The Complete Madion War Trilogy

by S. Usher Evans

  "You might."

  I moved down lower, trailing kisses as I went. "I won't. I've waited too long. And now I get you every," I kissed the warm, moist place, "single," another kiss, "night."

  She writhed as I assaulted the space with my fingers and my mouth, making her scream before she told me to stop. Breathless and shaking, she squeezed her legs together with a smile.

  "No more. I can't take any more," she said. "Surrender."

  "Surrender? I think you're getting soft."

  She smacked me hard on the shoulder. "Ass. Now it's your turn."

  "My turn?" I said, allowing her to push me down onto the mattress. She took her time, biting and nipping at my skin, swirling her tongue around my nipples, and making me squirm with anticipation the closer she drew to my erection.

  Her eyes danced, as if she knew I was about to lose my mind. Then, with aching restraint, she pressed her lips to my member, and my eyes rolled back into my head as the sensations washed over me. She was gentle, her lips feather-light against my skin before she took me in her mouth. I gripped the side of the mattress, nothing but pleasure and love for this woman in my brain.

  Just when I thought I might explode, the sensation stopped. I opened my eyes just as she was climbing on top of me. I wished I had some comment about letting her do what she wanted to me, but even I couldn't find the right words that wouldn't ruin the moment. Slowly, she moved against me, watching my expression before losing herself in her own pleasure. The more she moaned, the quicker she moved, and I fell over my edge when her final cry echoed in the cave.

  She stilled, her hands clawing at my chest and her breaths coming in short puffs. But the pleased, sly expression on her face was just for me. It was one I'd hoped to see more often.

  "What are you thinking about?" she asked.

  "How many more times I can make you come when we get back to the castle."

  "Liar," she teased.

  I pulled her down to lie in my arms. "Oh yeah? And how do you know I'm lying?"

  "Because you're my amichai," she replied. "And I know."

  The first time she'd taught me that word, she'd said it was felt rather than said. It didn't just mean lover, it meant something deeper, a soulmate, a deep connection between two people. I'd thought I knew what it meant then, but now I finally, truly understood.

  "Amichai."

  PART II

  SIXTEEN

  Theo

  "Sire, I—Oh!"

  I jumped at the sound: a new voice in my bedroom. Beside me, Galian lifted his head to blink sleepily at the intruder. "Go away," he said, before settling back down and pulling me closer to him.

  But the new voice, whoever he was, wouldn't be deterred. "S-sire, your father has requested your and...M-major Kallistrate's presence at breakfast this morning."

  Galian groaned, raising his hand to dismiss the man. "Fine. We'll be down in—"

  "Breakfast begins in half an hour," he said.

  "Whatever," Galian said, opening one eye at me. "That's enough time."

  I snorted at his obvious insinuation. We'd been gracious enough to keep our hands to ourselves on the flight back to Norose, although Kader had remarked more than once how disgustingly sweet we looked. But when we'd arrived at the castle, there wasn't anything that could keep me away from him. We'd made love long into the night until we'd worn each other out, but based on the way his hand played with the skin on my stomach, I was pretty sure he was ready for more.

  "V-very well, I'll tell him to expect you."

  The door closed behind him, and Galian's lips found my collarbone. "Morning, amichai."

  I grinned, goosebumps rising on my arms from his touch and that word. "Morning."

  "We've been summoned it seems," he said, kissing a gentle trail over my breasts and stomach.

  "Does it happen often?" Despite my exhaustion, I perked up, especially as he nipped at the skin on my hip.

  "Not usually. But one of the downfalls of being married to the prince of Kylae is that you have to do what the king says."

  "Small price to pay for being your wife, I suppose." I enjoyed the way his grin widened every time I mentioned that fact. I'd never assumed my amichai would take such pleasure in being married, but he seemed positively giddy over it. And if I were being honest, so was I.

  "Now, amichai, I have to remind you to be on your best behavior," he said sternly.

