by Jayne Castel
“I’m … I’m glad you’re here with me, Dain,” she said huskily. “Through all of this, you’ve been the only person I could depend upon.”
He huffed a laugh, his breath feathering across her skin as he leaned closer still. “So I’m dependable am I … like an old shoe?”
“No … that’s not what I meant,” she replied, flustered by his nearness. “You abandoned your parents and risked your neck … for me.”
He tilted his head, the edges of his mouth lifting. “You sound surprised.”
“I am,” Lilia whispered.
He reached up, his fingers tracing the line of her jaw. His touch made her tremble.
“You shouldn’t be surprised, Lily,” he said softly, his gaze shining. “You’re worth risking my neck for … a hundred times over.”
31
Discovery
LILIA STARED AT Dain, her body tingling as his words sunk in.
“Dain,” she whispered. “I—”
His mouth claimed hers, cutting her off.
Lilia gasped and reached up, placing her hands upon his chest. His heart thundered against her palm, and a thrill of power went through her. Without pausing to think on things, lest she lose her courage, she started to un-lace the front of his shirt, her fingertips sliding across the warm skin underneath. Her hands ran down his chest, exploring the lithe, strong feel of him. Likewise, his hands slid under the hem of her shirt, tracing across the soft curve of her belly.
Hunger reared up within Lilia at his touch, and she groaned into his mouth. The feel of his body, the taste of his mouth, the rasp of his stubble against her cheek caused all coherent thought to unravel.
She could feel the hard length of his arousal, pressed into her hip as they kissed. Blindly, she reached down and fumbled for the buckle of his belt. All restraint fled her now. She wanted nothing to separate them.
Their clothes came off, pooling to the floor at their feet.
Dain yanked her against him and moved so that they were pressed against the wall next to the window. Lilia leaned up against the cool surface and closed her eyes, giving herself up to sensation.
Dain kissed his way down her body. Her fingers tangling in his hair, she watched him as he suckled her breasts, and the ache of need in the pit of her belly ignited like dry kindling. He moved farther down her body, his tongue stroking and teasing.
Another low groan escaped Lilia. “Dain,” she whispered, unable to keep back the tenderness that rose like a tide within her. “I love you.”
He rose to his feet, and their gazes met. His eyes had grown dark, his cheeks flushed with passion. His chest heaved now as if he’d been running. Leaning close, he cupped her face with his hands and kissed her. It was achingly tender, and when Dain pulled back, his eyes glittered. “I’ve been in love with you for months, Lily,” he whispered.
She stared back at him, her own vision misting. How could she not have seen? Her fear of discovery had made her blind.
“Make me yours,” she whispered back, her heart now hammering against her ribs. She moved her hips against his and felt his shaft press into her belly. An ache built between her thighs. “Please.”
His mouth quirked, a sensual expression that made Lilia melt against him. Then, he nudged her thighs apart with his knee and positioned himself between them.
Hooking a hand under Lilia’s left thigh, he raised the leg high and slowly entered her.
Lilia’s breathing caught. This was her first time with a man—and she was suddenly nervous it would hurt—but she felt only a sense of discomfort, of stretching, as Dain slid into her.
“Oh,” she gasped.
He stilled. “Am I hurting you?”
“No.” She buried her face in his neck, kissing the warm skin. “The opposite.”
He gave a low chuckle and gently bit her earlobe, causing her to shiver with pleasure. “Just wait … it gets better.”
“Really?”
“Aye.” He shifted his hips, slowly grinding against her. The ripples of pleasure it brought her, radiating out from her core, caused Lilia to moan.
Dain’s teasing expression disappeared, replaced by one of hunger. “Shadows, Lily … you feel good.” His mouth covered Lilia’s once more, devouring her. His hands slid down her back and cupped her buttocks. Then he withdrew slightly, before thrusting deep and pulling her hard against him this time.
Lilia groaned loudly, arching back against the wall. Naked, her breasts thrusting up to him, she felt deliciously exposed and out of control. Every worry she’d ever had dissolved. Nothing else mattered. She felt wild, capable of anything.
