Out of the Mountain (37 page)

“Fair enough,” he said as he slipped his hands under the shirt and explored the skin of my stomach and back with a feather-light touch. My hands found his chest of their own volition and my mouth followed suit. I could feel his arousal firm underneath me and tried to imagine going further, moving forward with this explosive attraction between us . . .but I wasn’t quite ready for that, and he knew it.

His kissing was slowing, and I huffed out a disappointed sigh.

“You’re cutting me off?” I grumbled.

“I am cutting myself off.” He chuckled, and I leaned my head against his chest, content to just be close to him. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me tightly to him. One hand was making lazy circles on my back. I don’t think I had ever felt so comfortable in my life.

“I am going to have to argue that you seem pretty perfect.”

“You would lose that argument.”

“I don’t know. I think I have quite a bit of evidence to support my cause.”

“If anyone is near perfect, it is you.” He sighed, and I smiled, burying my head in his chest. His skin was firm and soft at the same time. He smelled so good, I pulled his scent deep into my lungs and sighed contently.

He kissed the top of my head and continued rubbing my back as we slipped into an easy silence. Just being together. My eyes drifted closed and before I knew it, I was asleep in his arms.

I awoke feeling stiff, I stretched long and lazily like a cat. I felt weight shift under me and my eyes snapped open. Rowan smiled down at me. The sun shining through the windows told me that he had held me all night.

“I am so sorry!” I tried to jump up, but he pulled me closer to him.

“I am not.” His voice rumbled beneath my ear. My position had shifted at some point, and he was cradling me over his lap. That would explain the stiffness in my back.

“I didn’t mean to fall asleep on you. You could have just thrown me on the bed,” I complained, embarrassed. He didn’t reply as he ran a hand through my hair and kissed me just below my ear. I shivered, my body responding immediately.

“I preferred not to be separated from you,” he admitted.

“You could have joined me in the bed,” I offered, the thought enticing even now.

“It is much easier to hold you to me than it would be to lie next to you. This provides me something to keep my hands and mind busy.” He chuckled as he ran a hand down my back, and I smiled.

“I don’t think I would mind letting your hands wander,” I said.

“I don’t think either of us would.” He rumbled as he allowed his hand to slide up my exposed leg. He splayed it across the markings on my outer thigh, and I shuddered as he leaned in and placed a slow, sensual kiss on my lips. I responded eagerly. Everything this man did drove me wild.

I was about to let him in on that when a throat cleared from across the room. I jumped to my feet, startled to see Farran standing in the doorway glaring at Rowan, who was lazily rising to his feet, shirtless and as magnificent as ever. I looked down and saw that I still wore his shirt and conjured my training gear.

“Well, good morning,” Farran grumbled, and I blushed.

“Sorry” was all I said. I wasn’t even going to try to explain. He rolled his eyes.

“We came up with two ways to confirm that our allies remain our allies.” He continued into the room and stretched his hand out to us. He was holding two thin pieces of white ribbon.

“First is the ribbon is to be tied securely around your left wrist. We will be meeting tonight after dark in Guard HQ. You must be wearing the ribbon to enter. The second thing is a sort of code word—a phrase, if you will. When asked what the weather is like for the end of the week, you respond that a storm is coming. Those two things together put you in the clear. We will meet tonight to discuss strategy and how to deal with the spy when they are found.”

“Wont the red eyes and complete personality change be a good clue?” I joked, but his frown deepened.

“Narissa has found ways to conceal the more obvious signs. The creatures are more adept at faking normal now. We have no way of knowing how many people are actually marked. It also seems that they are covering the marks, or possibly she is putting them in a less obvious place. After she realized our attempts to uncover them, she took steps to undermine us as best as she can.”

“Well, wasn’t that just so considerate of her,” I complained, and Farran finally smiled.

“About as considerate as any potential evil overlord can be, I would suspect.”

“So, wear the ribbon tonight and keep quiet and calm to suspicious activities until then. Got it.”

“Good girl. Now come on and bring lover boy. We have another ritual to do. Luckily this one is the last, other than Rowan’s tomorrow, so we won’t have to worry about that inadvertently being revealed to Narissa’s spy.”

