Page 82 of The Sunbound Princess
Ezabell squeezed our hands. “Don’t worry about that,” she said under her breath.
“Get out of my way!” Helios shoved his way through the crowd, his hair a fiery plume on top of his head. “She was in Andulum seconds ago and thenpoof, she was gone, and I’ve never traveled so fast in my—” He stopped at the front of the crowd, and his body brightened as his gaze fell on Ezabell. “Oh. You found the sunstone.” He flicked his eyes from me to Dain and scowled. “And you broughtthemwith you.”
Ezabell laughed. The sound rippled through the Grove and found its way back to me, nestling under my heart.
She squeezed our hands. “They’re growing on me.”
Chapter
Twenty-Three
DAIN
“Don’t write that last part down.”
I turned from the window as the court scribe’s quill scratched against the parchment. Sunlight streamed over the long, glossy table and thick rug, casting everything in warm gold. Two years in the Summer Court, and I still wasn’t used to having my own rooms. My own anything, really. But my chamber connected to Ezabell’s, and Ezabell’s connected to Nikolas’s, and when evening fell and we dismissed the servants?—
“What should I write instead, my lord?” the scribe asked, looking up.
My lord.I’d probably never get used to the title, either. But no matter how many times I told the castle staff to call me “Dain” they just smiled, nodded, and promptly ignored me.
Sighing, I ran a hand through my hair. “Leave it at the part where Helios enters the Grove for now. I want to review everything we have so far in case I forgot anything.” Future generations of elves would read the story of Ezabell the Summer Queen and her two thieves. I had to make sure it was perfect.
The scribe smiled as he rose from the table. “You’re skilled enough with a quill to write it yourself now, my lord.”
Heat spread over my nape. “Thanks to you,” I said. He’d been patient with me over the past two years, teaching me to read the Common Tongue as well as the elves’ ancient language. “But my handwriting is still terrible.”
The scribe closed the book and tucked it under his arm. “We’ll practice that next, my lord. Tomorrow, perhaps?”
“I look forward to it.”
He bowed and left, and I turned back to the window. Sprawling gardens stretched beyond the palace, everything lush and green. Flowers bloomed in manicured beds. Fountains bubbled between white stone paths, and courtiers strolled in pairs, their bright silks shimmering in the sunlight. Two years, and it still felt like a dream.
But lately, doubts had gnawed at me. Nikolas hadn’t stopped asking Ezabell to marry us. Not a week went by without him bringing it up in some way—sometimes teasingly, sometimes seriously, always hopefully. Ezabell always smiled and said we’d do it when the time was right.
But what if the time was never right?
We were sunbound to her, our lives entwined with hers. It had taken the elves of Lum Laras a while to warm up to the idea of two human thieves at the queen’s side—and in her bed. But we’d won them over. We made Ezabell happy, and her people were enamored with their queen.
So why hadn’t their queen said yes to marriage? Maybe she didn’t want to be bound to two criminals for her immortal life. Maybe she wanted more suitable consorts.
A king.
The door opening behind me pulled me from my brooding. I turned as Nikolas strode in, the tight cut of his silk coat robbing my breath. A master thief, he never failed to steal it. His armswere bare, and the sigils that ran down the lean muscle sparkled as he came to me and pulled me into a kiss.
I grunted, then groaned as he fisted my jacket and stroked his tongue deep. Kisses were never a half-measure with Nikolas. He always kissed like he meant it, like the world was on fire and time was running out.
My dick swelled, desire rushing me. I pulled his hips into mine and worked my cock over his. The table was nice and sturdy. I’d bent him over it a time or two, and it never squeaked. And we had plenty of time before the evening feast. Ezabell wouldn’t mind if we?—
Nikolas pulled back suddenly, his eyes twinkling above flushed cheeks. “Easy, big guy.”
Grunting, I reached for him again, but he stopped me with a hand on my chest. “Ezabell wants us.”
“Now?”
Nikolas laughed. “Don’t look like that.” He winked as he tugged me toward the door. “She has a surprise for you.”
“What kind of surprise?” I demanded, hearing the sexual frustration in my voice.
