“Infinitely.” Tiernan plunged into her one final time, emptying himself inside of her on a resounding groan as thunder rumbled in the distance.
In the moments following their passion, Maeve found herself at a loss for words. She was curled against Tiernan, her backnestled against his chest. He had one arm thrown protectively around her waist, and all she could focus on was the tattoo of roses now marking his wrist. A reminder of his vow to her. The oath she knew he would honor, no matter the cost.
At some point, they should probably return to Niahvess. It wouldn’t be long before dusk blanketed the skies, before the stars winked into existence.
But for now, she was willing to lie there in the safety of his arms for as long as possible. If she closed her eyes, she could pretend the horrors they would soon face didn’t exist. She could imagine a world with a wedding, and future children, and all the things she never thought possible.
Because Maeve knew the moment she opened her eyes, the dream would evaporate.
After all, nothing could last forever.
Chapter Seven
Tiernan faded back to Niahvess with Maeve sound asleep in his arms.
He tucked her into his bed and she snuggled beneath the covers, pulling them up to her chin. Her hair spilled over his pillowcase in long, loose curls as her chest rose and fell in steady, even breaths, her subconscious carrying her off into the land of dreams. In sleep, she looked peaceful. Happy. There were no lines of worry creasing her brow, no shadows of fear haunting her eyes.
She needed her rest, needed her strength.
He bent over, placing the lightest of kisses on her temple, then quietly slipped out of the bedroom, closing the door behind him. Releasing the breath he’d been holding, Tiernan looked down at his wrist.
Sun and sky, what the hell was he going to do?
The Strand emblazoned on his skin cemented his pledge to her. But the rules of vows and bargains were not the same. If a fae didn’t hold true to their end of a deal, whatever was given to them in exchange was taken away. Depending on the magnitude of such an agreement, it wasn’t always insufferable. But if Tiernan retracted his vow, if he broke his oath to Maeve, thepunishment was severe. According to the laws written in blood by the first High Kings and Queens, he would be stripped of his title and forced into exile. He would become a Dorai, one of the banished.
He would never see Maeve or Niahvess ever again.
Tiernan headed down the open corridor to Ceridwen’s room. He had to speak with his twin. It was a difficult thing to ask, as he knew Ceridwen’s visions had become unpredictable and more consuming as of late, but he needed her to revisit the battlefield. Surely since Maeve’s return, the vision had been altered somehow or changed for the better. His sister was a renowned seer and she’d only ever been wrong once before.
When the dark fae infiltrated the Four Courts, she’d been plagued with nightmares. She misinterpreted them, thinking it was a spell of bad dreams, not realizing it was an omen. No one had any idea Faeven would be plunged into what would become the Evernight War. Ceridwen hadn’t seen it coming.
Tiernan rounded the corner, lost in thought, and shoved open the door to Ceridwen’s room.
“Ah, fuck.” He nearly tripped over himself and immediately stumbled backward, averting his eyes.
There was Merrick, sprawled across Ceridwen’s bed, with his hands tucked behind his head, naked as the day of his birth.
“Shit!” Merrick scrambled for a blanket, grabbing the dark red comforter and draping it across his lap. “Apologies, my lord.”
“Save it.” Tiernan pinned his hunter with a hard look. It wasn’t the first time he’d seen his best friend naked. There’d been numerous drunken stupors in their youth where Merrick’s clothing had magically disappeared. But the last place he expected to find Merrick fully nude was in Ceridwen’s bed.
His sister peeked her head out of the door of the bathing suite, her fluffy robe twirling around her. She stepped out,fully covered—thank the gods—her mouth turned down in displeasure.
“Honestly, Tier.” Her voice was calm but a blush bled into her cheeks. “You should learn to knock first.”
“You’re right, of course.” Tiernan grabbed the door handle and backed out. “Forgive me.”
A faint line creased her brow, and she tilted her head, concerned. “Did you need something?”
“It can wait.” Tiernan sent Merrick another look of warning, then closed the door.
“What the fuck,” he muttered, shaking the image from his mind. He thought there might have been something going on between Merrick and Ceridwen, but he figured if his sister wanted him to be informed of her love life, then she would tell him. He would be lying if he wasn’t bothered by the fact that Ceridwen’s supposedsirradidn’t want her, and if that particular male was indeed Merrick, he would have some serious explaining to do. But Tiernan knew his sister, just like he knew she preferred to keep her feelings to herself. So, he’d never questioned it. And even though he’d walked in on…whatever that was, he would still keep his opinions to himself.
It was best to let them enjoy each other’s company, considering their time on this plane of existence could be coming to an end.
He strolled through his palace, with no real purpose, only to find himself standing in front of the doors of the library.
Perhaps the answers he sought were in here instead.