Pleasure built into a great aching wave. Dain moved inside her slowly, deliberately. She felt his body quiver against hers; his skin under her fingertips was damp with sweat despite the cool breeze filtering into the chamber.
Lilia angled her hips so that he could go deeper—searching for something she couldn’t name. Wrapping her legs around his hips, she clutched at Dain. A deep throb built at the pit of her belly. She arched back her neck and cried out, calling his name, pleading with him.
Dain cursed, losing control. His body shuddered, and he ground himself deep into her, panting her name as he found his release.
A damp breeze flowed in from the open window, feathering across the two naked figures entwined upon the sleeping pallet.
Dain stretched lazily, his eyes slowly opening. A sense of wellbeing flowed through him; his limbs felt loose and relaxed. Next to him, Lilia sighed and snuggled closer against his chest. Dain looked down at her, watching her face.
She was beautiful. The watery light filtered into the room, bathing the smattering of freckles that covered her pale skin. Her full-lips were bee-stung from his kisses, and her auburn eyelashes rested like butterfly wings against her pale cheeks. She looked young and vulnerable in his arms, and he felt a surge of protectiveness.
He gently traced his hand down her naked back, following the indent of her spine with his fingertips. She had a lovely body: sleek and curvy in all the right places with skin like creamy milk. His gaze slid down from her face, down the slender column of her neck to the swell of her breasts, shifting down her pale flank to her toned, shapely legs.
Dain’s throat constricted. She loves me.
Her eyes fluttered open, her gaze ensnaring his. “Are you hungry?”
Dain’s mouth curved. “Starving.”
“Shall we order a meal to be brought up then?”
“Aye … I’ll do it.” With a sigh, Dain disentangled his limbs from hers and slid from the pallet. Then he went to retrieve his clothes. She watched as he pulled on his breeches and laced them before buckling his belt. The frank appraisal in her eyes made him want to yank his clothes off and rejoin her.
“I meant what I said earlier … about loving you,” she said softly.
He stilled. “And I you, Lily.”
“I just wish I’d been nicer to you … back in Port Needle.”
Dain found himself smiling at that, although the expression was a little strained. “You only had eyes for a dashing southern stranger, if I recall.”
Her gaze shadowed, and he immediately regretted the words. Even now he found it difficult not to be jealous of Saul.
“I let Saul take me in,” she admitted, “but that wasn’t the reason I kept you at arm’s length.” She paused here before pushing herself upright on the sleeping pallet.
Dain blinked. It was hard to focus when she sat there, her naked breasts kissed by the silvery afternoon light. “What was it then?”
“I was afraid,” she whispered, her brown eyes suddenly gleaming. “Afraid you’d discover my secret and think me a monster. With Saul it was less … complicated.”
Dain shook his head, vehement. “I’d never think you a monster.”
Her throat bobbed. “Then you’d be the only man alive who wouldn’t.”
Sinking down before Lilia, Dain reached out and took her hands. “Lily … from the moment we met, all I’ve ever seen
is your beauty.”
A tear trickled down her soft cheek. “I’m a shifter … doesn’t it bother you?”
He smiled, reaching out and brushing away the tear with a thumb. “No, not in the slightest.”
It was growing late when Asher finally made an appearance.
Lilia and Dain had taken a seat at the back of the common room, a shadowy recess from where they could observe the rest of the room without being scrutinized by others. Asher swept in, his pale blond hair glinting in the light of the torches by the doorway. He ordered a drink from the inn-keeper and then surveyed the room.
It was thronged by soldiers tonight, the roar of drunken male voices almost deafening.
Lilia raised a hand, catching Asher’s eye.
Relief filtered across his face, before he made his way across to them.
“Glad to see you made it,” he greeted the pair of them with a grin, sliding into the booth.
Dain grinned back, holding up his tankard of ale in a salute. “Thanks to you.”
“Thank Ryana … she’s the one who convinced me to help you.”
Lilia went still at this news. “Where is she?”
