Page 41 of Hymn of Breath and Bone

Caspian laughed, throwing an arm around my shoulders as we headed for the door. “Always eloquent, my love. I suppose you’ll be needing the energy with what I have planned for you later.”

The heat, so quick to build again, rapidly morphed into embarrassment as he opened the door to cheering and whooping from the entire crew. I felt my face burn red and barely resisted the urge to hide it against his shoulder as he guided me out, not at all embarrassed by the attention.

I was a mated female. I doubted anyone aboard hadn’t guessed what we’d been doing all night. Or what Caspian intended to do with me all day. But it was strange being so open about it. I’d hid all of my romances from my parents, never inviting a male back to my room for fear of being caught. And my relationship with Vitulus hadn’t been a romance by any stretch of the imagination.

I felt very exposed.

“Seas,” I groaned as the cheering and laughter and congratulations followed us along the deck. “You think they heard?”

“Almost certainly,” Caspian replied as I looked up at him. His eyebrow was raised in an amused tilt, his amber eyes glinting with mischief as his hand remained protectively around my shoulders. “Or felt. I thought you were no blushing maiden, Urchin?”

“Maybe just the maiden part,” I mumbled, earning a laugh and a squeeze.

“Want me to throw them all overboard so they can’t hear us again?”

“Yes,” I grumbled, as my stomach churned with hunger and embarrassment. “After breakfast, though.”

Caspian chuckled as he guided me toward the galley, where the clatter of spoons and pans told me breakfast was being prepared.

Reuben gave us a toothy grin and a salacious wink, pushing two bowls of gray mush and some crusty bread toward us.

Caspian thanked the cook and began forcing down his breakfast while I cringed. “Still inedible?”

“Always,” he sighed, tearing off a hunk of bread between his teeth. “He tries so hard, bless him.”

“Morning, lovebirds,” shouted Zephyr, swinging down from the rigging with a grin on her face that told me she haddefinitelyfelt what we’d done last night. “Surprised to see you up and about. Not up to the task, Cas?”

I groaned again, pressing my face into Caspian’s shoulder as it turned red. He laughed, pulling me close to him.

“You don’t need to be embarrassed, Marina,” Zephyr assured, looking amused as I peeked around Caspian’s bicep. “There is no shame in taking pleasure from another, especially when that other is your mate.”

“See?” Caspian said, pressing a swift kiss to my temple.

“Even if he isn’t up to the task of—”

“Thank you, Zephyr,” Caspian interrupted, scowling at her wry grin. “Don’t you have work to do?”

“Tons,” she agreed. “But I needed to congratulate my king and queen on their union.”

“And pry into our personal business,” Caspian grumbled. “Eat your bread, Urchin.”

I smirked, enjoying that it was Caspian who flushed pink instead of me.

Zephyr looked solemnly at Caspian, her single brown eye bright. Then she clapped her hand on his shoulder in a comforting gesture. “There’s no shame in—”

“Finish that sentence, and I’ll feed your only good eye to the sea dragons,” Caspian growled as I tried to suppress my laughter.

Zephyr tsked, hopping to the deck above us with a flap of her wings. “So touchy, these newly-mated males.”

Caspian growled and scooped me into his arms without warning. The bread almost fell into the waves as he launched skyward, circling the ship once to cheers and a few lewd gestures before landing again in front of our cabin.

“What are you doing?” I gasped as Caspian pulled me into the room and threw himself at me, catching me in a kiss that nearly stole my breath.

He walked me back to the bed tearing at the laces of the bodice which was suddenly far too hot and tight on my skin.

“Proving that I’m up for the task,” he murmured between kisses, tugging at my trousers.

“All because of a little teasing?”