“My magic is weak, Kaytus, I don’t know if I can do it,” I stutter, tapping his chest. He holds my wrists, brows furrowed. His grip is strong, keeps me grounded when I start to hyperventilate.

“You wanted revenge. Here it is.” It doesn’t help at all. I feel his ache more than I feel mine. I curse the whole world, this man included. I never considered myself a true empath, but all I feel now is dread and melancholy. It’s driving me insane.

I push him away, breathing through my nose and exhaling through the mouth, to calm my nerves. Kaytus looks at me, then at the bakery. He lowers his head and his fingers touch my temples.

I gasp, as dozens of pictures appear in my mind. I see beautiful royal gardens, two cups of tea, a blurry face of the man I recognize as my father. He shows me something in a schoolbook. I remember that. I cried so hard that day, but he gifted me a beautiful collection of painting brushes afterwards. The next one is my mother, dancing with me. I am much smaller than her, wearing a voluptuous pink dress. I hear her laughter, a sound I’ve forgotten a long time ago. The next picture is me and West. His face is distorted, I can barely see his features. He holds my hand in the stables. His chin is on top of my head, as he whispers something sweet.

And the images that brought tears to my eyes change, they race through my mind and I feel phantom hands searching for something. My vision is blurry, and then it’s crystal clear again. I see West’s bloody neck, I feel the gut wrenching pain in my heart as I cry for help. Then, I see the library burning. The tournament, Sir Faxon’s gory face. The crying servants. Father being stabbed. I see August touch Kaytus. I see Rigel throw me in the dungeons. I see August killing my Auretta.

I feel it all over again. The pain, the grief. There are tears running down my cheeks. They’re burning my skin. I grit my teeth, feeling all of this ache, the ache I’ve fought so hard to forget. My heart beats faster and my breathing hitches.

Kaytus takes his fingers off my temples and I stagger back, disoriented. I manage to keep my balance, looking around, realizing where I am. It all comes back to me.

I let out a guttural cry and felt a gargantuan amount of magic at my fingertips. It rises and rises until I feel as if I’m a burning star. I hide between two buildings, in the darkest spot, granting me the best cover.

My vision straightens and I only see the glass doors leading to the headquarters. My fists gleam in the dark of night. Air fills my lungs until it hurts, and I let out a cry of despair. The fire burns my fingers, as I command it towards the building. A huge bird of flames rises from my hands. It illuminates the avenue, brighter than the streetlamps, brighter than the sun.

The fire blows into a whirlwind of purple and red. Specs of blue grow, as the magic crawls in between crevices of the stone and brick. I cry out, feeling my skin burn. But it’s not enough, I must put in more energy. Kaytus watches as his rebellion is consumed by flames. Out of the corner of my eye I see his eyes twitch, but there is nothing, absolutely no remorse or pain, only the reflection of fire.

There are deafening screams coming from underneath. People run out of nearby buildings, gathering around, shock plastered on their faces. I pray that shock is forever engraved on their faces, so that they never forget. So they never repeat the same mistakes again.

I summon the earthly energies, causing the whole building to be engulfed with the moving stones and vines. It is a spectacle of more grandeur than the ones I’ve seen in museums. There is so much violence in the earth consuming the window frames and the bricks. It breaks the stones in two, it shatters the glass. The sound pierces my ears and I fight the urge to cover my ears.

I stop pouring out my magic and look at my fingers. My once pink turned burgundy red. I lift my hands shakily, looking at the brutality in front of me. I hear people running away and feel the earth vibrate. I gasp, the sudden tremble shoving me to the side. I lose my balance and grasp the cracked ground. I look around and my eyes grow wide. The whole street is being devoured by the earth. Large vines grow from the cracks, flying around in the air, as if they possessed their own mind.

The buildings start to collapse, smoke and dust blocking the roads. I get up, realizing what I have done. My scream is concealed by the tremor of falling buildings. I shake my hands, trying to stop the magic. But I am not doing anything anymore. This is the result of the wave I’ve sent. These are the consequences. I don’t see Kaytus anywhere. Panicked, I start to run through the street, stumbling over the broken pavement. I call out his name, but my only response is babies cries and people screaming in terror.

