split the hairs on your head with a blade from—” he looks around the room “—at least a few feet.”
“I’ll take that be—” Laix covers his mouth and pulls him in for a kiss by his chin, distracting them from trying anything stupid.
With that particular downer, Varis focuses on the very beautiful, very insistent queen in his lap. “Maybe we should gather our own army and just take over the world,” he says, only partially teasing. “I don't know how you can stand the thought of fighting alongside Balian after everything.”
“I can’t and I’m not. I’m fighting alongside you, my love. And them.” She glances at his brother and Laix. “Them too now, and I don’t know how that happened.”
“I still remember you threatened my life, Queen,” Reeve mumbles out against Laix’s lips, making Aine roll her eyes.
“The threat that started a war,” Varis says with a chuckle. “Some men start wars for women, power, money... we started this one because I wanted my brother’s head to
remain on his broad, stupid shoulders.”
Laix chuckles. “I happen to like those stupid shoulders.”
“I’ve got handsome shoulders. You all like my shoulders,” Reeve retorts.
“I like your shoulders more.” Aine starts massaging his muscles with nothing but adoration in her eyes, and Varis tries to memorize the sight.
“That's good, because I don't entirely think they're customizable, Your Grace.” He leans into her touch and lets the world fade away for several moments, then slowly reaches up to move her hands away. “Save your energy, that's a losing battle right there.”
The hardheaded queen attempts to keep rubbing, but ultimately sighs and lays against his chest instead. “If only I could heal all of your troubles.”
“Mm. You already do.” He gently tilts her face up to kiss her, then brushes her nose with his own as he pulls back to hold her and address his brother. “At least I don't have to deal with you trying to get me laid tonight,” he says in a bored tone.
“I gave my word I wouldn’t try anymore. Last time we had to kill the bastard.” Reeve laughs and shakes his head to avoid explaining that story when Laix raises an eyebrow. “Guess you didn’t actually need my help, but... the bloody Queen? Really, Varis?”
He shrugs. “Not even royalty can resist me, I suppose. I told you I do just fine on my own.”
Reeve barks a laugh, earning himself a lazy shove from his partner, but the lack of response from Aine confirms Varis’ suspicions that the Queen has fallen asleep on him.
His brother adjusts so Laix can lay on his lap, and when Reeve starts running his fingers through their hair, he glances back over at his brother. “Never thought we’d be here.”
“Neither did I. And now that we are, I'm afraid it's going to be over too soon,” Varis responds.
The look in Reeve’s eyes shows he agrees even though he chooses not to respond for a while. The crackling in the fireplace fills the silence for them as both men stare at the people who changed their lives. When Reeve speaks again, Varis knows the subject remains the same. “It’s worth it, though... even the briefest moment of true love is worth everything.”
“Try telling that to her. She's giving up a kingdom for me, and she'll learn sooner or later that I'm not anything special. Just another footsoldier with a bad reputation.” He sucks in a deep breath through his nose and lets it out sharply. “She sees something in me that I don't think exists.”
“It does, Varis. You’re so much more than you believe. I’m glad she sees it. You deserve to be with someone who sees who you truly are. You are not your job.”
He hums, carefully adjusting his position to hold Aine a little steadier. “Time will tell. In the meantime, we should rest while we can. Tomorrow, we go to war.”
Chapter Twenty
Sleep doesn't come easily, but when it finally does, Varis sleeps like a rock. He wakes covered in sweat hours later with no recollection of his dreams either good or bad, but he's pleased when he finds Aine still laying next to him. “Are you awake?”
“Yes.” She leans her chin on his chest and smiles softly. “I was letting you rest. You needed it.”
“So did you. Did you sleep?” he asks, carefully brushing her hair out of her face.
Aine nods and kisses his lips, then rolls off of him to stretch. “I slept quite well, actually. Alcohol is strong in the Stone Realm.”
“That's because we don't like to think after the first one,” he says with a low chuckle, but the humor quickly fades. “I need you to promise me something.”
“No.” Aine gets up and tries to walk away, deflating completely when he takes her hand. “Nothing good ever comes after those words, Varis Kester.”
“Aine, I’ve never loved anyone before. Other than Reeve, I’ve never had anyone to lose in situations like this. Now, I do, and I need you to hear me,” he says firmly. “Can we just get back in bed and start this over? I feel like it'll be more romantic if we’re in bed.”
“Everything is more romantic in bed.” He sees the moment the fight leaves her eyes as she climbs back inside. “I love you too.”
He chooses his words as carefully and honestly as he can. “I want you to stay with Laix when it's time; we—”
Aine sits up, the calm mood shifting in seconds. “Like hell I will! You know firsthand that I can handle myself!”
“Yes, I do. And that's exactly why I want you to stay with Laix. They can take care of themselves, sure, I don't think they'd have survived long with Reeve if they couldn't, but... I know my brother. He'd feel better if Laix had protection, and I'd feel better knowing that one of our strongest weapons wasn't getting tired out in the first charge.”
