Page 7 of Black Crown

This time, I met him halfway, scooting closer when our lips met. My mouth melded against his, and I sighed, clutching his shoulders.

The bed covers bunched between us, and I growled, swiping them aside to crawl onto my knees and bring us closer still.

Tyrrik’s lips were firm and warm. No one else knew that but me. Everyone else thought he was cold and hard, but I knew better. When his arm circled my waist to pull me closer, I grinned, peeking up at him as I bit my lip. He nipped at the spot when I released it, and I opened my mouth to him again. His tongue brushed and then tangled with mine, tasting of the sweetest nectar. His heat seemed to stroke me, luring me flush against him. The colors bouncing in the gem-encrusted room were augmented by the glow of our bond. The air around us crackled, and the steady smoulder in my belly exploded into something far more frantic. Tyrrik pulled me onto his lap, and I circled my arms around his neck, running my fingers through his midnight hair.My midnight.

Tyrrik’s hands dropped to my waist, and I sucked in a breath, my hands twisting in his aketon. Heat and passion swirled between us. Right now, I couldn’t feel what was mine and what was his.

I love you, Ryn.

His words hit my heart. The rawness within them brought me back to reality with a resounding boom. That was why I was going. I wanted to be able to say those words to him. I wanted to be able to assure him that I felt as strongly for him as he did for me, but I wouldn’t say the words until I was absolutely certain of their truth.

Want and need were not the same thing.

A knock at the door interrupted us, and Tyrrik groaned as I scrambled off his lap.

“You’re not the one who could be caught by your pretty-much dad,” I reminded him then winced and said, “Again.”

“I need to see Ryn,” Lani said in her child-like voice, but the undercurrent tone wasn’t childlike at all. “We need to practice something before we leave.”

Lovely.

“She’s busy,” Tyrrik drawled, tugging on the hem of my aketon.

“Too busy to learn how to project a shield that will hide us from everyone but other Phaetyn?” Lani asked.

Tyrrik’s eyes narrowed.

Point one to Lani. I bounced off the bed, patting my hair and adjusting my aketon as I walked toward the door. My lower lip felt distinctly swollen, and I could still taste nectar on my tongue. I hadn’t felt so sheepish since hiding from Mum when I was six to drink a whole jar of honey syrup. Or maybe getting caught by Dyter.

“I’m here,” I called, halfway to the door.

“I know. I could hear your heavy breathing from the level below. Get dressed, and meet me in the garden.”

Get dressed?I stopped so quickly I tripped over my own feet. What did she think we were doing in here? I blushed even though there was no one but Tyrrik to see.

“I love when you blush,” he said, crossing the room in a blur to stand next to me.I love it even more when I’m the reason for it.

“I’m still here,” Lani called. “I’m pretty sure your breathing is getting heavy again, Ryn.”

The burning in my cheeks intensified as I glared through the door in Lani’s direction. I knew for a fact that Phaetyn didn’t have super-hearing; that was a Drae power. I listened to the Phaetyn retreat down the passage, her musical laugh echoing in her wake.

Pretending to wipe my nose to hide my burning cheeks, I turned back to Tyrrik. “Looks like I’m . . . needed.”

“Looks like.” He smiled, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “Weneedto find some time alone, uninterrupted, when you get back from Zivost.” He tugged on my aketon again. “Maybe without so many clothes.”

Whoa. My heart thundered in my chest, and I gaped at Tyrrik a moment and then sputtered, “Umm-m, yeah. Yes. Right. Awesome.”

He arched a brow.

I stared up at him, mind blank. I jerked my thumb at the door and said, “Well, people to see, tricks to learn.”

I hightailed it out of the chamber, congratulating myself on a mostly seamless exit from my M-word.

When I reached the royal garden, the workers were still harvesting chunks from the massive pumpkin I’d made. Of course they were. I’d made it. The air smelled of winter squash, and the bread-loaf sized seeds were scattered in the dirt. More than half of the gourd remained, and I smiled. A lot of people were going to bed with full bellies because of me.

I rounded the corner and spotted Lani cross-legged on a high ledge.

“I need to teach you how to veil before we leave,” Lani said.