The flames move from building to building, melting their metal rooftops. All the colors are gone, save the scorching yellow. I feel hands around me, pulling me close. I recognize Kaytus’s scent. I sigh in relief. He puts a hand over my eyes and chants something in Fae. The ground underneath disappears and I feel cold. This is bone chilling, glacial cold that I’ve never felt, not even in our northern mountains.

When his hand leaves my eyes, I blink several times, not understanding where we are. We are sitting on a horse, and it's moving faster than any horse I’ve rode. It feels like we’re floating. I look to the sides and see Salen burn far away. We are already several kilometers away. I’m holding tightly to his back, but I feel no wind. I can open my eyes without strain.

“They wouldn’t have listened to reason anyway,”

“Where are we? What’s going on?” I ask, panic rising again. His warmth helps me stay grounded, but I still cannot believe what I just pulled off.

“It’s my steed. Don’t worry, it’s safe. I used it to get us from the Isles.”

I glimpse down and see a spectral horse. I gape at its luminescence. Its legs are strong like any other stallion’s and its tail moves with the non-existent wind. Kaytus seems completely unbothered.

“You used this? I can’t believe it,” I shakily say, trying to wrap my head around it. “I never even imagined such a crazy thing.”

“The Fae have possessed magic ever since we evolved into who we are. Humans have received it with the treaty.”

“Yeah, I know the technicalities but it’s still unbelievable!” I shout, still thinking the man can barely hear me with the speed we’re moving with. “Why didn’t you use it to get us to Solen in the first place?!”

“Stop shouting in my ear, I’m turning deaf. And to answer your question, I always keep my cards ‘till the very end.”

I roll my eyes, looking back, thinking I’ll get a glimpse of Solen. But there is nothing but trees now. A forest I find all too familiar. We’re back in his cottage. The spectral horse goes slower and finally stops. It kicks its hooves, letting us know we arrived.

Kaytus gets off his steed and holds out his hands for me. I realize it is much larger and higher than humans’ horses. I take his hands and jump into his embrace. He holds me tight for a second, keeping my head to his chest. I feel his beating heart. The silence of the night forest makes me shiver with fresh memories of fire and destruction. How high can the price for the malachite crown be?

“I’m fine, fine…” I mumble, tapping his arms. He lets go of me and whispers in the horse's ear. It dissipates into thin air. What a wonderful trick.

“We’re not far from the capital. Now that this is done, we can move out at dawn and finish this.” His tone is strained as he searches for the metal key to his base.

“Do you want to talk about what happened?”

“Why?” He snarls, failing to find the keys. I start searching in my backpack and find them in a small pocket. I extend my hand and he grabs it, annoyed.

“Because I just destroyed a city. I swore I wouldn’t lose control and yet…” I turn around, hiding my face from him. I don’t want him to see me like this. Hesitant. “And I wanted to know how you felt. About your ex-colleagues being… dead.”

He doesn’t answer and enters, letting the door open for me. I sigh and follow him inside. He doesn’t bother to use matches this time, instead he clicks his fingers and all the wax candles light up. The flames are smaller, less violent versions of what I just did. I walk, shaking from the pictures.

“Also what the hell was that motivating factor? Showing me everything I’ve been through and comparing it to my life before? That was cruel, even for you.”

“Even for me? I used to kill innocents. I don’t think reminding a princess of her duty is the same level of cruelty.” He doesn’t let me catch up. He is already in the kitchen, putting a pot filled with water to boil.

“You are insufferable,” I sneered and sat on an armchair. The house is cold, but I do not try to ignite a flame.

Kaytus returns several minutes later, holding a plate with two cups and a collection of teas. I am reminded of the last time I was here. He throws a sparkle, igniting the fire in the small cage of the fireplace.

Heavy silence fills the room. I sip my tea, trying to make the least amount of noise possible. The man sits with his legs spread wide, and both hands on the armchair’s edges. He exhales hard every now and then, watching the flames in the fireplace. The wood clicks and the flames dance, like little pixies. I am concentrating on his expressions. They’re hard to read. I might be seeing things I want to see.

