Into whispering shadows.., p.29
Into Whispering Shadows (Darkened Skies Book 2), page 29
Astrea watched Jin’s cousins carefully, though none of them appeared fazed by Eliana’s mention of void magic. Of course they’d been briefed; they were Ysabel’s heirs, after all. To keep them in the dark would be a mistake.
“I’m inclined to agree,” Veiko said. “With the right plans and strategies in place, and with the right external support, you may be able to avoid drawing out the internal Helosian war.”
Civil war. Astrea had known, of course, that there would be war in Helosia, at least to some degree. Not everyone would support Eliana’s claims; plenty of civilians and nobles alike backed Kaius. But hearing it spoken about so distantly, so impersonally, didn’t sit right with Astrea. Lots of innocent people would get hurt. Many innocent people would also be hurt by void magic and were already being hurt by the Corsycan War.
“While I do think opening dialogue with our father might be important”—Eliana leaned around Nicos to look down the table at Jin—“I think we must consider targeted strikes and only expand fighting if absolutely necessary. I don’t wish to hurt my people.”
“Perhaps we can review your plans with you in the coming days, Eliana,” Ysabel said. “Before we make a formal recommendation to the council.”
Eliana nodded. “I would be happy to go over them with all of you in depth.”
“And perhaps, we can soon have another dinner together with the council,” Ysabel said. “Something informal, just like tonight. I believe if they get to know you both, they will see why I want to support your efforts.”
Informal? If gowns and three-piece suits, overflowing floral arrangements, and hand-painted and crystal dishware were what Ysabel considered informal, Astrea would hate to see what she considered formal.
“Will you be back from your travels soon, Varojin?” Letizia asked. The woman had the softest voice, almost like wind whispering through the trees. “Ysabel says you are to travel to the mountains?”
The airship would be ready for them by the next evening. They would leave late in the day, arrive in the mountains by the morning, hike to the site, investigate, and then return to Talmaris. Without Kostas’s full research team, Astrea wasn’t sure that such a short time would give them what they needed. But going with a small team would be safer; fewer people would be put in danger. Hopefully they found something useful.
“We’ll be back,” Jin said. “We’re leaving tomorrow night and won’t be gone for too long.”
“Excellent.” Ysabel smiled. “I’ll get started on those plans in the morning. Now please, finish your dessert in peace. Enough talk of war and magic. Skies knows there will be enough of that in the coming weeks.”
As the rest of the table continued discussing lighter topics—Veiko’s interest in art, Delfine’s interest in gardening, Cressida’s work with her father, Adi and Nicos’s hobbies—Jin leaned toward Astrea.
“What do you say we get out of here?” he whispered in Helosian.
Ysabel had made her exit about fifteen minutes before, escorted by Marko—though where he’d come from, Astrea didn’t know. The others were still absorbed in conversation and that decadent chocolate cake.
“Can we?” she asked.
“We can do anything we want.”
Getting out of there sounded much better than staying, especially if Delfine’s questions started up again. The woman was relentless, meddling more than Eliana and Cressida did. That was the difference, though. Eliana and Cressida could tease, but they knew when to stop. Delfine didn’t.
“Then let’s go.”
Jin stood first, then offered Astrea his hand. Lucian stood with them, and Astrea forced back a sigh. What did he want? Could he not just leave them alone?
“Do you need to be escorted somewhere, Your Highness?” he asked.
“No, thank you,” Jin said. “Veiko, Letizia, Delfine, Katerina, it was lovely to meet all of you. But considering we’re traveling tomorrow, Astrea wanted to review some final notes with me again before the trip.”
Notes? That was his excuse? That was the most convincing thing he could come up with?
“We didn’t mean to keep you,” Katerina said.
Delfine, however, smirked. It wasn’t a disapproving look. It was pure amusement.
“No, no, that’s alright.” That honeyed voice and smile of Jin’s were back. “In fact, I hope my sister and friends will stay. They deserve a break.”
