Dragonbound, p.23
DragonBound, page 23
After a few excruciating minutes, Sero poked his head out. The rooms were silent and he flitted to the door and rested his hand on it. “They’ve gone,” he said.
“Will they raise the alarm?” Solanji asked, finding it difficult to breathe.
“I don’t think so, thanks to Kerris’ quick thinking. Well done, lad. But we are running out of time. Have you found anything?”
“Nothing. I was about to start on the books.”
Sero nodded and flitted over to the book shelves and trailed his fingers along the spines. Kerris inspected the wood panelling that ran around the bottom half of the walls and then started tapping.
“Weren’t you supposed to be guarding the door?” Solanji asked.
Sero shrugged. “You were right, I wouldn’t fool anyone. Anyway, we’ll search quicker with the three of us. These books are just for show. She hasn’t read them.”
“Why does she have so many, then?” Solanji asked with a frown.
“Ow!” Kerris yelped as a wood panel swung open and bashed him in the face. He held his cheek and grabbed the panel before it could slide back into place. Sero rushed to his side and peered into the opening.
“Well, what do we have here?” the cherub murmured, and he squeezed into the hole.
“Sero? What are you doing?” Solanji demanded as she inspected Kerris’ reddening eye. Tears streaked his swelling cheek, and he flinched away as she tried to dab his face. “You are going to have a lovely black eye.”
They froze as the outer door clicked open. “It is untenable,” Serenia’s cold voice echoed in her perfect room. Solanji let the panel snick shut, and she dragged Kerris back towards the wardrobe, shoved him inside and dived in after him.
Barely breathing, she listened intently as Serenia entered the room, moments later the bed creaked as she sat and the dull thud of her shoes hitting the floor followed. “Amaridin, darling, this is your fault. You were too lenient on him. I told you he would twist everything. He is not an archdeus anymore, even you should be able to see that.”
“Just because his wings have changed doesn’t mean he isn’t an archdeus.”
Serenia sighed loudly. “You must see they change everything!”
“Why?” Amaridin’s response was sharp and cold.
“Because his wings are black. He must have fallen to Kaenera’s influence. He has been tainted by his time in Eidolon. He is no longer the man he was; it is quite obvious. You can’t allow that in the citadel.”
Solanji silently exhaled as the bed creaked again as Serenia rose. “You will hold it all, Amaridin. It’s what you’ve always wanted, don’t you remember?” Her voice dropped to a whisper.
“That is what you want, Serenia. Prove his guilt or let him go. False accusations will get you nowhere.”
“Dear boy, your attempts to assert yourself are pathetic. You will do as I say or pay the consequences.”
“Eodan is overstepping the line,” Amaridin protested.
“You are overstepping. Be careful, Amaridin. Now I need to change, so be off with you.”
Serenia tutted and then closed the door. The swish of her robes dropping to the floor preceded her sweeping a gown off the bed.
Struggling to keep her eyes open, snuggled in the dark wardrobe, Solanji exhaled in relief when Serenia finally left the room. Solanji eased her way out from the wardrobe. One eye on the chamber door, she tugged on Kerris’ arm. “Kerris?” she breathed, and gave the boy a shaky smile as his pale face appeared between the silk dresses. His pupils were huge in his terrified face, and putting her finger to her lips, she crept to the bedroom door and listened.
“Let Sero out,” she mouthed.
Kerris’ nod was a bit jerky, but he carefully pressed the wood and rotated the panel. He peered inside. “Sero?”
There was silence.
“Where is he?” Solanji whispered.
“He’s not there.”
“We need to go. Maybe he slipped out.” Solanji frowned. She wasn’t sure when he would have had the chance. They were out of the bedchamber and nearly across the outer chamber when the door to the corridor began to open.
Solanji’s heart stuttered, and she grabbed Kerris and pulled him behind the opening door. His face was salt white and he looked like he was going to faint. She clutched him tight and peered through the gap between the door and the door frame, his heart thrumming as fast as hers.