Asher’s grin faded. “Still in the Vault.”
The inn-keeper strode over then, slamming a frothing tankard of ale in front of Asher. Thanking him, the enchanter raised the drink to his lips and took a deep draft. Then, he sank back in his seat with a long exhale. “Shadows, what a day.”
Lilia watched him. “Did you get in trouble because of us?”
Asher shook his head. “The welt to the back of my head was convincing enough.” He cast Dain a baleful look. “You nearly cracked my skull.”
“Better that than Irana suspecting you helped us,” Dain replied.
“Aye.” Asher pulled a face. “She blames me all the same. Thrindul was livid when he returned to the House. We had to go before the king empty-handed.” His mouth tightened then. “It was an ugly scene.”
Asher paused there and took another draft of ale. His face was weary, his silver-grey eyes shadowed.
“What happened?” Lilia asked when the silence drew out. “Have they caught Brand?”
Asher shook his head. “Grim—Thrindul’s hawk—tracked him. Brand’s taking the Great Road north … we think he’s heading for the Shadefell Mountains.”
A chill slithered down Lilia’s spine. “He’s going to the Ice Door.”
“Aye.” Asher’s expression tightened. “That’s what King Nathan believes.”
“And The Shade Brotherhood will meet him there with the other half of The King Breaker,” Dain added quietly. “Brand’s in league with them?”
Asher drew in a deep breath before raking a hand through his unbound hair. “Aye … so it seems. It’s a mess.”
Lilia looked down at her half-finished tankard of ale. Despair rose within her. She’d risked her life to bring that stone to this city—but it was all for nothing.
If the Shadow King walked free, there wasn’t a person alive who wouldn’t suffer. The sunless days would grow darker, and shadow creatures would terrorize the world.
And so will my kind.
Lilia tensed. Her grandmother had sworn she’d been the last shifter alive upon the Isle of Orin, but surely there would be others living in hiding throughout The Four Kingdoms. Would Valgarth hunt them down, call them to serve once more?
Lilia’s heart began to race. I’ll never serve him. Never. Glancing up, she saw that Asher was watching her, his gaze shuttered. Lilia’s discomfort increased. Asher had helped them, and yet she didn’t know him at all. Underneath that suave façade he could be hiding revulsion, distrust. He likely thought her an abomination like everyone else did.
“What’s the king going to do?” she asked, focusing on the more pressing issue. “He can’t let this happen.”
“He doesn’t intend to,” Asher replied. “With Thûn falling to Anthor, he already has an army amassing in the city. However, for the moment, he must turn his focus north rather than south. Reoul of Anthor’s warmongering will have to wait. We will march for the Shadefells at dawn … the day after tomorrow.”
Silence followed this announcement.
“And then what?” Dain finally asked. “If he manages to retrieve both pieces of The King Breaker … can he destroy it?”
Asher nodded, his mouth thinning. “We believe so. The stone was forged by an Enchanter of the Dark, using all the forms of shadow and darkness. To destroy it, both pieces must be united, and then an Enchanter of the Light must call upon all four sources of light: starlight, moonlight, sunlight, and firelight … only then will the stone shatter. That’s what we’re hoping, at least.”
“But how do you get all sources of light to appear at the same time?” Dain pressed. “Isn’t that impossible.”
Asher shook his head. “There’s a point just after dawn, when Ninuil, the Morning Star, still shines in the sky, the moon has not fully set, and the sun is rising. If you have a burning torch to draw from then you have everything you need.”
Lilia frowned. “So you could do it?”
Asher’s mouth lifted at the corners. “Thrindul has been charged with the task.”
Lilia leaned back in the booth, clasping her fingers around her tankard. She glanced over at Dain and saw that he wore an intense expression. “You’re going with them?” Dain asked.
Asher nodded.
A line formed between Dain’s brows. “What about us?”
“You’re free. Wait here until the threat is dealt with, and then travel home to Orin.”
Dain’s mouth thinned. “I’d prefer to join the King’s Guard.”
Asher raised an eyebrow. “Shadows … why?
