Amanda
“Lovely,” I say out loud as I run my fingers over the fine lace runner covering the length of the formal dining table in the castle in Veiled Valley. “More flowers, I think. What do you think of lilies, perhaps?”
A light breeze drifts around me before crystal vases full of lilies, snapdragons, and tulips of several different shades appear out of thin air and drop onto the table. The scent of the flowers is rich and sweet, like the spring air outside. Veiled Valley is beautiful in late spring. Warm and lush and glowing with pale green as I lift my gaze from the table to the massive windows and archways leading out onto the sweeping veranda.
“I love it, thank you,” I say to the house and step away to admire our work.
With Granger still traveling through the Roguelands, I’ve returned to Veiled Valley. It feels good to be here again. This place–this city, and this magical castle–feel like home now.
And being the Beta’s wife comes with responsibilities that keep me more than busy. Like, for example, entertaining the high ranking ladies who are married to the various commanders and generals who are still off trying to restore order to the Roguelands.
“I believe the guests will be here around noon,” I say to the house all around me as I walk out onto the veranda. “And after lunch, we’ll have a short tea service–”
A ripple of energy courses through the house. It’s not the usual flutter of air I’ve grown used to whenever the magical spirit of the castle is nearby. No, this is something else, something that sends a shiver of panic licking up my spine as I whirl back to the archway leading into the dining room. Multicolor specks of light dance across the obsidian floor tiles, brought to life by the stained glass windows. Nothing seems amiss.
But then the ground starts to tremble hard enough that the fine china and crystal vases on the table rattle. The shaking becomes so violent I drop to my knees, bracing my hands on the ground. “What’s going on?!” I screech, praying that the house has some way to answer me. Surely, this isn’t because I said we needed to add a tea service to the agenda today. The house loves to entertain.
A burst of air explodes through the door, causing every interior door to fly open and break off their hinges. Several of the windows around the room shatter, spraying multicolored glass in all directions. It sounds like the castle is coming undone, and my screams are absorbed into the echoes of showering glass.
I clutch my stomach, protecting the baby nestled there, and wait.
The trembling ceases, but I can feel the ground rocking beneath me as I slowly look up. Glass falls from my undone hair. The table I’d just spent an hour decorating is covered in shards of glass and mountains of dust. Water drips onto the ground from the now broken crystal vases, and flowers are strewn across the entire room.
Sniffling, I stand, dusting off the pale blue dress I’m wearing. The sleeves are slightly puffy but taper tightly at the wrists, and the flowing skirt hides the swell of my stomach as I slowly, carefully, step over glass toward the main door leading in and out of the dining hall.
“Are you okay?” I stupidly ask the house, but silence and still air is my only answer.
There’s a ticking noise coming from the hallway. I follow it, my silken slippers silent on the stone floor as I look back and forth down the long, dark hallway. All of the heavy wooden doors are in pieces. Rooms I’ve never explored before are now visible–sitting rooms, offices, closets and stairwells leading who knows where.
But I’m alone in this place. Ryatt doesn’t need maids or cooks when the house’s magic provides that for itself.
Shuffling footsteps echo down the hallway, and I freeze.
A shadowed figure comes into view as they turn a corner, bracing their hand against the wall.
The air is stolen from my lungs as the figure sputters a rough cough, then sucks in her breath and curses audibly.
“Ella?”
“I’m sorry–oh, Goddess, what a mess–”
My heart thunders as I race forward, choking on my sobs, and throw myself at her so hard we fall to the ground with a crunch that echoes down the hallway. Tangled in each other’s arms, I press a kiss to each tear stained cheek, my words a jumbled mess and broken up by sobs.
“I thought you were dead!” I cry out, practically pinning her to the ground. “It was really you talking to me in Granite Rise! I thought I’d heard a ghost!”
Ella laughs, her eyes creased and damp with tears, her hair wild and splayed out around her.
She’s dressed oddly in what looks like a man’s shirt with the sleeves cut off. Her legs are exposed, and her pants only hit her mid thigh. She’s also wearing the ugliest shoes I’ve ever seen in my life–clunky strips of leather with her toes exposed.