“We will meet you there.” I sighed, and he vanished. I turned to see a nostalgic look on Rowan’s face.

“What?”

“I was just thinking of how much I preferred to have you awaken in my arms, wearing my clothing. The sight of you in my shirt replacing the former one I had of you in Malachi’s is very fulfilling,” he admitted, and I snorted, unable to stop myself.

“Fulfilling?” I shook my head and couldn’t stop myself from laughing. He blushed.

***

Our ritual and morning training out of the way, we were gathered on the field waiting for Rowan’s announcement. I was trying to act normal, but it was difficult not to be suspicious of everyone around me. We had no way of knowing if Narissa had gotten to any of us last night or this morning. All the novices were present, but the only guards here were Rowan, Malachi, and Tamora. Any of the others could be getting marked as we spoke.

“These are for you,” Rowan said, and he began to pass out bags to all the novices. I didn’t get one. I peeked over Briony’s shoulder as she pulled out a sleek, black guard uniform.

“We are being promoted?” she gasped as she held the jacket to her chest like a lifesaver.

“Pending the actual induction ceremony, of course, but I talked with Silas this morning, and we agreed that you are more than ready. Your skills are up to par, and you have been pushed further than the other novices in training out of necessity for the battle that is to come. If you are going to be expected to fight alongside us and possibly die alongside us . . . then you certainly deserve to hold the same title of honor,” he said as he looked at each of them in turn. I could practically see the determination and pride settling behind their eyes. This is what they had been working for.

“What about me. Don’t I at least get a participation ribbon?” I only half joked, and Rowan smiled kindly.

“I’m afraid that a princess cannot be an official member of the royal guard, and therefore has no use of an official guard uniform.”

“So, all this work and nothing to show for it?” I pouted, knowing it would ruffle his feathers, and I fought my grin when he narrowed his eyes at me, frustration showing.

“All the work you have put in has been to prepare you for what is to come. You are better for having learned alongside those who will be sworn to protect you. Do not sulk; it is not befitting of a princess.” His voice was gruff, but I saw the humor behind his eyes. Stung a little by his reprimand, mostly because it was true, I turned to Briony.

“Want to see something else that isn’t befitting of a princess?” I grinned, and she shook her head, eyes widening a little. It was so easy to forget the fear and reverence the novices treated Rowan with. To them, he seemed untouchable . . . but I had touched plenty of him, so I rolled my eyes at her and gave Rowan the finger before jogging swiftly away. Sharing a laugh with Farran as I went.

“And that, folks, is our future queen,” I heard Griffin spout, and the others laughed in return.

***

Mauve was missing at dinner, so I took the unusual opportunity to sit with my friends. I took a seat in between Briony and Genevieve, and I loaded my plate as they talked and surveyed the room, already seeming to take their roles more seriously.

“Guys, relax. I have more than enough eyes on me. All I want is some company,” I complained, and they grinned sheepishly at my reproach. It seemed to work, though, as they returned to their plates and conversation picked up again.

“I can’t believe you stood up to Rowan like that after training,” Genevieve whispered, and Peyton nodded in agreement.

“He’s really tough on us, but I think it’s only because he really cares about what we become.” She sighed, and I almost laughed. I could see the misty look in her eyes that we all seemed to get when thinking of Rowan.

“I mean, she’s probably the only one who could get away with it, so I wouldn’t get any ideas,” Luca said, and I glared at him. His grin widened.

“I meant because you’re the princess, and he is blood-bound to protect you.”

“Of course you did. What else would you mean?” Briony kicked him under the table, and I flushed. The others looked at me for a second before the thought hit them.

“That would explain a lot!” Finley groaned.

“No wonder she winds him up so much,” Griffin said as Jonah nodded along. The girls were whispering and giggling. I huffed out a breath, looking at Briony.

“Seriously?” I asked, and she shrugged.

“Anyone with eyes could see the way he looks at you is more than what it seems.”

“That is so romantic!” Genevieve piped up.

“Drawn together by the blood-bond, helpless to fight the chemistry that pulls them together as they fall in love . . . so romantic!” Peyton sighed, shooting a glance at the guard table.