“I’m a fighter. I didn’t come all this way to hide.”
“Neither did I,” Lilia added, her heart suddenly racing. “I want to help.”
32
Making Plans
“YOU’RE BOTH IDIOTS,” Asher said flatly, his gaze pinning Lilia to the spot. “I didn’t help you escape just so that you could offer yourself up again.”
Lilia raised her chin. “I’m not turning myself over to Thrindul … or the king … but I will travel north.” She shifted her attention to Dain. “You join the army, while I hide away in one of the supply wagons during the journey.”
Asher folded his arms across his chest. “And what are you planning to do when we arrive at the Shadefells?”
“I’m not sure yet,” Lilia admitted. “But I’ll have a long journey to think about it.” Seeing the irritation flare in Asher’s gaze, she clenched her jaw. “I lost The King Breaker … and I intend to help retrieve it.” She paused here, letting her words sink in. “I bonded with that stone. I promised to protect it with my life. I failed once, but I won’t do it again. With or without your help, I’m going north.”
Asher huffed out an exasperated breath before downing the rest of his tankard. “I need another one of these,” he muttered. He gestured to the inn-keeper before turning his attention back to Lilia. “This won’t be like the journey you made here,” he warned her. “That was dangerous, but this one is likely to be far worse. You might fail. You might never come back.”
She held his gaze and nodded. “I know.”
“You can’t retrieve The King Breaker alone,” he reminded her.
“She has my help,” Dain countered, his tone clipped.
Lilia cast him a grateful look. Truthfully, she had no idea what she was going to do, but since she’d been so fierce with Asher, she had to brave this out.
“Sorry, but you’ll need more than that,” Asher replied with a shake of his head. “You need an enchanter.”
Dain smirked. “We already have one … you.”
Asher snorted. “I’ll have my hands full leading the Enchanters of the Light … I won’t be able to leave Thrindul’s side once we reach the Shadefells.”
“Then, we need to free Ryana.” Lilia spoke up, interrupting them. Her gaze met Asher’s. “Will you do it?”
/> Asher’s second tankard of ale arrived then. The enchanter handed over a bronze talent to the inn-keeper, sending him on his way. When the man was out of earshot once more, Asher shifted his attention to Lilia. “You want me to put my neck on the chopping block again?” he asked, incredulous.
Lilia held his gaze. “Ryana’s your friend … do you want her to rot in that cell?”
His face hardened. “Of course not.”
“Well then, help her.” Lilia leaned forward. “Help all of us.”
Captain Garick of the King’s Guard raised an eyebrow and regarded Dain wearily. “I don’t have time for this.”
Dain met his eye. He knew how it looked. They must think him some deranged yokel—marching in here carrying a wood-axe and demanding to join the men heading north tomorrow morning. Still, after leaving The Black Boar Inn this morning, he’d managed to find a way into the barracks and tracked down the Captain of the King’s Guard. He couldn’t let Garick turn him down.
“I know how to fight.”
The captain eyed him, skeptical. “You can wield a sword?”
Dain hesitated a moment before replying. “Aye.”
“Send him on his way, Captain.” One of the guards spoke up. Heavy-set with unruly dark hair, the soldier was sharpening his sword with a whetstone a few feet away. “I’ll do it, if you like.”
The captain scratched at the short blond beard that covered his jaw. “We need all the men at arms we can get,” he mused, his gaze flicking to the guard who’d spoken. “Balt … bring two practice swords from the armory and let’s see what he can do.”
The soldier stopped sharpening his blade and glanced up, his heavy features creasing into a scowl. “What?”
“You heard me … hurry up.”
Dain watched the man go off grumbling. Meanwhile, the captain grinned at him. Garick was in his early thirties, big and blond with an affable smile. “Balt will sort you out.”
Dain gave him a tight smile. That brute he’d just sent off to the armory was three times Dain’s size—but then he’d fought bigger men back at The Barnacle and won. Only that had been with his fists. He was grateful now of the afternoons he’d spent sparring at sword-play with Ardan back in Port Needle.
