“Mother, you’re choking me.” He coughed, trying to breathe, and heard laughter behind him.
“Where have you been, Cadmus? I’ve been worried sick!” His mother pushed him back and stared at him, from the top of his head to his leather Djinn boots. “And who is this lovely young woman, hmm?” Her impish grin told him she already knew, but the delight in her eyes made it hard not to go along with her.
“Mother, I have the great pleasure of introducing to you my affai, Elliara Storm.”
“Elliara?” Darius murmured, and Samantha elbowed him in the stomach to be quiet.
Ellie blushed but stepped closer to Ravyn. “Just Ellie, actually. It’s a pleasure, ma’am, ah, Your Highness.”
Alandra and Aerolus suddenly appeared. “Might as well start calling her Mom,” Alandra teased.
“Man, I hate when they do that,” Tessa said as she joined hands with Marcus. “Freaks me out.”
“I have all my children together, and such beautiful brides. Ellie,” Ravyn said, a tear in her eye. “Welcome to the family.” She embraced Ellie with a sincerity that made Cadmus’ eyes burn, and he had to blink rapidly to keep from looking like a lovesick idiot. Fortunately, all eyes were on his mother and Ellie. The sheer pleasure on Ellie’s face at being accepted made his homecoming more than special, and he couldn’t thank his mother enough for her warmth and love. By the Light’s breath, he’d missed her.
“It’s so good to be home again,” he said thickly, kissing Ravyn on the cheek.
“Yes, it is.” She linked one arm through Ellie’s and the other through Cadmus’. “This calls for a celebration.”
Marcus groaned. “I knew you were going to say that.”
“Hey, at least you don’t have to procure several barrels of rare cinarum,” Aerolus complained. “That ale is expensive and damn hard to fabricate.”
Alandra chuckled. “Not really. He just likes to grumble to feel duly appreciated.”
Aerolus gave his affai a look, one that had her batting her eyes in innocence.
“You see, Arim? I told you everything would work out.” Ravyn beamed, looking around at her children. “So much joy in our house again. How I’ve missed it.”
Arim’s gaze settled on Ellie, and he pursed his lips. “Everything is working out. I just wished I knew for whom.”
Though everyone had been more than pleasant, and Cadmus’ mother a genuinely caring woman, Ellie felt tired and overwhelmed. Tanselm had so much more magic than Foreia. Her jump from Seattle to Foreia had felt strange, but Foreia’s Darkness and muted power had eventually felt as natural as breathing. In Tanselm, she felt as if she were continually being tested. Probing mind touches, feathers of Light mixed with welcoming Darkness, and the pressure of keeping a pleasant front so as not to interfere with Cadmus’ welcome home had taken its toll.
And then there was Arim—a hulking mass of testosterone who kept a constant eye on her, as if waiting for her to do something evil. The first hour she’d tried to be understanding, but now, half the night had passed, and the powerful mage still watched her.
While the others continued to talk and dine, she whispered into Cadmus’ ear, “I’m really tired. Would you mind if I went somewhere to rest? You don’t have to leave, though. I know how much you’ve missed your family.”
He glanced down at her, his brown eyes sparkling, and a wave of lust replaced her tiredness. As if he sensed her feelings, he grinned, a sensual smile that made her stomach flutter.
“It’s no problem, baby.” Oh, no, not the I’m-going-to-make-love-to-you-for-hours baby. “I’ve been getting a bit tired myself.”
He put a hand to her shoulder and rubbed softly, the heat of his palm spreading Dark want through her system.
Cadmus turned to his mother. “Mother, I’m sorry, but Ellie and I are pretty tired. It’s been a long day.”
“Of course it has. How thoughtless of me.” Queen Ravyn leaned close to accept a kiss from her charming son and shooed them away. “I’m sorry to have kept you, but I’ve missed you so much. Ellie, it’s been a true pleasure. I look forward to getting to know you like the daughter I’ve been missing.”
Cadmus raised a brow. “You’ve got three daughters sitting right down the table.” He motioned to Samantha, Tessa and Alandra joking and eating with their husbands.
“Yes, I know. And I’ll never take any of them for granted. But now, my last, irascible son has finally found a bride, and I couldn’t be happier she’s so lovely.”
Ellie smiled but wondered, uneasily, if Ravyn had been told who and ‘what’ Ellie really was. Would the queen find her so acceptable if she knew of her heritage?
“Relax, Ellie. Light or Dark, it doesn’t matter to me,” Cadmus sent with warmth.
Maybe not to him, but Cadmus didn’t feel the need to prove himself to his family. Whereas she had a hell of a lot to prove.
“Oh, really?” came the dry response. “We really need to talk, Ellie. But not now, later. After we get some much-needed…sleep.” He stood with Ellie and asked, “Is my room still mine, Mother? Or have you turned it into a scrying centre like you’ve always threatened to do?”
Ravyn shook her head. “I should have. But I never trusted that you hadn’t booby-trapped the area. Especially after Marcus managed to turn completely blue after one such trek into your room.”
Cadmus chuckled with his mother.
Marcus scowled. “You know, Mother, I don’t appreciate you taking his side.”
Tessa jabbed him in the ribs and took another sip of wine. “Relax, Cool Blue. You probably deserved it.” She grinned. “I bet that was something to see.”
“It was,” Aerolus agreed, his grey eyes twinkling.
“Right, well.” Cadmus tugged Ellie’s hand. “We’ll see you all in the morning, if you’re still here?”
Darius nodded. “We’ll meet for breakfast. Then the party’ll break up. Arim wants us back in our respective territories.”
“But not you two, not yet,” Arim spoke, staring hard at Ellie, then Cadmus. “Enjoy your respite, and I’ll see you both in the morning.”
“In the morning, right.” Cadmus tugged Ellie after him, but Ellie couldn’t so easily dismiss the vague sense of warning she felt in Arim’s words.
“Stop dragging your feet, Ellie.”After leaving the dining hall and nearly racing through several dim corridors, Cadmus stopped so suddenly Ellie fell into him. Without giving her a chance to catch her breath, he swallowed her protest with a kiss that set her pulse skyrocketing. His mouth caressed and teased, promising so much more. Then he thrust his tongue between her lips, making her moan with desire.
“Cadmus,” she rasped, trying to think. “Not here.” They stood in a darkened hallway through which anyone could enter.
“Hmm, I don’t know. I’ve never had sex with an audience before. Might be fun.” He chuckled when she punched him, and despite the heat in her cheeks, she laughed as well.
“You’re such a perv.”
He captured the fist aimed for his arm again and kissed her knuckles. “Yeah, but I’m your perv. So stop stalling.”
Nimbly racing past several startled pairs of lords and ladies, the pair of them streaked through a maze of hallways and up two sets of stairs. After what felt like forever, they entered a darkened room enclosed by a heavy oak door. Blinking, Ellie readjusted to the darkness and, to her surprise, found she could see with the faint bit of moonlight reflected off an illuminating mirror.
A loud thunk made her turn back to Cadmus, who stood with his back against his now barred door, lazily studying her with bedroom eyes.