“We're here,” Adrien's voice gently brought me back to awareness. I realized the sun had disappeared beneath the horizon and the moon served as our guiding light for some time. I felt refreshed and alert, and the gravity of my situation weighed heavily upon my heart.

Before I could consider what transpired, Adrien pointed out the window and I followed his hand. “Welcome home, Josselyn.”

I was speechless as I gazed at Adrien's abode. It was larger than the Terryn's estate, spanning nearly half an acre. Decorative lanterns hung from the hundreds of trees and plants that littered the front garden. Ivy wrapped around large columns that towered over the front doors. Four different pathways began near the road, leading to similar destinations after winding through the greenery. Alongside them, small water fountains bubbled merrily near stone benches.

“It's beautiful.” I caught my breath. “Do you have a wife to share this with, Adrien?”

“No, my dear. I reside here alone with my servants.”

I looked over the estate from top to bottom. It was stunning, more than I ever could have imagined. Yet...my heart yearned for the place I called home for so many years.

Adrien’s words echoed back to me. I need you for something more.

“Lord Markov...do you understand what it means to be a Ring?”

He didn’t speak as the carriage brought us closer to the stables. I resolved to continue.

“I was as loyal to the Terryns as they were to each other. One becomes a Ring until death. I was to take no one else as a lover, husband, or wife. As you are aware, I was claimed and it's not something I can remove--”

“Miss Thorn, excuse me by saying this but, what choice do you have left? Do you currently possess anything that would allow you to continue your life as their Ring?”

“The Temple took everything from me—”

“Except your life.”

It was my turn to hold my tongue.

“Josselyn, I don't mean to be rude. But your loyalties can lie elsewhere. According to your own words, you're free of your commitment. ‘Until death’, you said. Allow yourself the time to heal.”

“But the vows I took…” My words to Jeremi and Victoria were as set in stone as the ones they made to each other. I couldn’t betray them.

“You’re still young. Cutting yourself off from love is a rash decision that you’re making too quickly. You are not a prisoner here. What you must understand is the rest of the world sees you as a murderer. I believe you deserve a second chance. Don't you?”

I couldn't respond. The words wouldn't come. He was right, he'd saved me from what was certain death and offered me almost everything I'd lost. I owed him my life and needed to consider his words before condemning myself.

The carriage finally pulled into the stables and Adrien exited first, opening the door for me and offering his hand.

“Can you walk?”

“Yes, thank you.” My joints and muscles ached from so many days in that cell. The chill evening air burned against the raw, chafed skin of my wrists and ankles. But walking on my own was liberating.

The smooth cobblestone kissed my feet with each step. Mist from the fountains drifted on the breeze, cleansing my skin and sending a shiver down my spine. The stars smiled down from the dark heavens, welcoming me back to the world above the Temple dungeons. I was free.

Adrien led me through a small section of his gardens to the front door. Three servants greeted us all wearing warm smiles and matching clothing; long, dark skirts and fitted bodices the color of deep red wine. Their hair was tied back into varying styles, but all away from their faces.

“Ladies, would you be so kind as to show Lady Thorn to her chambers and ready her bath?”

“Of course, m'lord.” They bowed in unison- a little disconcerting- before taking my arms and leading me through the many halls.

We arrived in a luxurious room that took me by surprise. A large bed was positioned against the wall with a canopy draped in silks, adjacent to a cheery, crackling fireplace. Near the door was an intricately carved vanity the color of ivory. A door against the far wall led into what I assumed was a large wardrobe, but the lamp lights didn’t illuminate that far. One servant stayed to help me undress from my prison rags while the other two drew hot water into an ebony tub.

“Remarkable...I've never seen a Whisper in person.” The woman undressing me admired my skin and touched my hair. Even though I was covered in prison grime, she viewed me as something extraordinary.

Accepting compliments was not my forte. I had grown accustomed to the constant admiration of gawkers as much as I had the slander. I remained silent as she led me to the bath.

The other two servants joined the first and went to work scrubbing every inch of my skin. The water was scalding hot, just as I'd always enjoyed it. One young girl set to brushing the many tangles out of my hair, which was a feat in itself. I bit my lip in an effort to stifle my protests when she caught the comb against a knotted mass. The wet floor of the Temple had not done me any favors. The Terryns had pleaded with me to never have my hair cut, leaving me with a waist length mane that fought back as if it had a mind of its own.