His eyes meet mine, but soon return to the flickering flames. I want to tell him I’ve done it. I want him to congratulate me for inflicting a great deal of damage to the revolution and scold me for disfiguring a city. I want to let go and cry in his arms, for him to embrace my vices, and for me to embrace him in return.

The cottage becomes warm and I take off his cloak. I fold and squeeze it between my thighs and the edge of the seat. I tug on my blouse, feeling the flames too hot to bear. He throws me a look and jerks his chin towards the stairs.

“You can find something less warm in there,”

“Yeah, I’ll do that.”

I find myself in his room. The bed where he slept looks unused. Its bedsheet is pristine, with no wrinkle in sight. I wonder if he used magic for this too. I search through the wardrobe and find a long blouse made of light fabric. It’s nearly see-through, but I still put it on, taking off my pants. I change my socks to cleaner ones. I choose high ones, disregarding my shoes.

I get down and come back to my armchair. He has not moved an inch. I wonder what’s going through his mind right now. Is he regretting his allegiance? Does he miss August like I missed West?

“It was the right thing to do. Everything else is collateral damage. We’ll find a way to blame the Academy for Solen.” His words are mechanical, strained. My eyes darted from his eyes to my cup.

“You can talk to me, you know,” I try, but his face stays emotionless. His eyes are glued to the fire, and for a second I think he is seeing the firebird engulf the building too. I don’t dare approach him. So I sit back, drinking my tea. It’s the right temperature and the herbs lull me to rest a bit. It was a hard day. Like any other day before it.

I sigh, closing my eyes. We sit like this, unsaid things weighing down on us like mountains.

“Your loss of control, you think it’s the treaty’s doing?” I open my eyes, as his voice shakes me awake.

“No. I think I was too emotional.”

“Right.”

And that’s it. He says nothing more. I watch him and don’t know what to feel anymore.

“I will lie when I say all the revolutionaries were scum,” I softly say, looking at his disregarded vest on the floor. His boots are dirty, and so big in comparison to mine. His whole demeanor screams power, but I know there is something deep down.

“Don’t even start,” he grimaces, putting his cup back to the table. The liquid inside is untouched.

“What? You don’t want to talk about this, fine. Let’s talk about tomorrow's plan.” I put my hands in the air.

“Tomorrow is tomorrow. Right now just shut up,” he snarls, but his movements are slow. He looks tired. Only now I notice the huge dark circles under his eyes. He hasn’t slept in a day at least.

“I won’t.” I press on. “I will annoy you, I will make you speak because silence is the last thing I need right now.”

“Well, I need this silence, so be a nice girl and please, for the love of spirits, shut it.”

I gasp and get up quickly. I huff and go outside, slamming the door behind me. Maybe that was too harsh but he was an asshole too. I cry into the night. I let the trees and the grass listen to my sobs. I’ve been glued to Kaytus for so long it’s weird to be so distant. Even though we started off as mortal enemies, he became the only certain thing in my life. And now, after every road we’ve taken, after every person we’ve killed, his silence poisons me. I let him hurt me over and over again, because I know, without him, I would have fled a long time ago. I would have cowered like Father. I would have ignored the people’s unrest and left the country, seeking refuge somewhere else.

I shudder at the cool air, hugging myself, because nobody else can. I let tears fall on the ground, and from the drops, water lilies grow. I watch the scene, marveling at both sides of magic power. The destruction I’ve caused, and this beauty, created from sorrow and loneliness.

The door creaks open and Kaytus stands behind me. I hear his ragged breath. I turn around, wiping my tears. His face is the same stone.

“Come inside, you’ll catch a cold.”

“I’m fine,” I say, facing the forest again.

“You’re shaking, come on,” I wait for a few seconds, and when I realize he won’t leave, I let my feet drag me back inside.

He lets me pass and locks the door. I go back to the fireplace and sit, my stomach gurgling. I feel shame creep up my face. “Come to the kitchen. We’ll find something.”