“We do still have wine to get through,” Delfine said, her mouth pulling up slyly. “Please stay, Eliana and friends.”
Glancing down the table, Astrea caught Eliana’s eye. She smiled, and Eliana smiled back, but it was the same amused look Delfine had given them.
“I’ve never been one to say no to good wine or cake,” Eliana said. “We would love to stay.”
Chapter 28
As soon as Jin closed their bedroom door, Astrea let her shoulders drop and her magic spread as wide as it wanted to go. It didn’t stretch all that far from her body, instead creating a roomy radius around her. She could breathe again. Feel again.
“You didn’t really want to go over notes, did you?” Astrea asked. She didn’t have to. Raspberry lust danced around Jin in a mesmerizing pattern, brightening the dark room.
“Not unless you want to,” he said as he shrugged off his suit jacket.
“Well, it probably wouldn’t hurt . . .” As Jin’s face fell, his aura wavering, Astrea giggled. Skies, it felt so good to laugh. She felt like she hardly did it anymore. They used to laugh all the time, all those years ago. “I wish you could see what I do.”
“You . . .”
“Of course I don’t want to look at notes right now.” All they’d been doing was looking at notes. One night off wasn’t going to stop them from finding answers.
“Unbelievable,” he murmured as tart lust and sweet amusement filled her mouth. Jin prowled closer, the corners of his lips quirking up. “Then what would you rather be doing?”
“Oh, all sorts of things.”
As Jin reached her, he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her into his body. Astrea’s heart hammered in her throat, unignorable but pleasant. “Let’s be specific.”
Astrea wiggled out of his grasp and turned toward their bedroom door. “I suppose I could change and go for a run,” she said. “You and Adi seem to love doing that.”
“Not happening. What else?”
“Surely there’s reading to do.”
“We’ve been reading for days. Try again.”
With a smile, Astrea spun toward him. She was just inches from their door, hands clasped behind her back. “We could play a game.”
Jin stepped closer, his hands already undoing the buttons on his waistcoat and shirt. “A game?” He stopped right in front of her, so close she could feel his body heat. “You want to play a game right now?”
“Don’t you?”
“I really, really don’t.”
“Picky.” Peach amusement flared around him, and warmth washed over her. “What do you want to be doing, then?”
“You’re very lucky right now, Az.”
“And why’s that?”
“Because.” Jin pushed in closer until her back pressed against the wall just next to the door. Raspberry lust clung to his limbs. That striking, deep purple reverence twined with it, as did more peach. It was so beautiful, this sunset made just for her. “As much as I want to fuck you against this wall, I’m going to be a gentleman and fuck you on that bed instead.”
Astrea’s insides burned, molten and churning. No one had ever spoken to her like that. Every time she and Jin had been together since that first night, he’d been so gentle. Attentive. This, though. This was different. And she liked it.
She peered up at him. “Maybe I want you to fuck me against the wall.”
Jin wasted no time. He stooped, kissing her neck, her jaw, her lips. He tasted like that white wine they’d had at dinner, light but lush. “Is that really what you want?”
“There’s a first time for everything.”
His fingers tangled in the hair at the nape of her neck as he kissed her hard and deep. Astrea opened her mouth to him, moaning as he took her lower lip between his teeth. Every inch of her ignited.
“My dress,” she said as she pulled away. “Help me get it off.” Astrea couldn’t reach the little buttons holding the back of her gown together, but she desperately wanted to feel his hands on her skin.
Jin pulled her away from the wall and started working on the buttons. As he worked, Astrea kissed his neck and jaw, her fingers running through those loose, messy curls. They’d grown out a bit in the last couple weeks. It suited him.
He groaned. “I can’t do this quickly if you’re going to distract me.”
Astrea turned so he could access the back of her dress. As soon as the buttons were unhooked, Jin slid the bodice’s straps off her shoulders and pushed the gown off her hips. His hands roamed her torso, her breasts, the base of her throat.
