“Corvus,” I cooed. “Don’t run from me, baby girl.”
He tripped over a boulder and fell onto his butt. “You said my name?”
I used the advantage to jump on him. Claws extended like a cat, I aimed for his middle.
We slammed together; ice crashed into fire.
He rolled to take the brunt of the impact and I closed my eyes. It was toasty in his embrace. Amazingly warm.
It was even better than a hot shower after lying in a snowbank for hours.
For a long moment, we lay on the rocks, embracing, neither of us moving or speaking.
My short fingernails were curled into the material of his jacket. His fire had put out my ice.
Darn.
I sighed and snuggled closer. His arms and legs were still very much on fire, and they felt nice.
I was fireproof. Slay (in a hot way).
“We need to keep practicing,” Malum muttered halfheartedly, and I looked up at him with exasperation. His bronze cheeks turned pink, flames flickering on the top of his head like a crown.
“No. You need to keep practicing. I’m perfect.”
I snuggled against him and waited for his outburst.
He cleared his throat awkwardly. “You should put your mittens back on.”
Before I could process what was happening, he pulled them out of my pockets and tucked them onto my hands.
“Good practice. Team.” I yawned.
Eyelids heavy.
Soul warm.
I shook my head to wake myself up.
Malum’s arms tightened around me so I couldn’t move.
“It’s fine, Arabella.” I shivered at how he said my name. His voice was like smooth whiskey and high-end tobacco. “Go to sleep. I’ll carry you back down the mountain.”
Nodding, I closed my eyes.
“I’ll take care of you, my love,” he whispered. “But please stay awake so I know you’re okay.”
I forced my eyes open.
Handsome bronze features hovered close to mine. His eyes were full of concern.
I leaned forward and kissed the tip of his nose.
He looked thunderstruck. “Why did you do that?”
“Because I wanted to,” I said honestly.
Warm lips suddenly slammed against mine as Malum kissed me passionately. He claimed me with his tongue, and I melted. I kissed him back with equal fervor.
When he pulled away, we were both panting heavily.
I fingered my tingling lip and looked at him questioningly.
“Because I wanted to,” he said as he started walking back down the mountain. It would be a long trek with me in his arms, but he didn’t seem to mind. If anything, he looked pleased to be carrying me.
It made sense.
Men had evolved into stronger bodies so they could carry their superiors (women) around all day.
“Tell me about your childhood,” he said out of the blue.
I played with my mittens. “It’s not a pleasant story.”
“I’m sorry for not asking before. It’s your story, and I want to know more about you—please, Aran.”
It was the first time he’d apologized without sounding arrogant. He looked down at me with such a hopeful expression that my heart twisted.
I began to talk.
I told him every gritty detail about what it was like growing up. For some reason, I told him things I’d never dared tell anyone else.
His silver eyes glimmered with understanding. He’d also walked through hell.
For hours, he carried me down a side of a mountain, and for hours, I told him what it was like growing up as the powerless royal heir of the mad queen.
He didn’t get angry.
Not once.
Instead, he stayed calm and nodded, tucking me tighter against his chest like he could squeeze the pain out of me.
“It’s all behind you,” he said as we got back to the war camp.
I was amazed that he’d learned so many terrible things about my past and hadn’t threatened to kill anyone. Not once. He was maturing.
I smiled at him as he tucked me gently into bed. “Thanks for not going on a homicidal rampage.”
He laughed awkwardly and pressed a soft kiss to my forehead.
Butterflies fluttered in my stomach.
“Move over,” Malum said as he pushed his oversized body into my bunk.
“What are you doing?” I shrieked as he fit himself into a space that was designed for a person half his size.
He was pressed flush against me.
“Let’s keep talking,” he whispered.
I couldn’t hide my smile. Even though we’d already been talking for hours, I hadn’t wanted our conversation to end.
“You should tell me about yourself this time,” I suggested. “What do you miss most about the devil realm?”
“The peace,” he said immediately.
He launched into a story about rolling hills and solitude. With his baritone voice, he should have been a storyteller. My toes curled.
He weaved a fairy tale.
I never wanted him to stop speaking.
I fell asleep with his warm body squished against mine, wild tales of ponies with bows and rolling hills dancing through my head.
The leader of the kings was slowly dropping his mask, and I was intrigued by the man it was revealing.
Flames danced in the air around us and cast a golden glow.
With my head tucked beneath his chin, I realized what he reminded me of.
Sunshine.
Chapter 41
Aran
BATTLE
Travail (noun): a state of great suffering of body or mind.
DAY 29, HOUR 4
I woke up to sirens wailing.
Lights flashed.
I was convinced an apocalypse was happening, and we were all going to die.
Finally, my luck was turning around.
“The angels have returned from their scouting mission!” The alarm system blared over the room’s enchanted speaker system.
Never mind.
I grunted as a heavy, warm weight rolled off me.
Someone kissed my forehead gently. “You’re perfect,” they whispered in my ear.
I rubbed at my tired eyes.
They were gone.
The speakers continued relentlessly.
“The third ungodly infestation has been located, and RJE devices have been calibrated for coordinates.” Lights flashed. “All soldiers report to the cafeteria in .03 hours. Repeat. All soldiers report to the cafeteria in .03 hours. Reminder to move stealthily, quiet must be observed in open areas. Do not compromise the base.”
Whatever angel hit the preprogrammed emergency broadcast button was getting punched in the throat.
There was literally no need to rush into battle.
It was still dark out.
Men stumbled around the room, getting ready like there was a fire. The twins and the missing kings had returned sometime in the night.
My fingers froze together as ice crawled up my forearm.
The room was a flurry of activity as everyone in our legion panicked. Malum shouted something.
I blinked groggily as I rolled lazily out of bed.
“Let’s go.” Malum grabbed my arm as I pulled at the covers. His eyes were chips of steel.
I jolted as I remembered how he’d talked to me for hours.
“Wait, did we sleep together all night?” I flushed as I remembered the warm weight rolling off me.
Did he kiss my forehead this morning and tell me I was perfect? Had I imagined it?
“That’s not important right now,” he said in a clipped tone. “Get ready.” The warrior was back.