I follow him in silence, keeping my steps light. He goes through the cupboards and the freezer. A very useful creation from the magicians. A storage where you put food you want to keep good for a long time. We’ve had those at the palace, because we are monarchs, but normal people rarely could afford such technology.

“What do you want?”

“Nothing, mother hen, I’ll make myself something.” I say, pushing him out of the way. “Go brood somewhere else.”

“I am not brooding, I just needed some-”

“It’s called brooding.” I stare him down. He rolls his eyes and puts his hands to the sides.

“Whatever. You’ll find what you need.”

“Yeah, I will.” I nod and start looking. There is a very tasty looking piece of meat in the freezer. I grab it and put it on a pan. I don’t know how this mechanism works. I find myself in an awkward position. “Kaytus?”

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“Yeah?” he groans, coming back to the kitchen.

“How does this work?”

“You turn this on and gas pours out. Then you use a match and fire starts. Easy, right?” His tone is mocking, but I let it slide.

“Yeah, easy. I’ve never used one.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Mock me away, come on, the floor is yours.”

He finally snickers. “That is embarrassing.”

“I was raised in a household with a hundred servants and maids, also butlers.” Kaytus smiles and looks up, as if remembering something.

“Alright, I’ll help out this time, but if you want to survive out here, you’ll have to learn,”

“Right…” I chuckle.

He turns on the mechanism and puts the pan on it. It heats quickly and he adds olive oil, before putting the meat piece on. “Good choice,” he remarks, ending up cooking the whole thing himself. I watch by his side, trying to remember the steps. He adds dried onions, garlic and a bay leaf. It does smell good.

“I’ve never cooked actually. But I’ve had tutors teach me where each delicacy comes from. Like oysters. They’re from the South! Quite easy to breed, actually.” He doesn’t look at me, but I know he is listening.

“That is amazing,” he says in the most solemn tone. I hit his shoulder.

“Don’t be an ass,”

“Sorry. You explaining royal stuff is…” He stops himself. His lips are parted, but no sound leaves.

“Is what?” I ask, daring to come a bit closer.

“Endearing,” his eyes are glued to the meat. It’s now soaked in its own juices, and oil sometimes projects into the air.

“Why endreading?” Curiosity got the best of me.

“I’ve never thought monarchs could make that life seem nice. It’s stupid really, but I always saw royals as greedy and violent, scheming and deadly. You are nothing like them at all.”

“Hate to break it to you, but I’ve been trying to prove this ever since you infiltrated the castle. Nobody listened.” He turns the meat over. The other side is maroon, completely ready.

“I know.”

“Yeah, but even with all the blood and death, I think it was meant to happen this way. Who knows what would have happened if you hadn’t infiltrated the palace,” I mumble, sitting on the counter, my legs afloat.

“The king would have continued to do nothing and at some point the country would have suffered from extreme poverty and the market would’ve collapsed. The Academy would take over and everyone would be under the mages’ rule.” He says it so quickly, as if he had already thought about it a million times.

“Right…” I nod slowly, swinging my feet. That is awful. I guess what is happening now is the lesser of two evils.

Kaytus takes a plate and slides the piece of meat on it. It is perfectly cooked and I stare at the man in wonder. “Where have you learned to cook?”

He puts the plate on the dining table, which is filled with potions and kitchen utensils. It’s small but can welcome two people. “I learned here and there, I did a lot of jobs, some of them were in the kitchens.”

“Woah,” I grab the fork and the knife and start eating. “Well, you are officially my favorite cook. Even our own cooks have never made meat this tender.”

“Oh please,” he chuckles, sliding his hand through his hair.

“I’m serious. It’s delicious.”

“Come on,”

“Just accept the compliment!” I huff, disgraced by his inability to have a proper conversation. “It’s very good. Thank you for the meal.”

“Welcome, Nor,”

My eyes dart up and the fork stops halfway to my mouth. He raises his eyebrows and looks behind him. “I could continue calling you by the full name, but it’s quite long,”

I stare into the void, as my heart breaks all over again. I feel its pieces crumble in the pit of my stomach. I chew on the meat, filling the empty space.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to shorten it, it just seemed natural.”