“Bed,” he breathed into her ear. “Now.”
“What happened to the wall?” she asked, missing his warmth as soon as he pulled away.
“Bed,” he repeated.
“Bossy,” Astrea sassed. Sweet approval washed over her again and again, almost like she’d eaten a spoonful of sugar.
Still, she climbed into bed and wiggled out of her bloomers as she watched him undress. Jin didn’t even watch where he was throwing his discarded clothes; his eyes were glued to her.
“Now,” he said as he climbed on top of her, “isn’t this better than a wall?” His fingers trailed down her sternum, then the soft hill and slope of her belly. Astrea shivered. “Now I can touch you properly.” His hand continued descending, past the dusting of hair between her thighs and right to her clit.
Astrea trembled with anticipation. His forehead dropped to hers, those fingers moving in slow, gentle circles. When she let out a breathy gasp, he smirked.
“I love making you make that noise.”
Heat flushed Astrea’s face, but Jin didn’t seem to notice. Instead, his fingers circled several more times before they dipped down into her.
What was it about being with Jin that made her unable to think straight? Maybe it was the energy dancing around her—lust, joy, pride, determination—or maybe it was her own desire. Skies, she wanted him. She wanted him so badly. Astrea reveled in it. She let it all wash over her again and again.
But she also didn’t want to be selfish. Jin was attentive, so much so that Astrea could barely focus. Reaching between them, she wrapped her hand around his erection. She’d barely done anything, had barely moved her hand, but Jin sucked in a breath before nipping at her neck. Emboldened, she stroked him once, twice, a third time.
“Do that again,” he whispered. When she did, he sucked in another sharp breath. “Shit.”
Jin pulled his fingers out of her as he backed up and stepped off the bed. Then he hooked his arms under her knees and pulled her down the silky sheets toward the edge of the mattress.
“I don’t think I can wait,” he practically pleaded. “Ready?”
“Yes.” She didn’t want to wait anymore, either. She didn’t need to.
Still standing, Jin stroked himself twice before pushing into her. It was a welcome stretch, a relief. Astrea wrapped her legs tight around his waist, and when she pulled him closer, he groaned out another swear.
Competing lust and warmth settled in her bones, drowning out the rest of the world. All of her senses homed in on those feelings and the way Jin pounded into her. She couldn’t think, could barely breathe, and it was the best feeling in the world.
One second he was standing over her, kissing her, and the next she was being flipped onto her front. Jin nudged her legs apart with his knees. “Good?” he asked.
“Yes,” Astrea breathed, burying her face in the sheets and spreading her legs as she pushed up on her forearms.
He tugged her hips up, then buried himself deep inside her. Astrea moaned into the mattress, trying to stifle herself despite the empty house. But Jin was making that very difficult as he plunged in and out of her, one hand on her hips and the other finding hers as her fingers twisted the sheets. Sparks danced through Astrea’s lower belly and up toward her lungs. She wanted to scream or moan or something, but all that came out were the tiniest gasps as she pushed her hips higher.
As Jin pulled out of her, he nudged her onto her back. Astrea rolled over all the way and settled back among the pillows. She tried to steady her breathing as she brushed hair away from her face.
“You good?” he whispered. When she nodded, Jin leaned toward her, erection brushing her belly, and murmured, “I need to hear you say it.”
“I’m good.”
“Do you want to keep going?” That purple reverence danced around him, weaving its way between the gold joy and raspberry lust flaring higher. The colors were so bright she almost had to look away, but she didn’t.
Astrea threaded her fingers through his hair and kissed him. She never wanted it to end. Just as he pulled away and sucked in a breath, Astrea whispered, “Of course I do. Do you?”
“Az,” Jin said against her throat, “I don’t want anything else right now.”
He slid into her again, gentler and slower this time. Then he sat up, hands gripping her thighs and pushing her hips back. Astrea didn’t know how, but Jin hit the right spot again and again and again. And when he reached for her clit again, Astrea pushed his hand away.
