Page 144 of Queen’s Gambit

I came hard, roaring like a beast, spilling myself inside her again and again until my body shuddered and I fell onto the tangled sheets, whispering her name.

My eyes closed with her soft breath caressing my chest as Roksana turned and cuddled close, while Cinared purred in my mind.

Why are you so happy? I asked, realising too late he’d been in my head the entire time.

Because Sanika is happy, and because for a fleeting moment she wondered if our child would have my amber eyes. His thoughts were filled with wistful longing. Since holding Ormond’s child, I’d known this discussion would come. I held Sana closer and sighed.

If she accepts it, so will I.

The flood of happiness from Cinared made me so euphoric that sleep drew me in. I didn’t mind. The world was finally right. My kingdom was safe, Sanika was home and would finally become my queen.

Before I knew it, the morning sun woke me, and my bed was empty. The sheets tangled around me as I sat up, hands drifting to her side of the bed. It was still warm. Last night wasn’t a dream. Still, the rapid staccato of my heart refused to subside. A whispered conversation drifted from under the bathroom door, and I frowned, not recognising the male voice.

At the prickle of unease, I stalked to the door. Why would a man be there? Was there an assassin? The second thought startled me so much I pushed the door open.

Sana was sitting at her vanity, and in the bathtub lounged a green-skinned old man.

‘Someone please explain this,’ I asked, my brain refusing to make sense of the situation. Sana could meet whomever she wished, but… in our bath chamber?

‘Reynard, this is Vodnik. He helped me in Lumivitae. We were just chatting,’ Sana said with an apologetic smile, while Vodnik studied me, his smile widening as I moved closer to Sana.

‘I wouldn’t hurt the Songstress. I came to congratulate you and give her a little gift,’ he gestured for Sana to come closer, and I instinctively tensed.

‘I don’t need gifts; your family’s help was more than enough,’ she said, but still approached.

A stone, pale green and as translucent as lake water, glittered in Vodnik’s hand as he held it out to Roksana.

‘My waters are reviving, my kin no longer starving, drained of Aether. This stone marks you as Water Kin. Water will never drown you, my people never hurt you. Thank you, Little Vila, for keeping your word.’

Sana’s cheeks flushed, but she took the stone and placed it on her chest, bowing slightly. ‘Thank you.’

Vodnik nodded, lowering himself into the water, disappearing in the blink of an eye. I reached for the stone in Sana’s hand.

‘I’ll make a necklace out of it if you want; it will match your wings.’

Her smile faded a notch. ‘I gave up my wings in Tangra along with most of my power.’ She swallowed hard. ‘Cin explained it to you, yes?’

I placed my hand on her neck and pulled her into a long, lingering kiss. ‘He did, in great detail. We have a gossiping dragon who’s not afraid of the gods.’

‘So, you don’t mind?’

‘That you shed this godlike, terrifying power that made me quake in my boots in the middle of the battlefield? No, I don’t mind it at all. The wings… I’m sorry you can’t fly anymore, though they still look beautiful.’ I kissed the tip of her nose. ‘I have one non- negotiable rule, though.’

Her eyebrows shot up, and I pulled my most serious face.

‘No meeting strange men in the bath chamber dressed in your nightie. Use the fountains in the garden… or something. For my sake. Please, Viper.’

She rolled her eyes with a soft chuckle. ‘Fine, if you promise there’ll be no kingdom duties and no big plans for the next couple of days. I need rest, Rey. I need my family and to relearn how to be Sana.’

‘Is that a request or a reward?’ I picked her up and headed for the bedroom. ‘Now let me kiss your body to make sure nothing is even a little sore…’

Sana’s laughter filled my soul with joy. I threw her onto the bed, stalking forward while my mischievous woman kicked and screamed, giggling like crazy.

I had Roksana’s toes in my mouth, nibbling them when the door swung open. My brother and his family stopped dead, staring at us with utterly baffled expressions.

‘We came to say goodbye, but that can wait,’ Orm said, and for such a big man, his efforts to hold back laughter were downright terrifying.

I released Sana’s foot and wrapped her in a blanket.