Page 51 of Wings of Snow
My guard clapped me on the back. “About time, my prince.”
A chuckle escaped me as Ilara’s blush migrated all the way to the tips of her ears, which got another sharp laugh from Nish.
“No reason to be embarrassed, Lara. Mating is a perfectly natural occurrence.” His cheeky quip only made her scurry down the hall as he laughed again.
I punched him lightly in the shoulder, only because I knew Ilara would appreciate it. “No more sex jokes today. My mate doesn’t like them.”
Nish brought a hand to his chest in mock sternness. “As you wish, my prince.”
I smirked again as we strolled down the hall. Clanging pots and the sound of someone singing came from the kitchen beneath us as the scent of fried bread drifted through the air.
“So, since you two are fully joined now, have your mating instincts finally calmed?” he asked, the joking from his voice gone.
“Yes, rest easy. I won’t be leveling any cities today.”
He grinned and nudged me. “Just between you and me, I couldn’t help but hear some of your performance in there. Impressive, I have to say. I had no idea of the stamina the mate bond infused in a male.” He scratched his chin. “It almost makes me want to find my mate.”
My eyebrows shot up. Nish banged females as often as my other guards did, but he’d never shown any interest in a commitment. “Did I just hear you say that you would like to find your mate?”
He scowled. “Keep your voice down.”
I somehow smothered a laugh. “Right. My lips are sealed.”
Still, as we jogged down the stairs to join Haxil, Ryder, Sandus, and Ilara, I couldn’t help but grin.
Nish wanted a mate.
The realm had truly turned upside-down.
CHAPTER 15 - ILARA
Outside, an inch of fresh snow covered the vast field filled with nightill flowers. The six of us stood with crossed arms as we discussed how we should begin tackling our problems. Since I’d cast a silencing Shield around us, and Norivun had woven an illusion affinity to cover our appearance, none of the local villagers knew we were there.
“So there are two issues now,” I said with a sigh. “Uncovering how the king has suppressed theoremand...” I was loathed to bring it up. I felt like such an idiot for ever going to the Lochen king. “Somehow finding a way to retrieve that diamond or the entire pendant from Drachu and cutting my tie to him.”
Norivun stood with his arms crossed, his pecs visible through his tunic. He screamedmale perfectionwith his thick silver hair, deep-set eyes, strong nose, and powerful build.
But instead of his lust constantly pulsing toward me on our bond—a new perk of our sealed mating—another emotion traveled to me. Blessed Mother, I couldfeelhis rage so viscerally at what Drachu had done. It was like a dark cloud of malice coated his insides.
The prince’s aura strengthened around him as his nostrils flared. His aura was potent enough to carve the field in deep slashes, and a twinge of relief filled me that his magic had mostly returned.
“Which one do you suppose we should tackle first?” Ryder asked.
“Theorem, most definitely,” I replied. “Our continent comes before me.”
Norivun growled and gave me a side-eye.
I arched an eyebrow. “It does. Theoremfirst.”
Haxil settled his hands on his hips. His usual round-cheeked smile was absent as a shrewder expression took its place. “All right, theoremit is.”
“We’ll have to work fast. We only have weeks to figure this out.” Sandus frowned as his eyebrows drew sharply together. “The king has demanded that Norivun find you within the month and bring you back to the castle. If Norivun doesn’t, I’m afraid the queen?—”
“I know.” I cut him off as I paled. To know the queen would bear punishment formymisdeeds... It made me sick. “Norivun told me last night.”
“Lara, none of that.” My mate stepped closer to me, and a brush of his air affinity wrapped around me in stroking soft waves. “As unlikely as it seems, you made the right choice by going to Drachu.”
“I did?” A pleasant shiver struck me when a kiss of his air trailed along my neck. Nobody had ever told me how incredibly intimate it would feel to be mated to someone. Still, I had a hard time believing him even though I didn’t detect any deceit through our bond. “How was that the right choice?”