“Don’t stop.” She barely got the words out. He held her in place, continuing to slam into her as she touched herself with one hand and grabbed his shoulder with the other.
Astrea’s eyes closed. The lust and desire swirling around her. The feeling of Jin’s skin on hers. The way her body tightened more and more as Jin’s thrusts grew sloppier by the second.
She cried out. Trembles rolled through Astrea’s body again and again as her release came, as Jin seemed to spill inside her forever. His entire body shook as he pressed his forehead against hers. When he finally pulled out, Jin rolled to the side and tucked his head into the empty spot beside hers.
He kissed her shoulder. “Still good?” he asked as he draped one arm over her waist.
“Very good.”
He kissed her shoulder again, his fingers brushing against her hair as Astrea tried to catch her breath. Even Jin blew out a heavy sigh as they both settled into the pillows. His emotions still pressed into her, far less intense than before. It was comforting, really, to feel him both with her magic and his body against hers.
Somewhere in the back of her mind, Astrea figured she should clean up, but she was weak in the best way. She didn’t think she could move even if she actually wanted to. Jin didn’t move, either, other than to play with the ends of her hair.
“Did Delfine upset you at dinner?” Jin asked after a few minutes. “I didn’t realize she would be so nosy. I thought I’d left the busybody family member behind in Kalama.”
Astrea stared up at the canopy hanging over the bed. He wanted to talk about that now? Delfine’s questions had been straightforward—unusual, at least in Kalamian social circles. Even Ysabel had not asked questions like that. Astrea had been more embarrassed than upset. But what did she tell Jin? That her stomach had flipped when he’d implied this might be serious?
She could see that plainly at times—his colors were so bright, so strong—and yes, he’d told her he wanted to really try at their relationship. That it wasn’t just one night. But hearing him say it at dinner, in front of cousins he barely knew and in front of their friends, was different.
“Hey.” Jin pushed up on his elbow, leaning over to cup her face with his free hand. His thumb stroked her cheek, gentle. Reassuring, even as his anxiety pressed painfully into her chest. “Did I upset you?”
“No! Skies, no.” She smiled. “I was just surprised.”
“Surprised by her question or my answer?”
Astrea watched him for a moment. That purple and gold sheen still surrounding him. The gentleness in his eyes. The way his eyebrows pulled together almost imperceptibly, just like they did when he was worried. “Both.”
Orange anxiety joined the other colors still dancing in the air. “Surprised in a good way or a bad way?”
“In a good way.”
They had only been reunited for a little more than a month, and it wasn’t like they were exactly able to do all the normal things courting couples did. Relationships moved quickly in Kalama, but how could Jin be so confident after such a short time? After so many years apart and with so many unknowns?
“I didn’t mean to put pressure on this or us,” he said gently. “I hope you know that.”
“I know.” And she did. Jin was not impulsive, but he’d always been honest. Almost always.
As he settled back down next to her, Astrea tried to focus on anything other than her erratic pulse. She didn’t want to put pressure on them, either.
She didn’t even know if there was anything to put pressure on in the long run. What were the rules for princes? In Helosia? In Novaria? Astrea wanted to ask, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to know the answer. Maybe I just need to enjoy whatever time we have together. The thought made her heart hurt, because if she was honest with herself, she’d found her mind wandering through the possibilities, what kind of life they might live together for years to come. She pushed it all far into the back of her mind.
“You should get some rest,” Jin said. “You’ll need it if you want to be ready for what comes later.”
“What’s later?” When a ridiculously proud smile lit up his face, Astrea groaned. “I thought it was important.”
“Oh, but it is important.” He kissed her shoulder. “Seeing how many times I can make you climax in a day is essential work.”
Laughing, Astrea reached to the side and grabbed one of the pillows. She brought it over to drop on his head, but he wrestled it from her with no effort at all.
Jin tossed it to the side as he climbed back on top of her and said, “Shall we get back to it?”
