Page 49 of Lies That Blemish
He grinned. “Wife.” Leaning forward, he captured my mouth into a kiss and then pulled back, peering down at me. “Stay one night with me,” he begged, “then we can figure all the hard stuff out in the morning.”
I looked around at the half-burned-out building and then off to the side where a big white silk tent had been erected. I assumed that’s where he meant for us to stay.
“Okay,” I told him.
‘I’ll fly around the perimeter with Onyx,’Liana told me. I’d forgotten she was here somewhere.
‘Thank you.’
‘I’m happy for you, Aisling. No one should dictate who you love and marry, least of all duty.’
She was right. It was my life, my forever, and I wasn’t going to spend it with anyone less than Kohen. Myhusband.
He led me over to the tent and unzipped it. I peered in and smiled. A thick bed with luscious blankets had been set up inside. We were in the middle of nowhere, and it couldn’t be more perfect. The tent was large, over eight feet tall, so I could step in and not have to crouch. In the corner was a metal portable fireplace with logs already burning behind glass.
“This is really nice,” I told him.
“Thanks. It’s what our traders use when traveling long distances between villages. They pack everything on their mules or horses and live on the road.”
I knew cars were a rarity in Imbria. They preferred the older modes of travel, like horseback.
I went to the corner, where a little washbasin sat with fresh water inside. The little rug at the end of the bed was a nice touch. It was homey, and for moment, I wanted to stay here forever with Kohen, never going back to reality and duty. Live in this tent, catch fish and deer, and cook on the fire stove. It would be a simple life. A nice life.
I peered down at the stunning ring on my hand. His mother’s. When I looked up, I found him watching me.
“Your people will never forgive me.” I shook my head. “And mine will never forgive you.”
He walked across the room like a lion, long strides, eyes never leaving mine.
“And yet they do,” he stated, leaning forward to kiss my collarbone, sending chills down my spine.
“You’ve seen it?” I asked.
He nodded, kissing a line across my neck and causing my knees to go weak.
“How? What do we do to convince them?”
He pulled back and met my gaze. “I have no idea. I try not to worry about the things I can’t control.”
His statement caused a giant weight to lift from my shoulders. Trying not to worry about things I couldn’t control was something I’d never done before…
What if I tried that? At least for tonight?
Stepping forward, I took Kohen’s face in my hands and kissed him hungrily. I kissed him how I’d always wanted to, without restraint, without care for who saw, who heard, who knew. He growled, and I pushed him onto the bed, falling on top of him.
“Kohen Badshah?” I sucked his bottom lip.
“Yes, Empress?” He panted into my ear.
“Show me one of the perks of being your wife,” I taunted.
He smiled against my mouth and then grabbed my hips. One second, I was on top of him, and the next, he yanked me off, tossing me to the side, and then hovered over me. I laughed, but then, as I looked up, I gasped.
Stars. The ceiling of the tent was cut out and replaced with mesh netting, so I was looking up at the beautiful night sky. As Kohen slowly undressed me and we made love, I realized another one of his predictions had come true. We made love under a bed of stars, and I did indeed cry out his name.
Chapter 17
Aisling
