The Abyss (Fae's Captive #7) - Lily Archer Page 0,33

far more calculating.”

“He is. He’s a bastard. I hope he fell over the lip and is still screaming on his way down.” I spit for emphasis.

“He’s too clever for that.” Gareth guides Iridiel away from the edge and back onto the narrow road. “He’ll have planned for Zatran’s death, left word that we’d be along shortly, and possibly set up some traps of his own.” He grows more tense with each word. “I should’ve killed him in Cranthum.”

“You would have, if it weren’t for me.” I can’t say that I regret being alive, but I hate Cenet enough that I would have risked a bit more death if it meant a one-way trip for him to the Spires.

“I would do it again, just the same.” The tension is still there, but now it’s backed with resolve. “You are worth any cost.”

Was I mad at him before? Surely not. Couldn’t have been. Because this male seems to know just what to say to turn me all warm, wet, and weak.

“There it goes. In the nostrils.” Iridiel snorts. “Your scent is all over my back. If I’m not careful, I’ll be the one getting mounted.”

“Oh, as if you wouldn’t enjoy that.” I shake the leather cloak, sending rainwater into his mane.

He turns and looks at me with one big blue eye. “I didn’t say I wouldn’t.”

I laugh, the sound bursting out of me and unlocking the hurt I’d been nursing ever since last night.

“I love that sound.” Gareth relaxes behind me and pulls me tighter. “I want to hear it so much more.”

I lean my head back on his shoulder and look up at his drenched hair and wet face. “I’m sorry about last night.”

“I’m the one who’s sorry.” He sighs and kisses my temple. “I knew the agreement before I pushed you. It’s just so difficult. My need for you is destroying my self-control, my reason, my decorum.”

“That decorum has been long gone. Ever since you left the winter realm you’ve been throwing around the word ‘cunt’ like it’s a bit of salt on your meal.”

He grins. “When it comes to yours, I’m more than happy to speak of its wonders.”

“In front of the winter realm nobles?” I arch a brow.

“In front of the king.” He nods. “In fact, I’ve been thinking that perhaps it needs its own holiday in the realm.”

“What?”

“I’m in charge of the official royal calendar, so I can add a holiday if I so wish.”

I can’t seem to stop smiling. “You’re going to dedicate a day to my lady bits?”

“I think that would be the first step in giving it the praise it deserves. Perhaps we can call it the ‘Choicest Cunt Day’ in honor of my mate?” He nods to himself. “That would be quite nice.”

Iridiel guffaws. “The winter realm is starting to sound like my kind of place.”

Warmth prickles along my skin and lights me up from the inside. I’ve turned this prim and proper winter realm noble into a crass, hungry fiend, and I rather like it. No, in fact. I love it.

I stretch up and meet his mouth, our kiss friendly and sweet with white-hot passion lurking underneath. The next time he has me against a tree, I know I’ll fold. I can only hope that there isn’t a single tree trunk between here and the mines.

15

Gareth

The rains have finally broken, leaving the Abyss covered in a milky white fog. We continue along its rim for another hour until Parnon calls a warning.

We halt and set up a quick camp. No fire. Nothing to alert anyone in this craggy, rock-filled landscape that we’re approaching the main gate into the Abyss.

I sit Beth onto the side of the wagon beside Parnon who still huddles beneath the canvas away from the wet and rain. We each chew through some stale bread and cured meat.

“We have to assume we’re expected.” Chastain leans on the wooden wagon and sketches out a quick map to match with what Parnon described. “So this wide gate here will have guards—likely sellswords hired by the slavers—along these low battlements on either side. Beyond that is a sheer wall on one side and a deadly drop on the other, so no help there. Anything else?” He looks at Parnon.

“Beyond the gate there are two long houses. One is quarters for the guards. The other is for the masters, a place for them to rest before entering the Abyss. Past that, the road leads to the mechanism.”

“What’s that?” Beth asks.

“Some infernal machine built