  I sighed in mock distress as I ventured in search of the erection I was sure I'd find under the covers. "Well maybe if I'm satisfied in bed, I'll be more pleasant at breakfast."

  "S-so you're saying," he said, jumping when my fingers made contact, "I have to pleasure you every morning?"

  "I think I was promised every morning and every night," I said, running my hands along the shaft. Then I stopped, as if I'd been doused in cold water. "Which reminds me, how do I get contraception in this country?"

  He blinked at me for a good minute before responding. "Contraception?"

  "Yes. It's hard to get in Rave, obviously, but I'm pretty sure I can just get it anywhere in Kylae, right?"

  "Why do you want contraception?"

  My eyes nearly fell out of my head. "Did your medical training neglect to teach you how babies are made?"

  "I know that, but..." He grinned. "It wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, would it?"

  "Yes!" I exclaimed, sitting up. "Yes, it would!"

  He swallowed. "Are you... You don't want kids?"

  I worked my jaw for a moment. "To be honest, I never thought I'd be around long enough to consider it—and being married to you was always such an impossibility that..." I shook my head. "Yes, fine. Eventually, I'd like to have a child. But right now? Galian, now is not the time to bring a baby into the world—especially a mixed-race one!"

  "Ah-hah," he said, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear. "But marrying me was an impossibility, and here we are...married. So maybe just going for it isn't the worst idea, hm? I mean, maybe having a little mixed-race baby is what this world needs?"

  "Contraception, Dr. Princeling." To his pout, I added, "For now. For crying out loud, we've been married for less than a day. Let's try to space out our major life changes a little bit more, okay?"

  He kissed my nose. "Fine. But can we still...?"

  Galian

  "I see you've come around, Major," Grieg said, as we walked into the room hand-in-hand.

  I tried not to grin at my father's choice of words, but failed when I caught Theo's eye. My wife was wearing me out, and I loved every second of it. I couldn't wait to get her alone again.

  Not even the tense atmosphere in my mother's private dining room could dampen my spirits, although Grieg certainly seemed up to the task as servants poured coffee and served our breakfast.

  "I want to be clear. You will be expected to carry yourselves in a manner befitting the royal family," he began, staring down at Theo and I with his usual lofty sneer. "We will assign handlers to manage your media schedule. You will be expected to engage with them at every wedding-related event. Korina informs me that the top dressmaker has offered his services."

  Smirking, I picked up my coffee. "That's so kind of him. I'm sure my wife will be happy to meet with him."

  His gaze fell on my left hand, where I proudly wore my wedding band.

  I took a sip. "I'll accept your congratulations now."

  I glanced across the table at my mother's face, which was emotionless, although I saw the firm lines around her mouth tighten even further. Rhys, too, looked impassive, as if he hadn't been the one who'd recommended I go off and marry her.

  "So, you have defied me again," Grieg said, throwing down his napkin. "Will you make me a fool in front of our kingdom when I have to tell them you eloped instead of having an official Kylaen wedding?"

  "Father, you can have your dog and pony show," I said. "But our wedding was not about you."

  "Watch your tone with me, boy."

  I shrugged and squeezed Theo's hand under the table. Her palm
was starting to sweat. "And also, we have some issues with that illegal treaty you're about to sign."

  My mother's eyes flashed at me across the table.

  "I'm sure you do," Grieg said, standing and knocking over his coffee. "But you listen here, boy. You two had better shape up and fall in line or there will be consequences. Do you understand?"

  I kept his gaze, unwilling to show weakness after the display of strength. Theo's pulse beat against my hand, and knowing I was fighting for both of us kept me stoic.

  Grieg broke first, straightening and barking an order to a servant to have his breakfast delivered to his private quarters. And then, with a final warning glare at me, he left the room, slamming the door behind him.

  "Galian, really," Mom said, after a few minutes. "Was that necessary?"

  "Yup," I said, releasing Theo's hand. I finally looked at her; she was pale, but smiling.

  "I'll be right back," Mom said, standing and walking out the same door Grieg had stormed through.