But she’s alive.
She’s alive, and she’s here, in the flesh.
But…
“Where’s Ryatt?” I ask, sitting up and scooting back to allow her to catch her breath.
***
Ella
I reach up and touch my cheek. It burns where the mask once touched my skin. That was the first thing Ryatt did when we appeared in the mirror room in his castle–he’d swiped the mask from my face with a massive paw.
The act felt like being dunked under water. I couldn’t breath for a moment while my power separated itself from the mask's embrace.
Where he and Westfall had gone with it is a mystery. Part of me is glad I don’t know where he’s going to keep it hidden and hopefully locked away, but another part of me feels a gnawing, almost desperate sensation at the sudden emptiness I feel without it.
Whatever magic was used to create such an item is of the darkest kind.
“He came back with me. Westfall, too.”
“Commander Westfall?” Amanda gapes. “But I thought–”
“I thought he was dead too. Oh, Amanda–” My words are cut short as I pull her into a hug, the two of us kneeling on the floor together.
A scraping sound echoes down the hallway. All around us, a soft wind flows, carrying dust and what looks like glass in its wake. The castle groans and shivers as if annoyed by the mess I’ve created.
“I’m still learning how to do this. How to break through the veil.”
“You blew out every window, I’m sure,” Amanda sniffs, picking a few shards of glass out of her hair.
We rise together, and I take a moment to look at my friend. I didn’t think I’d ever see her again, not while being tortured by Kane.
“How are you?” I ask.
Amanda inhales sharply, blinking to clear the tears from her eyes, and then gives me a fox-like smile. “Bored out of my fucking mind. I’ve been hosting tea parties for the wives of the commanders since I returned to Veiled Valley. That’s literally all I’ve done. They believe I’m about to become Luna and have been trying to weasel their way into my good graces.” She arches a copper brow at me. “You still plan on being Luna, right? The last time I saw you and Ryatt together, you were about to rip his throat out.”
“I can’t guarantee that won’t happen again, but yes. I am still the Luna.”
“Well, the ladies coming to tea in an hour will be in for a surprise.” She claps her hands together and looks around me. “Is Ryatt…”
“I’m sure he’ll be here to inspect the damage I’ve done to his fancy castle shortly. I could use a shower, I think.”
Amanda looks down at my arms, noticing the fine layer of soot covering almost every inch of my skin. She then looks down at her very beautiful dress with a long sigh. The pale blue fabric is now mottled with grime.
“Me too. I’ll have one of the guards out front try to get word to Granger that our Alpha is back.”
“Granger,” I breathe. “How is he? How is… everything?”
“Don’t worry about it now, Ella. Come on.” She takes me by the wrist and carefully leads me over the debris littering the hallway. The house is making quick work of mending everything as we walk through a series of winding hallways and up two flights of solid stone steps. “Rest for a bit. We can have dinner together later, and I’ll tell you everything. I’ll take care of the commanders’ wives, so don’t worry about that. Honestly, telling them you and Ryatt have returned will probably be the fastest way to get word to Granger about it since they’re all insufferable gossips. News will spread fast, I’m sure.”
We reach the staircase leading up to the suite I share with Ryatt. Amanda squeezes my hand, then her gaze drops to my stomach. “The baby…”
“She’s all right,” I tell her, smiling.
“A girl?”
“Yes. At least, Ryatt says so.”
Amanda places her hand on the swell of her belly. For conceiving our children on the same night, she looks far ahead of me. I haven’t even begun to show yet. “I recently found out that I’m having a boy. The mystics at Moonrise held a ceremony because the Rite was successful, and I found out then.” Her smile widens. “A boy and a girl, how fun! What if they’re mates?”
“Over my dead body,” Ryatt says dryly, and we both turn as he walks into view.
My chest tightens at the sight of him. He’s dressed in all black with his black leather armor covering his chest, forearms, and thighs. Knee-high leather boots and his leather vest gleam in the raw sunlight coming through the shattered window behind us.