A woman shut the door, her back to the corner where Solanji and Kerris stood like statues, and crossed the room, grumbling under her breath. Solanji watched her disappear into the bedchamber and then yanked the door open and dragged Kerris with her, as they fled down the corridor.
Behind the wooden panel, Sero listened intently as Serenia’s voice grew louder. He wrinkled his brow, disbelief curdling his veins as she denounced Demavrian. It was only since Demavrian’s return that the citadel had felt anything like its former self. The one time the heartbeat had pulsed through the building, revitalising all within it, was all down to him.
With renewed determination, Sero touched the wooden panel, letting its history seep into his mind. The tree it had been cut from, the carpenter who had shaped and polished it, the builder who had set it in place, the archangel who had hidden her treasures within.
Sero dropped to the floor and smiled as the memories of Serenia levering up a plank and hiding a bundle beneath, scrolled before him. Following the ghostly hands, Sero pulled up the dusty wood, and brushing cobwebs away, he rummaged below and almost laughed out loud as his fingers touched soft material.
Sealing the plank back in place and unravelling the cloth, Sero froze as he touched the ring, and its last memories became his. His heart stuttered, and he felt light-headed as the memories seeped into him, his to hold forever. After a moment of deep breathing to control his rapidly beating heart, he slid the ring on his middle finger. Rotating the large amethyst gem to be hidden within his palm, he gripped it tight and followed the dark passageway towards the faint glow at the end.
He ignored the cobwebs trailing through his hair, the dust griming his usually pure white tunic. He needed to find Demavrian.
Arriving back at Mav’s chambers Solanji slammed the door shut behind her and leaned against it as she scanned the room. “Is Sero here?”
“I thought he was with you,” Felather replied, raising an eyebrow. “Did you find it?”
“No, we were nearly caught.” Solanji flung herself into a chair. “It’s impossible! We found a secret hidey-hole. Sero got locked inside it when Serenia returned to her rooms and we all had to hide. But after she left, we checked again and he was gone. We kept getting interrupted by the maids.”
Kerris collapsed on the chair next to her and clasped his head in his hands. “That was scary as shit!”
“And Sero was useless,” Solanji said. “Where is he?” She looked around and narrowed her eyes. “What happened in Apologia? Where’s Mav?”
Felather shrugged. “Mav flared his wings; the count was rescinded.”
Solanji exhaled. “Thank goodness.”
Kerris frowned at her. “You said he had wings; you knew he would flare them.”
“Yes, but he didn’t completely believe me. There was always a chance…” Solanji’s voice trailed off as she rose and began pacing. She couldn’t keep still. Pacing back and forth, she chewed her lip as Felather and Kerris watched her. “Was he alright?” Solanji asked pacing again.
“He’ll be fine, Solanji.”
“I’m worried about Sero. We shouldn’t have left him. What if Serenia finds him?”
“Unlikely, don’t you think? She was more likely to discover you or Kerris. And it would be worse for you than a cherub.”
“We still shouldn’t have left him! I feel terrible.”
“Don’t be. Sero must have found another way out. Worst case he just has to wait until the maid finishes.”
Solanji huffed. She clenched her fingers into fists, wishing she could thump someone. She was sure she had lost a few years from sheer fright. Kerris was hunched over by the fire. At least he had a little colour in his cheeks, though that may have been the bruising from by being bashed by the wooden panel. His prowling skills were little better than hers. “Where do you think Mav went?”
“It’s probably the first time he’s flown in centuries. It will take him a while to come back down.”
“But his wings…”
“What about them?”
“They are…”
“Perfect,” Mav’s voice came from the doorway. He limped inside, shutting the door behind him, and Solanji was across the room, a tentative hand reaching for him.
“Mav,” she whispered as she brushed his silver-streaked hair away from his beautiful face.
“Solanji,” he replied.
“Are you truly alright?”
“As well as can be expected,” he murmured against her fingers as she caressed his lips.
“What do you need?”
His breath sighed out, exhaustion in every line of his body. “Apart from some sleep, I have no idea.”
