I shuddered. “Can you imagine if I had five mates who relied on me exclusively? I swear to the gods, I would kill you all, love be damned. My greatest joy in life is being able to shove Shan off onto Caspian when he’s being annoying and needs to calm down.”
He chuckled, his hands coming to rest on my hips. I wasn’t wearing much; only a t-shirt that was too big for me. His finger slipped under the hem, sliding it up until my grip on his hand stopped him. He pouted. “I bet you enjoy being able to pass me over to Nolan as well.”
“You two are sweet together.”
“You’re getting sweeter by the day, you know.”
“That’s some fucking blasphemy. I have a question for you, and I should probably ask it during this blissfully short time when we’re alone. Then, as you can probably guess, I have other plans for you.”
Oswald bucked his hips up, his clothed erection rubbing against my bare pussy. “Ask away?”
“Why are you so bad at using weapons? I assumed you lived in Zemterra before being cursed, and it’s a violent place.”
Something flashed through his expression. Shame? The remnants of my mark on his neck didn’t leave a strong enough bond between us for me to tell. “Fighting isn’t in the job description of a Zemterran courtier.”
I had to draw on my limited knowledge of history and the other realms to come up with a description of what a courtier did, but when I figured it out my eyes widened.
“A kiss-ass adviser to the Dukes?You?”
“It was a different version of me. Spending a couple hundred years as a familiar humbled me greatly.”
“Did your job have something to do with why you were cursed?”
He sighed. “Everything to do with it.”
I waited for him to elaborate. He didn’t. If he’d been anyone else, I may have pushed for the information, but in Ozzy’s case I knew he would give it when he was ready.
“Did you ever meet the Duke of the Depths?”
Maisie’s Alpha husband, if she was still alive.
Oswald shook his head. “Not the one you’re talking about. His father was in control back when I attended the courts, and we didn’t cross paths often. I advised one of the Dukes who had territory bordering the Outlands, so I rarely saw the leaders of areas surrounding the capital.”
What would I have asked if Ozzy had known him? If he was likely to be treating my sister well? I already knew the answer was no. Asking for information was only taunting myself, because even I wasn’t stupid enough to believe I’d be able to save her as I currently was. No resources. Bounty on my head through all four realms. Finding her would only put her in more danger than she’d ever been in with him.
“I’m sorry,” Oswald murmured, sliding his hand up to cup my cheek.
The touch was intimate, affectionate, and I leaned into it despite how it made me feel vulnerable. “Not your fault. I’m sure Nolan has some friends in Zemterra. I’ll ask him about Maisie when Kylan is dead.”
He opened his mouth, honey brown eyes filled with softness and apology, but I cut him off with a kiss. It was slow and sensual, our tongues dancing. It struck me that while Ozzy couldn’t wield weapons, I had to imagine he could dance. That was a skill common to courtiers, right? I wouldn’t quiz him today, but the image of him moving smoothly on a marble dance floor had me smiling against his lips.
“You’re oddly sweet this morning,” Oswald said when we drifted apart. “Should I be worried? Are you on the brink of death again? Planning on killing me, maybe?”
Laughing, I planted my hands on either side of his head and gyrated my hips, pressing down against him. He groaned. “No need to be worried. I just plan on refreshing my claim on you. It’s fading, and I don’t like it. You can feel free to mark me too.”
“I shouldn’t.”
“I’m not in heat anymore, obviously. Why shouldn’t you?”
“We’ve barely known each other in my human form.”
“Your scent gets me soaking wet every time I inhale it. The physical appearance of your human body is nothing to scoff at, either. Those are the only things that changed about you. I’m assuming your mind hasn’t?”
“No, but our dynamic is different this way.”
“Doesn’t seem different to me,” I murmured. “You’re still a sarcastic fucker.”
He was arguing about claiming me, but he wasn’t opposed to fucking me. A wet spot was forming on his boxers. Two wet spots, really. One where the tip of his cock spread moisture, and one where I was rubbing my soaking wet pussy on him.