It felt amazing to be clean again, and the chill finally evaporated from my bones. After assisting me from the bath and toweling me dry, they dabbed my now shimmering hair and throat with oils that smelled of roses and lilacs. One servant brought in a container of salve that was spread around my wrists and ankles. The lotion soothed the fire of my shackle wounds. For the first time in days, I felt like I'd gained back one small piece of myself.

“Ladies, will you please excuse us?” Adrien entered without warning.

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“Of course, m'lord.” The servant girls bowed and left me standing naked in the middle of the room. I cursed them silently for taking the towel with them. I swore I could hear one of them giggle as she took her leave.

“Please pardon my intrusion.” The look in his eyes said he was anything but sorry.

“Adrien...” I quickly turned away from his gaze, covering myself as best I could with my hands. I was terrified of disappointing him- it meant the difference between living in his luxury and returning to that horrible dungeon.

“Let me see you,” it was a command, not a question. Slowly, I turned to face him and let my arms fall to my sides.

“Beautiful.” He bridged the gap between us in a few large, deliberate steps. His warm hands caressed my face and hair, slowly moving to my shoulders.

“My lord-” I wasn’t mentally ready for what he wanted. Yet, my body yearned for him desperately.

“Jeremi and Victoria were very lucky indeed,” he purred as his hands wandered further south to stroke my breasts. His delicate touch sent a heat through my blood that had lain dormant for weeks. Standing there vulnerable in front of him felt... right. Almost familiar. Somewhere deep within my rational thoughts was a voice that screamed I stop. But it was buried deep beneath the cravings that overtook me with each stroke of his fingers.

With fire lighting his silver eyes and a devilish smile on his lips, Adrien bent to his knees and teased my breast with tiny bites. I moaned and found myself grabbing handfuls of his soft hair in an attempt to push his head closer into me. He laughed under his breath before his mouth encompassed my nipple and his tongue teased it furiously.

Every single nerve in my body stood on end. His fingertips moved to lightly brush my inner thighs while he continued to work his tongue. One hand ventured north and parted my folds easily, two slipping inside me without any resistance. We gasped in unison.

“You're already dripping,” he murmured against my skin, his tongue moving from breast to navel. I shuddered as his searing hot breath traveled gradually down my stomach.

Every touch, caress, and bite was amplified ten times and brought me to the edge.

“Adrien,” his name entwined itself into my breathing.

“I'd heard stories about Whispers, but never expected this,” he muttered. My hips moved in rhythm as he worked his fingers in and out of me at a speed that promised I would climax soon. “Don't hold back on me.”

Words evaded me. Pleading whimpers were all that would form on my lips.

Adrien traced a small circle around my navel with his tongue before sliding to my hip. Then dangerously close to his occupied hand. I could hardly draw breath. My heart raced. His left hand cupped the small of my back and he guided my quivering body to the floor. The plush rug caressed my bare skin like a thousand soft kisses. He traced my hip bone before sinking his teeth into the tender flesh. Air hissed through my teeth. My hands desperately searched for purchase. I settled on the long fibers of the rug and gripped them until my knuckles turned white. All of these intoxicating sensations combined were enough to drive me mad.

“Patience, little one.” His breath tickled the taut curve of my stomach and I thrust my hips toward his tongue.

“Please,” I gasped. More fingers filled me and continued his maddening pace. I could feel the tension quickly building inside of me.

“But what of your Ring?”

For the span of a heartbeat, I ceased to feel his mouth or his fingers. I looked at him, past the features that reminded me so much of Jeremi, and I saw only Adrien. I could read the intense hunger in his eyes, and it set my heart aflame. If this was what he wanted in return for my life, I’d give it.

“Take me, Adrien,” I whispered. “Please…”

“As you wish.” With a wicked smile, he spread my thighs with his free hand. His mouth hovered just long enough to draw a whimper from me before finally reaching its destination. A cry that I’d suppressed for so long tore from my throat as he stroked against the peak of my pleasure.