Her fingers smoothed over his cheek; soft shadows gilded the edges, giving him an inhuman beauty, and he leaned into her palm. Extending her soul fingers, she caressed his shadows, and his shoulders dropped, his eyelids lowering. She pressed against his body and his arms slid around her waist as he exhaled, his breath hot on her neck.
“Did you find the ring?” he asked.
“I don’t know,” Solanji whispered back, combing her fingers through his hair. “Sero is trapped in Serenia’s rooms and we’re waiting for him to escape. We found a hidden space, but we don’t know what’s in it, except for Sero. Mav, I’m so sorry, we left him there. Serenia came back and we had to escape when we had the chance.”
Mav shuddered and she tightened her grip on him.
Felather cleared his throat, and Mav tensed. “We’ll let you two talk. Kerris, we can use the time to discuss healing. Mav should rest. Don’t let him do anything too strenuous…I mean, umm…sleep. He needs to sleep. I’ll send some food up later.” Felather bobbed his head, his face bright red, and grabbing Kerris, he ran. The door clicked shut behind them.
“Sleep? Is that what you need?”
“It may be what I need, but it’s not what I want,” Mav replied, kissing her. “You were saying?” He nudged her hand.
She laughed and snuggled into his golden-shot shadows as they circled around her, drawing her into him, and they shuffled over to his bed chamber. She helped him lift his leg onto the bed and he groaned as he relaxed. “My back. I’ve been using muscles that haven’t flexed in decades.”
“Let me help you with that,” she murmured as she began to undo his buttons. Her lips followed her fingers, soft and moist, leaving a hot trail across sensitive skin. Mav shivered under her touch and she unbuckled the straps, pulling them out from under him, aware that his gleaming eyes followed her every move.
Pushing his shirt over his shoulders, he shrugged out of it, and she flung it over her shoulder, smiling as his lips twitched. “I might need that,” he said.
“Not for now, at least,” Solanji whispered against his skin as she kissed her way down his chest, her soul fingers stroking the edge of shadowy wings, and he melted into the bed as she rubbed her cheek against the soft, dark hair on his chest and dropped gentle kisses on his stomach. He shuddered beneath her. His eyes, more golden than amber, closed as she caressed all of him. She worked the buckles loose at his waist and snapped the belt away, jolting him back to his senses. She didn’t want him so ensorcelled that he wouldn’t remember.
Soothing him back down on the bed with long, sensuous strokes of his shadows, she straddled him as her nimble fingers loosened the trouser fastenings, smiling at the heat of his arousal beneath her hands. A similar heat was building within her, though he hadn’t touched her yet, he just watched her with a lazy smile on his face. A smile that sent her brain spiralling out of control. He reached for the ties of her shirt. His slender fingers were cool and pale against her darker skin. She trembled at the gentle sensation as his touch slid across her ribs and down her side, tickling, and she shuffled back, pulling his trousers with her.
He raised himself on his elbows. “We’ve been here before, I think. Though I’m sure you had fewer clothes on.” His voice was low and gravelly, at odds with the flames burning in his eyes.
Solanji stripped the rest of her clothes off and paused for a moment for him to look his fill. After all, she had seen him naked more than once. She flushed as he slowly inspected her, his smile widening and then she climbed on the bed and slid her cool body the length of his heated one, and he groaned as she kissed her way up his neck and across his gritted jaw which tightened as she ground against him, stoking the fires. She worshipped the sharp angles of his cheeks, breathed into the shell of his ear and then back to his sensuous lips, where he took control and plundered her mouth as he flipped her over and covered her with his body.
She was burning. His heat was exquisite; it was torture as he explored her face in turn. Too slow, he was too slow. She arched her neck and his laugh was soft and sexy, but he skimmed down her neck to her chest and then stopped at one of her breasts and she groaned as he throbbed between her legs.
“Exquisite,” he breathed against her skin. “You are so beautiful.”
Solanji chuckled. “You’re blind.”