Aine narrows her purple eyes at him as she reaches out to grip his chin. “You listen to me very bloody carefully, Varis Kester. If you don’t come back to me, your strongest weapon will pull you out of the afterlife and kill you herself. Do we have an agreement?”
Varis can't help it, he smiles even as the shiver runs down his spine. “Or, you can pull me out of the afterlife and just love me. I like that option better.” He wraps an arm around her waist and flips her quickly, kissing the spot on her neck that he knows makes her weak. “Do we have a deal, Your Grace?”
“Shut up,” she gasps, baring her neck for more. “I’m still mad at you.”
“Mm. I thought the Fair Folk couldn't lie?” He pulls back to smirk down at her and kisses her gently. “I'll come back to you. I promise. But a regular, human promise, not an oath. You'll forgive me if I never swear one of those again, kiss or no kiss.”
Aine stills and grips his throat to keep his attention. “I’ll never ask that of you again. You have my word. And I’m not lying, I’m always angry at you, I just love you more.”
He laughs loudly and unexpectedly, then kisses her again. “Always mad at me? For what? Being adorable?”
“That’s one of the many reasons, yes. Especially when you smile, stop it.” Aine covers his face and closes her eyes, making Varis chuckle with an amusement that shouldn't be possible given the circumstances.
“It's because I'm so cranky all the time, isn't it? I get it.” He kisses down her body again but pulls up at the last moment. “Guess we'll need to survive the night.”
Aine’s eyes widen and she wraps her legs around him tightly. “What do you mean?”
Something tells Varis to tread lightly. He ignores that something, sliding his hand between her thighs and slipping a finger into her. “We need to go, Your Grace.”
“You won’t live to see the battle if you stop,” Aine says breathlessly. “I’ll chain you to this bed and take it.”
“For the record, I absolutely consent to you doing that whenever you please, but we really do need to go,” Varis says as he adds a second finger and curls them both. “I think we've got time for one though, if you want...”
As he ghosts his other hand up her body to lightly wrap around her throat, she whimpers and goes a little boneless against the mattress. “Yes,” she gasps out, pressing forward into his hands and rolling her hips. “Yes!”
“Good girl,” Varis whispers, squeezing the sides of her neck but protecting her throat. His thumb finds her clit and she melts, her thighs shaking as he takes her apart bit by bit. “Feel good, Your Grace?”
She glares at him as he feels her clenching around his fingers, but he can tell despite her irritation that her orgasm is just as satisfying as it is when she doesn't want to kill him. He pulls his fingers out and sucks them clean with a playful glint in his eyes, but before he can say a word, she tackles him onto his back and grips his face.
“Don't move, and that's an order.”
As Aine gets to her feet and steals the bedsheet, Varis has to take a moment to remember what his own name is. “Yes, Your Grace,” he attempts to say teasingly, but not an ounce of it actually comes out. He watches as she wraps herself up and stomps out of the room, leaving the door wide open, and his eyebrows shoot up as he listens to the conversation
that follows:
“Reeve!” she snaps. “I need rope.”
“Rope? For what? How much?”
“Enough to secure your brother to the bed.”
Heat rises to his cheeks as he swears under his breath. The last thing he wants to picture is the sheer joy on his brother’s face, but it's so apparent by the tone of his voice that he's not sure he'll ever unsee it. “Absolutely. Give me two minutes.”
Varis sits up and runs a hand over his jaw, contemplating just getting dressed and running away. Yet, since the very first day he met her, he's been daydreaming about exactly this — and if he dies today, this might be his last shot. With that in mind, he lets out a shaky breath and lays back down to wait, smiling nervously as Aine stalks back in and slams the door.
“You weren't kidding about always being mad at me,” he says, just to fill the silence. “Last night wasn't enough for you?”
“Careful, Hammer. I might not untie you after if you don't learn to watch your tongue.”
The mattress dips as she climbs on and spreads his legs, tying each one to the posts at the foot of the bed. “I frequently watch my tongue, particularly when it's between your legs,” he rushes out, instantly regretting it when he sees the look on her face. Every inch of him is awake and at attention as she binds his arms too, and he's surprised to find that the total lack of control doesn't scare him. Not with her. “Aine...”
The look in her eyes as she stares down at him makes him shiver. He’s never seen her like this. He’s had plenty of tastes to be sure, but this is something else entirely. He feels like he’s prey, sprawled out waiting to be eaten, and in a way, he is. Aine climbs on top of his lap, intoxicating him with her flushed cheeks and slack jaw as she slides down onto his length. “You’ve teased me enough, Varis. Now, I’ll take what is mine.”
Varis tugs at the rope, needing to feel her soft skin on his fingertips. “You will be what kills me, Your Grace. Not this war.”
