So I’d made a bargain to replenish our continent’s orem. It wasn’t that big of an undertaking. Surely. Sighing, I attempted to pour another drink from the mostly empty bottle, but I couldn’t line up my glass with the lip.
A low growl came from the prince when I finally managed on my third attempt, although half of the leminai sloshed over the side.
“Oops.” I brought the glass to my lips and stumbled into him when I tried to set the bottle down. “This leminai is positively divine.”
“That’s enough.” The prince righted me, then took my glass and nodded toward the bed. “You need to sleep this off.”
I hiccupped. “I don’t want to sleep.” I swayed away from him and nearly fell onto the couch when I attempted to swirl toward it. “I’m hungry. Oh! I have an idea. Wouldn’t it be fun to go out? Perhaps an eating establishment? Or a fun salopas? Or somewhere to dance? Are there any enjoyable clubs in Solisarium? I’ve been cooped up for so long. I want to go somewhere.”
“Blessed Mother,” he muttered under his breath, then caught my arm before I could reach my chamber’s door. “You’re not going anywhere like this.”
“Why not?”
He scowled. “Because you’re drunk, and I don’t trust you to keep yourself safe.”
“But your guard will. Remember?” I waggled my eyebrows at him. “Sandus? Or was it Nish? I can’t remember who’s been assigned to me. Please tell me it’s Sandus.”
Prince Norivun steered me back to the sofa. “On second thought, you’re right. You should eat something before you sleep. I’ll ring for food.”
I sat in a heap on the couch and began to hum a tune as the prince pulled the cord near my bed. But when I tried to stand up and begin dancing to the rhythm in my head, my foot caught on the couch.
The prince caught me a split second before my face hit the table.
I had the most ridiculous urge to giggle. “You’re very fast.”
He picked me up, as though I weighed nothing at all, and set me back on the sofa. “And you’re very drunk.”
“I think you may be right,” I whisper hissed.
A reluctant smile tugged at his lips, and then the food arrived, and mouthwatering scents drifted through the room. But for some reason, my fork wouldn’t line up with my mouth when I tried to eat.
The prince sighed. “You’re going to be the death of me, female.” He took my fork and proceeded to feed me. Actually feed me.
I opened my mouth dutifully as his expression turned serious. Smiling, I chewed the bite and swallowed. “You know, you’re very handsome when you’re so stern.”
He forked another bite of grilled acorlis. “Is that so?”
“Indeed. In fact, I think you’re the most beautiful male I’ve ever seen.”
His hand paused from spooning my next bite. “I thought you hated me.”
“Oh, I do, but that doesn’t mean that I haven’t noticed how attractive you are.”
A smile tugged at his lips. “And you’re the most beautiful female I’ve ever seen.”
“Really?” I brought a hand to my chest, but another wave of dizziness swirled through me from the movement.
His nostrils flared. “Indeed, you are. I could ravish you right now and thoroughly enjoy every second of it.”
My mouth dropped, and I laughed, because there was no way he was serious. “Then why don’t you?”
“Because you’re drunk.”
“But you’re not a gentlefae, remember?”
“Even I wouldn’t take you in a state like this.”
“Even if I wanted it?” I playfully inched my hand along his thigh toward his cock, that . . . Blessed Mother. Toward his cock that was incredibly hard. His thick length bulged against his leggings. The size of him was . . . My eyes widened. “Are you aroused by me?”
The next thing I knew, I was in his arms as he strode toward the bed. My heart pounded. Is he taking me to bed? Mother Below, the murderer of my family was carrying me to my bed to probably enact this ravishing he’d spoken of, and instead of being repulsed by that thought, a strange thrill ran through me.
I ran a hand up his chest, wondering how in the realm I could get his tunic off fast enough. He truly was a beautiful male, so thick and large, and I hadn’t been pleasured in so very long. I suddenly ached for it. I wrapped my arms around his wide shoulders, then my mouth found his neck. I kissed his smooth skin, then nipped at him.
“Do you promise to pleasure me?”
His nostrils flared, and he inhaled deeply. Another low growl rumbled in his chest. “Fuck.”
Maneuvering in his arms, I wrapped my legs around his waist. He hissed when I rubbed myself on him. I sighed and kissed his neck again. Blessed Mother, this was so nice. I hadn’t been touched like this in ages.
The prince finally reached my bed, and I arched into him until my breasts were straining against my tunic.
“Touch me. All of me,” I whispered.
His hands gripped my thighs tightly, every line of him straining, but then he dropped me onto the covers. I bounced, a shock of surprise releasing from me.
“Go to sleep, Ilara,” he said gruffly. “Before I do something we both regret.”
The next thing I knew, covers were pulled over me, the light was extinguished, and then I was alone in my chambers as my core ached.
For a moment, I lay in stunned silence. What just happened?
The quiet reigned. Only the sound of my deep, rapid breaths filled the room. But I was alone now. I was pretty certain of that fact. Did I just imagine all of that?
Fuzzy thoughts crept into my mind, but then the room began spinning again. Minutes ticked by as I spun and spun and spun.
It was a dizzying, pleasant feeling as the soft mattress cocooned me, and even though that strange need still pulsed in my core, my eyes fluttered closed, and then the realm disappeared in a rocking motion of silence.
CHAPTER 17
Sunshine blazed brightly through the windows as someone shook me.
“Ilara, please, you must get out of bed. The prince is on his way, and he insisted you be ready.”
Throbbing in my head threatened to split my skull. For the love of all the gods, somebody needs to stop banging against drums.
“Ilara!” a female hissed again.
I tried to swat the hands away, but someone grabbed my wrists and tugged. “You must get out of bed. The prince is expecting you to be ready.”
“Go away,” I croaked.
The female sighed. “He said you’d be in a state. Blessed Mother, how right he was.”
Someone forced me to sitting, then pried my eyes open. I winced when the blasted sunlight burned into my irises, and now I was certain someone was pounding drums.
“What is that racket?”
“Most likely the blood rushing through your ears.” The female cupped my jaw, prying my lips open. “I’ve brought a tonic, courtesy of Murl. Drink. Now. We don’t have much time.”
I frowned as I finally recognized Daiseeum standing beside me and holding a vial up. My stomach heaved, but she forced the vial to my lips and tipped the contents into my mouth, then closed my jaw.
I downed it in one swallow since I couldn’t breathe properly with how she was holding me. Working free of her grip, I coughed. “Blessed Mother, that’s foul.”