“No, it’s okay,” I say, shaking my head. I swallow the meat and some of it gets stuck in my throat. I cough several times, tapping my chest. “Really, it’s fine, I just…”

Kaytus’s eyes widened. His eyebrows straighten as he looks at me. “He called you this, didn’t he,”

“Yeah,” I bite my lip. “Anyways, it’s okay. I’m fine, really.”

He nods, leaving me alone. I hear him go upstairs. I let the fork fall on the plate as I put my head into my hands. I finish the meal thinking everything through.

“What were you doing upstairs?” I ask, as he goes down the stairs, holding a blanket and a pillow.

“Making your bed.”

“I’ll sleep in your room?” My eyebrows go up.

“It’s everyone’s room, really,” he points with his thumb. “I’ll sleep by the fire.”

I let him pass, breathing in his odor. I stop at the first step. “Kaytus? Can I ask you something?”

He hums in response.

“Why did you care for August?”

The question stops him in his tracks. He lets go of the blanket and it settles on the carpet. I breathe in, afraid I might have overstepped a boundary. But he focuses on me, walking closer, until I can feel his hot breath on my forehead.

“He promised me trust and friendship. Later he promised intimacy and human contact. I could not deny that I was alone,” his answer is simple, and yet it makes my heart shatter. In a different manner. I step on my toes, to get a better look of his face.

“I see,”

“Why do you ask?”

“Because I wish to understand you.”

“Why?” He cuts.

“Just because.” I answer curtly.

We look at each other, something flickering between us. Just like the flames in the corner of the room, our energies dance. I feel his heat so close to mine. I remember our bodies stuck together, the ragged breaths and nails digging into naked skin.

I trace my hand on his leg, drawing circles, looking down. I smile absentmindedly, unaware of the effect I have on him. I only sense his uneven breathing and the sound of his beating heart.

His hand grabs my face and pulls it up, so our eyes lock again. His brows are furrowed, and his eyes half-closed. I feel drunk, watching his lips part. He wants to say something, but something blocks the words from coming out.

“You can call me Nor, only when we are like this,” I whisper.

“Like what?” He whispers back.

I lean in and my lips meet his. It’s a docile kiss, there is no passion, no hatred, no desire. It’s something I’ve never done. I feel sparks explode in my stomach, as his hands find my waist and squeeze lightly. I don’t dare put more pressure as I kiss him again. My eyes are closed, and I see nothing, but the colors of his taste. They explode in my mind’s eye.

Kaytus exhales, breaking the kiss. He looks down at me, tilting his head. His eyes are full of sorrow. So are mine, I am sure. I pull him closer by the shirt and press my lips to his. He slowly responds to the invitation, opening his mouth. His tongue gently meets with mine.

His hands travel further up, sliding against my collarbone. He touches it, as if discovering it for the first time. I open my mouth wide, trying to grasp his essence. His lips pick up the pace, tasting mine more thoroughly. I let out a sigh and let myself fumble in this embrace.

His hand finds my cheek. His touch is tender and I fall right into it. I crave more, so I tug on his shirt harder. Our kisses become a rapid exchange, loud smacks fill the room. I do not hear the burning wood anymore. Kaytus’s tongue traces my lips, as his free hand travels to my breast. He fumbles it, playing with the fabric.

“Nor,” he whispers in between kisses. I take a step back, and he pulls me up, holding me effortlessly. He looks at me, and glances to the stairs. I nod, kissing him again.

He brings me upstairs and puts me on the bed. The sheets are pushed away and his blouse disregarded. He takes his time to take off mine. He peppers kisses on my stomach, going up to my breasts. His tongue plays with my nipples, circling them, as his fingers pinch the other one gently.

“Do you remember the banquet’s dance?” I ask, pulling him closer. I run my fingers through his hair, touching the elongated ears.

“Of course,” he whispers, kissing me deeply. It’s long and sensual. It makes me nearly forget what I wanted to say.

“I had fun dancing. With you.” I say, closing my eyes, kissing him again. My lips travel to his scar, to his cheekbone and to his eyebrow. I press several light kisses, my arms around his neck.