“No, my love, you are.” He nuzzled her breast, sucking, teasing, and planting a trail of kisses that ignited her skin. A wave of heat swept through her, and she gasped as she arched off the bed, chasing his amazing lips.
He continued kissing his way down her body as heat pooled in her core, and she gripped his hair as she writhed under his touch. More, she needed more. His tasted her, tongue teasing, and she went up in flames, scorching desire rippling through her as she tried to hold herself together.
“Please…” she whispered. “I need you…now!”
Mav raised his head and peered at her over her belly, and she met his blazing eyes as he slid up her body, his erection hot and pulsing against her skin, and then kissing her, he slowly pushed his way inside.
Solanji devoured his mouth, her questing tongue plundering deeper as she clenched around him. She swallowed his groan as he thrust again, and she arched against him, taking him all the way as he shuddered. He tried to pull out, but she followed him, keeping him embedded to the hilt as she clenched around him, relaxed, and clenched again. He pushed with her, a sensuous motion that took them both to the peak, and they both stilled, questing after that moment of sheer exquisite pleasure, before they began breathing again and shuddered in unison as they came, waves and waves of sensation and tingling desire rippling through them.
Breathing heavily, Solanji hugged Mav tight, preventing him from moving. He was seated deep inside her, and she never wanted him to leave. His heat flooded her, his body was limp and heavy on top her, and she had never felt better in her life.
“I love you so much,” she whispered.
Mav raised his head and met her gaze, his amber eyes molten with desire. “I love you just as much,” he replied as he gently kissed her. “You are absolutely perfect, and I love every bit of you.”
Solanji chuckled, and he groaned. “Don’t laugh, I can’t take any more.” She let him ease out and flop next to her. Snuggling into his arms, she inhaled the delicious scent of his sweaty body and then couldn’t resist kissing his shoulder, his neck, tasting his salty skin, inhaling deeply.
“You sound like you want to eat me,” Mav murmured. “We should get dressed and have some lunch.”
“I want to devour you,” Solanji replied, “every single day of my life.”
Mav relaxed in her arms. “That can be arranged, my darling.”
28
XYLVIN, EIDOLON
Xylvin spread her wings and glided over an area of thick forest which was split by a muddy track, leading to the first compound on their list. She tasted the damp, pine-scented air and said, “There is no way we can tell if Mav’s fledglings are in there from up here.”
“Which is why we land and see if they’ll let me in,” Ryvalin replied. “We have no time to waste. We have nine more compounds to check.”
“Hopefully, we’ll find them before we have to search all of them. I get the feeling we have days not weeks.”
“Me too, and we’ve wasted half of one getting here, so land here Xylvin, and let’s see what we can find.”
Xylvin banked and then back-winged as she carefully descended through the trees and onto the road leading up to the main gate. A flurry of activity in the compound had the gate creaking open, and a shabby looking guard squinted at them. Someone shoved him in the back, and he scowled at the person behind him, stepped through the opening, and slowly approached, his eyes wide as he stared at the dragon.
He peered up at Xylvin and visibly gulped as he halted a good distance away. “Yes? What do you want?” he called. His voice shook, and he instinctively took a step back as Ryvalin dismounted.
Waving her papers in the air, she walked towards him. Xylvin hissed out her breath, curls of smoke drifting around Ryvalin’s ankles. “We’re here on Seraphim Kyrill’s orders. He had some of his fledglings delivered here by mistake and he wants them back,” Ryvalin said.
The guard shook his head. “Not had any new slaves arrive for at least two weeks. They’re not here.”
Ryvalin frowned. “You’re sure? It would have been a wagon of youngsters from up north.”
“No kids here. You’ve been told wrong.”
“Seraphim Kyrill doesn’t get things wrong.”
The man shrugged. “You can come and look if you want, but there are no kids here. Must have been taken to one of the other compounds. There’s a couple of camps further south that use kids for mining. They can fit in the small spaces.”
“They’re not here,” Xylvin murmured. “Let’s not waste our time.”
Ryvalin scowled. “Very well. Do you know which compounds use the children?”