His hair is tied back away from his face, and his eyes shine like pure silver in the sunlight.
All he’s missing is his sword.
He looks like himself again.
It’s hard to describe how badly I’ve missed this.
I fight the urge to cower from the power emanating off him as he comes to a stop at the foot of the stairs. “Amanda,” he says with a slight nod. “You look well. I’m happy to hear you’re giving Granger the son he thought he’d never have.”
She gapes, then quickly shuts her mouth and nods back, then meets my eyes. Her voice is a soft whisper in my mind, traveling down that faint bond between us created by my magic. ‘I’ll talk to you later.’
She’s gone before I can say another word.
Ryatt watches me. I can feel his gaze on the side of my face as I slowly turn to look at him. “How’d you get dressed so fast?” I ask tartly, motioning to his leathers.
“I don’t have time to stay here very long, Ella. Westfall and I are leaving for the Roguelands tonight at sundown.”
I nod, knowing this was coming. “And what about me?”
“You’re expected at the coven tomorrow. You will travel there on your own, if you’re up for it. If you want to.”
“By myself? You’d allow that?” I give him a look. “Did you get knocked on the head on our way through the veil?”
His eyes darken, but he gives me a cocky smile that sends heat rushing over my skin as he replies, “I trust you not to get into any trouble on your way to the mystics.”
“No, you don’t,” I laugh, rolling my eyes as I brush past him and start heading upstairs to our room.
He follows me, and again I feel like his power is taking up every ounce of air around us. I’d forgotten what this feels like. How powerful Eastonia is, how much it influences my own powers, and his.
We’re back. We’re home. And the only thing I want to do is pull him into the shower with me and wash away everything we’ve been through in the last week or so.
Our room is, thankfully, mostly intact, save for a few cracks in the windows. I walk to the center of the room and turn to face him before pulling my shirt over my head and tossing it on the ground.
Ryatt watches me with predatory interest, his eyes grazing over my bare skin as I step out of my sandals and shorts and kick them to the side.
“What are you doing?” he asks. “Is this little show for me?”
“I’ve missed how much of an asshole you are,” I grin. “You were so well behaved in front of my family.”
He takes a step toward me as I hook my thumbs under my panties and tug them down just a touch.
“Should I keep going? Or are you dead-set on running off to do whatever it is you do as Alpha?”
His jaw tightens as his gaze travels further down my body. “Keep going.”
Chapter 328: Wash it All Away
Ella
Ryatt edges closer, slowly undoing the clasps and hooks keeping his leathers fastened to his body. There’s so much hunger in his eyes right now. Gone is that distant look of resignation, of sorrow, and of disbelief that clouded his vision the entire time we were healing in Maatua and the isles. It’s like coming home has brought my mate back to life.
I feel it too. My body’s no longer heavy with grief and despair. My wounds have healed. My mind is no longer plagued by Kane and what he did to me and my body.
My body only reacts to the way my mate is looking at me right now. Like I’m a meal. Like he’s been starving, and I’m the only thing that will satisfy him.
But it’s been a while since I’ve seen that primal look in his eyes that makes them darken to steel. Ryatt won’t go easy on me this time. He won’t hold back. He’s not afraid to hurt me now.
Because we made it home. Because we survived.
And because we have time he never thought we’d have together.
“Come here,” he growls as his arm guards fall to the ground at his feet. I step out of my panties and walk to him slowly, my hair brushing against my lower back with each step. I stop roughly a foot away from him as he unfastens his vest. His eyes remain on mine, then drop to my chest, my breasts, and then my legs. “Turn around.”
I obey, but chuckle, “Are you checking to make sure I made it through the veil in one piece?” But then his hands clutch my waist and he pulls me against him so my back is flush with his abdomen. His mouth is on my neck, his teeth grazing my skin. His hands are rough as they slide up my belly to my breasts.
He lets out a shuddering breath.
My mind is empty. There’s nothing but me, and him, and this moment. This new beginning.
I close my eyes as he presses a kiss against the new mark on my shoulder which sends an electric zing through my entire body.