“You laughed for the first time,” he whispers, putting his head into the nape of my neck.

“I wanted to believe you had fun too,” I mumble, kissing his hair. He lifts his head, his eyes half-closed, studying my expression.

“I was not supposed to,” his fingers found my undergarments. “But I did.”

I moan as he touches my sensitive bud. I feel the heat rise in the lower parts of my stomach. I shudder, as he continues to move his middle finger around my clit.

“I hoped your laughter was real, but it became all too clear it was all a lie,” I whisper, pushing him back, settling myself in his lap. I kiss his neck, sucking on the tempting skin.

“Not everything was a lie,”

“You had August.”

“You replaced him a long time ago,” Kaytus moans, and his fingernails graze my back. I move slightly away, searching for his eyes. In this dimly lit room his eyes are bright like under the sun. They glow, and I notice the tattoos on his ears do too. He seems ethereal, just like in legends. I always thought it was a myth, but then I grew closer to West, and then I met Kaytus.

Conflicting images meet in my mind, as my lips meet his once more.

“How long ago?” I ask, amused. I tug on Kaytus’s pants, urging him to take them off. He obeys, and quickly ends up naked in front of me. A blush creeps to my cheeks and I turn away. My chin between his index finger and thumb turn my face back. I stare at him, waiting for the answer that might never leave his lips.

“You will never know,” he smirks, pushing me against the mattress. He crawls above me. His lips meet mine and my limbs turn to jelly.

I let my hand travel down to his member, touching it briefly. My fingertips barely meet his thickness and he is already breathing hard. “Nor,” he breathes out, consuming my mouth.

I decided to let myself take the reins. I push him back, take off my undergarments and settle in his lap. I spread my legs the best I can and let him disappear into my folds. His cock moves inside, making its way to the top.

We moan in unison, as it is fully inside of me. I let out a ragged breath. It’s painful at first, but as soon as I start to move, it becomes more and more pleasant. Seeing Kaytus’s mouth open wide and his eyes glued to mine, I lost myself completely.

I circle my crotch around his base, bouncing up and down, my mouth open. Kaytus’s hands hold my wrists at our chests’ level, his grip tightening with every movement. The whimpers that come out of his throat enhance my pleasure. He lets go of my wrist, and I feel his fingers stroke my bundle of nerves.

I cry out his name, wholly lost to the feeling. I am not filled up enough, I have too much emptiness left inside of me, so I beg him to move faster, crawl deeper. “Harder,” I whisper into his ear, trying to keep my voice steady.

Without waiting any further, Kaytus lays me down on the bed, the strain of my back muscles disappearing. His finger finds my lips, and he drives one finger inside, playing with my tongue. I lick his fingertip, eyeing him carefully. What is he thinking right now? What does he desire? Does he want me to close my eyes and let him use me in whatever putrid ways he wishes? Or does he want me to stare him down as he comes closer to his climax?

He pounds in me roughly, and as his wet finger continues to play with my bud, I feel something blooming. I’m closer to the peak of all my experiences, all my senses come together. I hear him moan my shortened name, but I never lose grasp on the reality of who is here. This is Kaytus, the revolution’s spy and assassin, skilled in archery and swordsmanship, master of blades. This is Kaytus lying on top of me, holding his body weight on his hand and knees.

His name comes from my lips as I scratch his back, pulling him closer. My eyes are beginning to tear up, as I feel my walls being turned from inside out. He is strong, and lost all sense of control, it feels. His hammers inside me with such speed and intensity I have to close my eyes and let the whines hypnotize me.

Our lips meet and he bites mine, I gasp, feeling the tang of iron on my tongue. I bite him in return, licking the bruised skin fast afterwards. I’m curious, even like this. Even when I’m most vulnerable. I taste him and it feels too good to be true. I sob, overwhelmed by the pleasure. I’m at the doorstep of my release.

“Kaytus, please, please, please,” I cry out, repeating the same words all over again, causing him to shudder and moan loudly in my ear. I let out a high-pitched scream, and lost myself in the well of pleasure. His voice is hoarse, his breathing ragged.

