Page 126 of Savage Throne
I glanced back at the TV.
The images shifted to a high angle shot.
Shit.
The crowd was bigger than I thought, spilling beyond the Palace grounds and onto the streets.
"Mountain Mistress, we love you!"
I swallowed hard and turned away from the screen, not wanting to dwell on the crowd’s adoration for too long.
While it was good that the East was fully accepting me, it wasn’t love I needed from them—it was just respect.
More important. What does Lei think of this?
My heart swelled at the thought of him.
In my mind, his face appeared—the sharp angles softened when he looked at me, his dark eyes holding a fire sparked by passion.
My body reacted instinctively at the thought of him. Warmth bloomed low in my belly and spread outward.
I missed him so fucking bad I could scream.
So goddamn desperately.
I missed the way his touch lingered on my skin, as if even his fingertips couldn’t bear to part from me.
I missed the way his voice wrapped around my name, low and rough, a promise and a command all at once.
My chest ached with the need to see him, to feel his arms around me, to lose myself in his presence. But alongside the longing was a gnawing fear that tightened my throat.
Is Lei ready to fight his father tonight?
I clenched my hands into fists.
Can he win?
On the laptop, the chanting crowd echoed through the tent.
One of the women hurried over and turned the volume down a little.
I gave her nervous smile. “Thank you.”
She bowed. “I would do anything for you, Mountain Mistress.”
I blinked. “Yeah?”
“Yes.” She bowed again.
Another woman came over with undergarments and slowly began to put them on me. Not used to someone helping me into my panties, I must have looked crazy to her. I stepped into them with this odd expression and she shimmied the fabric up with a sweet smile.
Uh. . .I don’t know if I’m going to let people keep putting my underwear on. This is a bit insane.
My mind went back to Lei as she began to slip on my strapless bra, carefully tucking my breasts into each cup.
Lei, did you practice today?
My baby was strong. I’d seen it in the way he carried himself, the way he fought, the way he ruled.