  "You know, for once, you two could make our lives a little easier," Rhys said. "I mean, for fuck's sake, Gally, have you learned nothing?"

  "It was your idea for us to get married!" I said, aghast.

  "Yeah, but not to tell anyone about it!" Rhys said. "Especially not Father! Gally, you've been playing this game a while now. You know better."

  "Oh yeah? What can he do?" I asked.

  "Send you to the new Mael he's probably planning to build in Rave," Rhys said. "Blow you up in a car bomb."

  "I thought you said he wasn't responsible," I said, narrowing my eyes.

  "He wasn't, but that doesn't mean he wouldn't try it," Rhys said.

  "He won't try to kill us," Theo said. "He needs us. How can he have a wedding without us?"

  "He'll have a double funeral instead, and the countries will mourn together," Rhys said. "We've seen it happen before."

  That quieted Theo, who shrank back in her chair, wide-eyed.

  But I remained defensive. "What happened to fighting back? What happened to this isn't the end, and we aren't giving up?"

  "We aren't, but we can't really be open about what we're doing either. Everything's different, Gally. We've gotta be careful. More careful than we have been. There are consequences now, and I don't want to see either of you dead."

  At that moment, Mom returned, looking flustered and annoyed. "Well, Galian, your father sends his blessings."

  I snorted. "I'm sure."

  "And, as to be expected, he also forbids you to tell anyone about your marriage." She picked up her coffee and sipped it as if nothing were amiss. "He's billing this as a true Kylaen wedding, similar in size and scope to ours, and wants us to put the full force of the Kylaen royal staff on it."

  I whistled. Obviously, I hadn't been in attendance, but the sheer extravagance that had surrounded my parents' wedding was clear even in photos.

  Across the table, Rhys frowned. "But..."

  "Darling, you don't even have a girlfriend," Mom said, patting his hand and for the first time, I saw a little jealousy on his face. "And this is less about the wedding and more about the spectacle. Your father wants this wedding to be so exciting that the Kylaens forget we're re-annexing a country."

  "And what about Rave?" Theo asked.

  Mom sighed heavily. "That's Bayard's headache. I haven't been able to reach my sources since the news broke, but my guess is the country is in an uproar."

  "Probably not," she said, glumly. "Half the country just wants to keep their privileged life, and the other will be glad not to have to send their children to war."

  "Don't think so little of your people, Theo," Mom said with a smile. Then, glancing around the room, she said, "Johar swept this room last week, but I don't trust your father. We'll discuss this further when we finish breakfast and retire to my sitting room. Unless, of course, you'd like to talk about your wedding dress ideas, Theo? Those will be the only safe topics for us to discuss when not in a secure room. I wore a traditional Kylaen dress, lots of petticoats, long train. Would you like something similar?"

  Theo choked on her eggs, and I couldn't help but snort at the idea of her in a poofy white skirt.

  Mom chuckled and took another sip of her coffee. "Since I might not get to offer it again, congratulations, to the both of you. I'm not sure what sort of mess you married into, Theo, but we're glad to have you as part of the family."

  Theo

  My breakfast sat uneasily in my stomach as Galian and I followed his mother and brother into her sitting parlor, and it wasn't just the prospect of wearing a large Kylaen dress. No, my worry was about what Rhys had said. It was true that, without Mael, we'd been a bit brasher, a bit more willing to test Grieg's patience. But knowing how well-versed Grieg was in using national mourning to bolster his cause, Galian and I needed to be more careful.

  Inside Korina's study, we found Johar and, to my surprise, Kader, although he wore plainclothes instead of his usual military uniform.

  "Rosie let you out of the house?" Korina asked, taking his hand in welcome.

  "I am under strict orders to decline any mission requiring me to leave the city," he said with a wry smile and a wink to me.

  "Isn't it so nice to have someone who worries over us?" Korina replied kindly.