“Shower with me,” I breathe, unable to help the soft moan that laces through the words as his hands travel back down my body and over my thighs. “I’m covered in dust and soot, Ryatt. I’ll get your clothes dirty.” My words as rushed as his touch becomes more demanding. He’s edging us closer to the bed. I know once we get there, there’s no going back.
“I don’t care. I just need to touch you,” he whispers into my ear as his hand slides between my thighs.
My breath catches in my throat as his fingers glide through my core. Heat barrels through my body at his touch. He knows exactly where and how to touch me. “Gods, Ella,” he rasps, roughly thrusting two fingers inside of me, his other hand pressed flat against my belly to stop me from moving.
I choke on a moan and throw my head against his chest.
“You smell like smoke,” he says into my hair.
I can barely form a coherent thought as his fingers stroke me in all the right places. “That’s because I’m pretty sure I was on fire at some point coming through the veil. Oh–” My breath catches as he sinks his fingers inside of me again.
He chuckles low in his throat and removes his fingers, whirling me to face him. “You’re incredible.”
“I’m filthy,” I tease, backing out of his arms. “I want to shower, and I want you to come with me.”
“Do you know how long it takes to get into this armor?” he says, prowling toward me as I back toward the door to our bathroom.
“You poor Alpha baby,” I pout, and his eyes flare with predatory lust that always has me on edge.
I used to push all of his buttons just to see that look on his face.
Nothing has to change, right?
He rips his shirt off just as I squeal and rush toward the bathroom door, but he catches me around the waist as I cross the threshold. He shoves us inside, the door slamming shut behind us, and the shower starts running as if on instinct.
I love this magic house.
His lips crush mine in a rough, heated kiss full of passion, longing, and the joy of just being alive and together. It’s like everything we’ve done and had to endure led us to this moment.
We could do this slowly. I could run my fingers over his skin, outline each scar and tattoo. I could memorize every move he makes and every heated, possessive word he whispers against my skin, but right now, I just want him. I need him.
I pull him toward the shower. He rips off his shirt while keeping his eyes locked on mine, tossing it to the side. His pants go next, and then he’s naked in all of his glory in front me, shutting the shower door.
My blood rushes through my veins and I back toward the wall. Mist curls up my bare legs as hot water slides over my skin, washing away the remnants of the journey through the veil. His hands clutch my waist, and then his mouth is on my neck, sucking the tender skin between my neck and shoulder.
I close my eyes and wrap my arms around his neck, dipping my head just as he looks up. He brushes my wet hair away from my face and kisses me, his tongue sweeping over my lower lip before plunging into my mouth and over my tongue.
Every touch reminds me that we’re alive. I still can’t believe it. The last time we were in this castle together, we had no idea we’d be facing death in a matter of days.
Now, we have our whole lives ahead of us.
He hooks an arm under my thigh and presses me against the wall. His cock is hard as steel and pressing against my stomach as he deepens the kiss, stealing the very breath from my lungs as I moan around him and grind against him.
“Please,” I whimper, canting my hips against his. I have to stand on my tip-toes to meet him, and even then, he’s lifting me a few inches off the ground as the head of his cock nudges my entrance.
“Beg,” he growls, and it’s my undoing.
“Please,” I whimper, losing control of my body and mind. All there is is him. His touch, his cock pressing inside of me with little gentleness. He fills me completely, stretching me with each glorious inch. “Please, Ryatt.”
He fucks me hard against the wall in the shower. I’ll have bruises on my hip bones tomorrow from where he is holding me so tightlyl, claiming me as his again and again.
“Your body is fucking paradise,” he rasps in my ear, groaning as he slides out fully before thrusting in again. “I can’t get enough of you, Princess. You’re all I think about. All I want is to be buried inside of you.”
I close my eyes as white-hot tension begins to tighten through my thighs and lower belly. His praise has me coming undone as that tension gives way to blinding, soul-shaking pleasure that rips through me and tangles with the powers currently lying dormant in my veins.
“I want you to come,” he whispers against my neck, biting down ever so slightly.