“Whoa, no one said anything about love!” I yipped nervously. Even if I might be feeling more and more like that was what was happening, they couldn’t declare it before I did.

“Even without the love, I wouldn’t mind a tussle with Rowan,” Briony quipped, and I laughed.

“Can we spare my newly broken heart this torture?” Luca joked halfheartedly as he frowned at Briony.

“Sorry, man, but anyone would lose to Rowan’s unfair advantages. It was a noble effort though. We will give you that,” Griffin joked, and Luca snorted.

“Can we talk about anything else?” I grumbled, and Briony moved on to the topic of their newly minted guard status. They would be working the night of the coronation, and they were all nervous.

I listened to them as best as I could and tried not to be too jealous that they would have free roam while I would be stuck up on a dais on display for the entire evening. I guess being crowned rightful queen of Alaris would be a perk to that, although I wasn’t sure what my duties would entail with the new government system in place. I would most likely be a figurehead, all for show.

My heart clenched at the thought of that. I wouldn’t sit by and let that happen. If we came out on top of this battle, I would refuse to be paraded around any longer. I would have a say in my own fate. I wanted to be a voice for the people who seemed to be pushed aside by the Six. Since I had been here I had seen them only cater to the needs of the wealthy. That just didn’t sit well with me. I would do something to change it. I would work with them to find out the best way to go about fixing the problem, a voice for the people . . . I liked that.

I met Rowan’s eyes across the room and smiled, feeling sure of myself. He returned my smile, dimple on full display under the scruff on his jaw. I recalled the feel of it brushing against my neck as his lips made a trail to mine last night. Heat flushed through me at the memory. His smile disappeared as a glow lit his eyes, and he shook his head, blowing out a frustrated huff of air. I smiled in a small apology, embarrassed and he grinned mischievously before rising.

My entire body tensed as he made his way to me, drawing eyes as he walked. I didn’t even try to hide my obvious perusal of his long, lean body. I marveled at his graceful stride, slow and steady . . . full of purpose. I gulped as he came to a stop in front of me. The others went silent.

“Come, Princess,” he rumbled as he reach his hand out to me. I exchanged a look with Briony, and she waggled her eyebrows as I took his hand and stood. He let my hand drop when I stood, and I frowned, but a grin replaced it when he linked his arm through mine and led me to the door.

People stopped and took notice. I had no doubt this would be spun into some hearty gossip by morning. I held his arm firmly, leaning into his side happily as he led me to the courtyard. We sat on one of the benches that was hidden in a corner of the garden. Flowers of every kind surrounded us. A tiger lily appeared in Rowan’s hand, and the smile that hadn’t yet left my face widened.

“It was you who left the flower on my pillow on my birthday, then?” I asked as I took it and smelled deeply.

“It was.”

“You’re not so bad,” I joked, and he chuckled.

“Let us keep that between ourselves.”

“I can do that.”

“Will you allow me to be your escort to the ball?” he asked quickly and quietly. I blinked at his sudden change of topic.

“Are you asking me out on a date?” I scoffed, and he sighed impatiently. “Must you make that sound?” I tried to impersonate his distaste of my many sighs when we had first met, and he laughed.

“I apologize for the way I acted when we first met. You seemed so . . . disinterested. We were clearly on a journey through enemy territory, and you were sighing as if you had no worry other than your distaste with me. I was drawn to you with every release of breath. I was so unbalanced by you, it nearly drove me mad.” He chuckled, and I let out a long sigh for his benefit. His eyes narrowed on my lips.

“You are quite the tease.”

“I am no such thing,” I complained, and he chuckled, pulling my hand into his.

“If that is not true, how do you explain the line of your thoughts earlier then? One moment you were innocently smiling, and the next . . . let me just say the emotions that were coming through were not quite as innocent.”

“Rowan!” I slapped his chest, embarrassed, but he just chuckled, taking my hand in his again.

“How do you think I felt, just minding my own business?”

“That’s not fair, it’s not my fault you can feel what I do. It’s embarrassing enough without you bringing it up.”