“I can't...hold it,” I moaned. He continued pumping his fingers and working his tongue, encouraging me to let go.

The first clenches of orgasm took hold moments later, and I squealed as waves of release rolled over me. Adrien pressed on. He applied more force with his tongue and plunged his fingers deeper, massaging the exact spot that extended my convulsions. The carnal sounds that escaped my lips only encouraged him, and I felt my eyes roll back. Pleasure had completely erased my thoughts. My body involuntarily arched and eagerly responded to his gentlest touch.

“Josselyn,” I heard my name from somewhere far away. “You're incredible.”

Adrien pulled his fingers from me, leaving an aching void. He moved to unhook and discard his trousers. My own hands searched out his tunic and forced it over his head. His body showed signs of many hours of physical labor, and my eyes widened when my gaze landed on his erect manhood. I felt my remaining body heat flow between my thighs as I wrapped my own legs around his lower back. I pulled him in toward me.

“Take me as long as you wish,” I begged.

He thrust into me without mercy while my hips responded in kind. Another climax was building and I knew I wouldn't be able to hold back. My increasing cries of desperation said as much to Adrien.

“Come for me again,” he whispered into my ear.

My teeth sunk into his shoulder to muffle my screams, my entire body consumed with release.

“You feel amazing,” I gasped, clawing my nails down his back. He pulled away and placed his hands on my thighs, a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth when I moaned in protest.

“We’re not done. Get on your knees,” he demanded. My thighs throbbed, the muscles unused for so long. I turned onto my hands and knees, gripping the rug. He angled my face closer to the ground, pulling my hips higher and leaving what he wanted completely vulnerable.

“Good girl,” he growled and penetrated me from behind. My hair spilled around my arms in a waterfall of silver. He reached for a fistful of the white pool and pulled, arching my back and exposing my throat. I dug my nails deep into the rug as my breathing turned shallow.

Adrien grabbed my right hand and placed it between my legs, encouraging me to pleasure myself with my fingertips. Satisfied with the new position, he reached around to tease my hardened nipple.

“Again,” he demanded. “Let me feel you again.”

Between his thrusting and my own fingers, it wasn’t long before I fulfilled his request. In the span of a few breaths my whole body clenched and I was shouting his name. Never had I been allowed such ecstasy in that short amount of time. I'd lost control of my senses. All I wanted was him. Every part of him. Nothing else mattered. I pulled away slowly and my body still ached with yearning.

“Allow me,” I purred, barely recognizing my own voice. Surprise toyed with his determined features as I pressed on his chest, pushing him to the floor. I positioned myself over him. “Just relax.”

I guided him back inside of me, enjoying every inch. When my hips finally kissed his, a low groan escaped my throat. I moved at a pace to torture him as he had done to me. His hands latched onto my hips, his fingers digging into my sides as he tried to take control of the situation. I wouldn't allow it. It was my turn. I continued at my own pace, drawing rasping moans from deep within his chest.

“You're an extraordinary creature--”

I thrust my hips down quickly, interrupting his thought.

“Come,” I urged, leaning over him so our foreheads touched. “Don't think about anything else.”

I pushed his wrists to the floor, forcing him to relinquish all control. Still, he fought to mediate the speed, but I would return to my original pace until he gave in and matched my tempo. I was approaching climax once more and was determined to wait for him.

“You're still so tight,” he growled, moving his body in sync with mine.

I worked him faster and his breathing accelerated. I let go of his wrists when I felt him nearing an orgasm, and he grasped my hips in desperation. He pushed into me faster than I could respond, but I let him. His moans filled the room as he balanced dangerously on the edge.

“Come for me,” I whispered.

Adrien cried out and thrust harder than he had yet. My thighs clenched around him as I bore into him. I closed my eyes and experienced one last satisfying apex. As I came down from the high, I opened my eyes. I realized that my fingers were entwined with his and gave his hands a gentle squeeze. He was smiling, a mischievous smile that summoned chills and brought a heat that seemed to forever dwell in my soul to the surface of my skin.

“Oh Josselyn,” he murmured. “I've searched for you for a long time.”

“And now you have me,” I replied, returning his smile.

And he did.