  I shared a glance with Galian and he tucked me under his arm and kissed the side of my forehead. We sat together on the couch as we'd done so many times before, although this time, I wasn't wearing that damned makeup and wig. I hadn't realized how uncomfortable it made me until I sat here, in my own skin.

  "I hear congratulations are in order," Johar said, smiling at the two of us.

  "Get them out quick," Rhys said. "We're forbidden to talk about it."

  "We have a lot to discuss, and not a lot of time do to it in," Korina said, settling in her chair. "Our goals for the next three months are to increase pressure on your father to change his mind and allow Rave its independence while maintaining the peace treaty."

  I smiled, grateful to hear those words come from her mouth.

  "I've been considering this from many different angles, and I see three avenues. The first is to increase the instability in Rave through our continued efforts with Anson and the rebels."

  "Anson won't meet with us," I said, glancing at Kader. "He thinks—"

  "He has an opinion of us, one which we'll need to change," Korina said. "Now that Bayard is working with Grieg, it might make Anson a bit more amenable to listen to what we have to say. Johar, I'm putting you in charge of that effort."

  "I'd like to be involved," I said, knowing that my leaving Kylae wasn't feasible.

  "I know, and that's why you and I will start socializing your interest in some charities," Korina said.

  I frowned, confused. "Ch-charities? Like, those silly little art auctions and parties you go to?"

  "Hear me out," Korina said, holding up her hands. "There's a chance Anson has key members of his organization here in Kylae, or if he doesn't, he will soon. There are a few charities that need a royal sponsor, some of which help the less fortunate in the slums."

  I glanced at Galian, and he said, "That's where most of the Raven refugees end up."

  "It will be easy to convince the media that your focus is the plight of your people," Korina said. "Grieg will send along his spies, so we must be very careful. But I'm sure you're up to the task."

  I nodded eagerly.

  "Eli, if Rosie will allow it," Korina said with a smile, "I'd like you to focus on the slums and find out what sort of network Anson has. That way, when Theo arrives, we can expedite their conversation."

  He tilted his head in agreement, so she moved on.

  "Our next avenue will be to seek help from Herin and Jervan, but since our travel routes there are limited, we'll have to be creative. Galian, I'll need you to call on your dear friend Olivia to see if she can assist us here."

  Galian nodded, looking enthused by the idea. "I think she and I have come to an agreement."

  "I
also want you to work your normal shifts at the hospital. It tends to give the impression you aren't getting in too much trouble," Korina said, before turning away from us. "Finally, our last option will be with our friends in the Kylaen government. Rhys, you and I will focus on them. We'll have to find a way to convince them—even the hawks—that we can provide a better option than reclaiming Rave."

  Rhys sat up. "Mom, I don't think—"

  "Son, you're going to be king one day, and if you can't stomach a little bit of political maneuvering now, you'll never make it as a ruler."

  He reddened. "Mom, it's not that. Have you talked to these idiots? It's like reasoning with a brick wall."

  "Of course reason isn't working," Korina said. "If reason worked, we wouldn't be in this mess in the first place. What I need you to do is figure out what makes them tick. If needed, find their weaknesses and exploit them. The time for playing nice is over."

  Pride swelled in my chest as she spoke. Like the rest of us, she'd been thrown for a loop, but she wasn't backing away. She was doubling down, fighting back. I was glad to call her my mother-in-law.

  "We won't be able to meet like this," Korina said to Galian and me. "The two of you will be heavily watched. There will be media requests, photographers everywhere. Officially, you two are being forced together, so they'll be looking for signs of discord between you. Try to keep your fights to a minimum, and behind closed doors."

  "I think we've worked out our problems," Galian said, with a wink. In response, I elbowed him.

  "It would be wise of you not to decline any invitation, especially if it comes from Grieg. In order for this to work, we must remain out of his crosshairs. Especially after your display this morning. We want him to think that your impromptu wedding is the biggest bit of rebellion he can expect from you. Understand?".

  "Yes," I said, squeezing his hand. "We'll behave."

  "Theo, may I have a word with you, privately?" Korina said, standing.