“I want to fill you up so bad,” he whines, and I know I’ve lost it completely when I don’t refuse. My hand finds the wall at my head and I slide my fingers, scratching the wood. I bet my screams are heard through the whole forest. His dick is just too good.

“Don’t hold back,” I’m losing myself in pleasure. It’s a high. It’s like forbidden magic. If someone saw me like this, they would shame me. They would crucify me. “Make me crave you more.”

Kaytus’s eyes burn with the eerie green, as he grabs my thighs and pulls me up, changing positions a bit. Now he’s pounding, holding my knees to his chest. I see sweat dripping from his forehead as he pushes inside, completely obliterating me. Here we will not be disturbed. Here, he can have me in any way he wants. Here, I am his to play with.

“Oh, Norella,” he stops suddenly, sending me a wicked smile. It smells of pride. “You already crave me more than anything else.”

I do not disagree. I touch my breasts, trying to make myself feel more - but a little more and I will lose consciousness. It’s too much.

“Tell me you are mine,” he gasps, holding my neck tightly. I gasp, as he starts to push inside, this time fully. My eyes roll back and I moan.

“Yours, yours, yours,” I cry out.

“More,” he whispers and I notice a sudden change in his voice. It’s much deeper, much more dangerous than before. I open my eyes only to see a vision. Transparent thin horns adorn his head, going up, at least 30 centimeters long. My eyes are teary and maybe it’s that. Because there is no way he actually has horns. His whole face glows, his body appears to be of the purest white out there.

A missing piece of a puzzle finds its way inside me. “Kaytus! Fuck… I am yours,”

“Mine.” He growls.

After a few pounds he starts to moan loudly, nearly as loud as me. I lost control right at that moment. It brings me over the edge. He moves one more time and lets his head fall on my collarbone. His whole body shudders at the intensity of it.

He looks up to me and lets out a breath. I let my head fall on the cotton pillow and close my eyes, letting my orgasm spasms come down. My legs shake and I feel wet all over. Kaytus moves out slowly, as I shudder around his girth. He gets off the bed and goes to the bathroom, returning a second later with a wet cloth. He wipes my legs, and gently puts it in between my legs. I hold it there, the chilly cloth helping with the burning.

His face is back to normal. There are no horns, no glow, no powerful magic encircling us. It all feels back to normal now, and for some reason, I feel empty for a second. As if seeing this vision once made me miss him.

“You okay?” He asks, settling next to me, his face right in front of mine. After I’m done cleaning myself, I settle myself against his chest, my head on his shoulder. My fingers find their way to his hand, playing with the skin of his palm. It’s soft, but I still feel callouses from past battles.

“Yes,” I whisper, pushing my face against his bicep. It’s hard, as I breathe in his scent. “I saw something just then.”

He doesn’t say anything at first, his right hand’s finger running through my hair, putting it behind my ear. “I apologize I’ve lost control there,”

“Are you some kind of shapeshifter too? Do Fae shapeshift?”

He laughs at my superstitious comment. “No. It was more of a… my true face. The one I disregarded years ago. Even before I started hiding my magic from people.”

I get on my elbows, searching for any sign of a pleasantry. But he is serious. At peace, his eyes softer than ever, but serious. “Your true face, meaning this isn’t?” I touch his ears, reminding myself to taste the markings next time.

Something clicks in me when Kaytus grins. “Nothing is ever so simple with Fae.”

“Riddles, as always,” I huff and lie back on his chest.

“You should know only one thing,” he starts, tracing figures on my upper back. “Leer’a somni al ah’hana, leer’a myu ah.”

“And what does that mean?” He doesn’t answer. In fact, it seems he will never tell me. But then, he speaks up.

“That I would die without you, that I would kill for you,”

His words are spoken in a serious tone, his voice even. It pierces something in my chest and I find it difficult to breathe at first. I feel his body heat against my cold figure and the shock passes, replaced by something much more sweet and thick, like honey. It brushes against my skin, drowning me in its sweet embrace.