The climax is stronger than any I’ve ever felt before. It hits me like a rogue wave, tugging me under fathoms of water, drowning me in its current. I scream his name as my body ripples with energy, my muscles spasming around his cock that's still buried deep inside of me. He grunts, his teeth biting down on my shoulder hard enough to leave another mark, and fills me with his warm seed.
I open my eyes with the intention of watching my mate lose himself to the moment, but a faint opalescent glow fills my vision instead.
“Ryatt,” I breathe at the same moment he notices the light as well.
The light coming from my skin, and from his.
Slowly he lowers me to my feet and steps away, looking down at his hands, then back at my body.
“What is this?” I ask, turning my hands over to look at my palms. The light fades as quickly as it came. Painless and beautiful, the light dissolves like stars being washed away by the oncoming sunrise.
Ryatt steps toward me again. His expression has softened, his eyes now lovingly locked on mine as his mouth quirks into a disbelieving smile. “I believe… that was your powers.”
I make a face. “I don’t know–I didn’t feel anything. It was just light.”
“You’re… incredible,” he says, his eyes so full of awe. He presses a gentle kiss to my lips, whispering, “but you’re also fucking dangerous, Ella. We need to know what else you can do. I don’t want to be blown to bits because I made my wife come.”
I let out a rough laugh that’s stolen by another round of his kisses.
“How do we find out? A blood test, maybe?”
“Your people are so strange,” he says, shaking his head. “And they love their needles. No, not a blood test. Not like you’re thinking.” He moves away, edging toward the shower door. He pushes it open, giving me a fulll view of his muscular back and sculpted ass and thighs. I bite my lip, wondering if we have time for a second round, but he wraps a towel around his waist and leans against the counter, looking at me. “I know a guy.”
“What kind of guy?” I roughly scrub my scalp with sudsy lavender scented soap.
“He’s basically a mole who lives in the library here in Veiled Valley. I had him test your tears before, and he found something interesting, but we need more information.”
“Is he going to poke and prod me?” I tease, and Ryatt goes rigid, his eyes darkening. Just like I thought they would.
“He will not lay a hand on you or I will cut it off.”
“Goddess, you need to lighten up.”
He rolls his eyes and turns toward the mirror, swiping his hand over the fogged glass. “We’ll go there tomorrow night, before you leave for the coven.”
“You’re serious about me traveling to the coven on my own?”
“I have work to do. Otherwise, I’d go with you. The coven is your domain now. You are a witch. As the last of the Firestones, as far as we’re aware, you are their queen. It’s your right.”
“How do you know that for sure?” I ask, stepping out of the shower and reaching for one of the fluffy towels that house keeps toasty warm.
“If my mother had lived, she would have been Ravenna’s heir. It’s the power that determines succession, not bloodlines. Not when it comes to the witches. You are the most powerful witch this kingdom has seen in centuries. We just need to know what exactly you can do with these powers.”
“I toppled the coven, Ryatt.” My voice slips over the words as memories come rushing back to me.
“And the wards I placed over my lands are gone, and the packs who call the Roguelands home have been without power or safety since the moment you brought me through the veil to Maatua.”
“So… we have to go our separate ways? For how long?”
“Not long,” he assures me, but I can see the questioning look behind his eyes. “I hope.”
“Do I at least get an escort?”
“You can take Westfall.”
I cross my arms over my chest. “You don’t want to catch up for lost time with your father?”
I realize it’s the wrong thing to say a second too late. Ryatt runs his fingers through his damp hair and eyes me through the reflection in the mirror. “Nothing is going to change between me and Westfall, Ella. He might have sired me, but I grew up alone, without a family. He is far from my father.”
“Ryatt, be serious–”
“I am.”
“How do you think he felt? How do you think it felt having to watch you grow up and not being able to tell you who you really were? Who he really was? He loves you.”
“He is my best commander.” He lets out a long sigh. “I need him to be that, and nothing more, until things are settled.”
“And how unsettled are things?” I ask sharply.
He grinds his teeth, his jaw tight. “Worse than I thought, Princess.”