Page 74 of To Kill a King
The last of the fruit vaporized in a purple cloud of smoke. She gagged on the smell of rotten eggs.
“Too much.” Cressida snapped her fingers. An orange appeared where the dragon fruit had been. “Again. Use less.”
Aliya frowned. “I’m not certain I can.”
Lady Cressida crossed her arms, waiting.
Aliya sighed. This was going to be a long day.
Aliya stumbled through the door and collapsed with her back against the nearest wall.
Elessan glanced up from his scroll as he popped a strawberry into his mouth. “Aliya? What’s wrong?”
She pulled her knees up and rested her forehead on them. “I am so sore. I’ve never been so exhausted in my life.”
“Lady Cressida put you through a workout, huh?”
“No, not physically,” she mumbled. “Magically. But I still ache everywhere.”
“Did you learn anything?”
She laughed once, the sound cutting through the room making her wince. “Yes. A bit of magic is much easier to control than a larger amount.” Digging deep, she summoned the barest thread of power. Three phosphorescent butterflies danced above her fingers before she released them. She smiled—no pink glitter or unexpected explosions manifested this time.
Elessan nodded. “Excellent.” He shifted on the bench, placing both feet on the floor. “Come here.”
Aliya stared at the ten paces between them.
So far away… It would be too unladylike to crawl. She frowned. Trying to keep her sigh silent, she braced her hands on the ground and heaved herself onto her feet.
Her legs trembled as she made her way to him. She sat and leaned back against his shins.
“Tilt your head down,” he murmured. When she did, he spread his knees. Brushing her tresses over her shoulder, he pushed his thumbs into the tense muscles where her neck met her shoulders, massaging them.
Oh, gods… She groaned in pleasure as every nerve in her body turned its attention to his ministrations. Heat pooled in her core.
She tensed. “Wait, where’s Zadé?”
“She left some time ago,” Elessan said. His voice was as soothing as the massage. “Something about finding a drink stronger than strawberry wine.”
His hands moved to the base of her skull. Her scalp tingled with each stroke. His breath brushed over the fine hairs on her skin. Aliya’s fatigue evaporated.
She tilted her head back, urging his fingers to spread deeper into her hair.
“Wow, El…” She sounded breathy. “Don’t stop.”
He made a noise deep in the back of his throat and shifted his weight. “Aliya.”
She cracked her lids open, peeking at him from under her lashes. His heavy-lidded gaze zeroed-in on her mouth. She swallowed.
His breathing deepened.
Shifting carefully to not dislodge his fingers, she turned until she faced him. Bracing a hand on each of his thighs, she pushed herself to her knees, face-to-face with him.
“Aliya,” he whispered again, rubbing the back of her head, encouraging her to lean forward.
She did, her eyes focused on his lips. As they parted, she closed her eyes.
He tasted like strawberries. He groaned deep in the back of his throat as her hands slid up his legs and around his waist.