as well.” He would have to release the wariness and jealousy of the man who had saved him.
“He is gone. You owe him nothing.” Her voice was carefully blank, but she’d stiffened.
“Are you… upset about him leaving?” He held his breath, unsure if he really wanted to hear her response.
Her head whipped around until she was frowning at him. “What? No. I—” She shook her head. “No.”
She set her mug down and stroked his face. “I only wanted for you to be all right. My father is gone too, apparently. Without even saying goodbye.” She smiled sadly. “We were lucky that Fenix was still there. Without an Earthsinger, you would not be alive.”
He felt his silent debt to the Singer in question grow. But was glad the man was gone.
Mooriah leaned against him, placing a hand on his chest. Ember stilled, not wanting her to move. “I don’t know where I will go,” she said. “I doubt I will be able to stay in Night Snow now.”
“We shall see,” he murmured and lifted her hand to kiss the back of it.
“I would do it again though,” she whispered, voice grave. “A thousand times over, no matter the consequence.”
“We are not sure of the consequence yet. Not until we return and face the clan. How long has it been?”
“Half a day. But I don’t want to go back yet.”
The sooner they returned the sooner he could see about setting this right and ensuring her place in the clan. Maybe they would redo the match or maybe, since Ember had rightfully won, the officials or Crimson would rule in his favor.
“We should—”
She silenced him by pressing her lips against his. Her kiss was desperate, seeking. It ignited a strange energy that had been thrumming through his veins since he’d awakened. He felt more alive, more energetic than he ever had before. He deepened their kiss until he swore he could feel it in his spine and ankles and wrists. Mooriah was everywhere; infused into every cell of his being.
As if to reinforce that thought, she shifted to straddle him. He was vaguely aware of the drinking bowls tipping over and tea pouring down into the firepit. But if Ember was feeling more animated, Mooriah apparently was too.
She pushed him down until he lay on his back with her atop him. Her hands explored his chest, running across his pectorals, down the ridges of his abdomen, and back up again.
She lowered her head and trailed kisses across him, laving him with her tongue and gently nibbling his skin. Her teeth grazed his nipple and he hissed, hardening to stone. She ground against him, the heat between her legs inflaming his already needy erection.
He took control, rolling them until he was on top of her. She spread her legs wide to accommodate him. Starting at her jaw, he kissed his way down her neck and shoulder. The fabric of her chestcloth was in the way; he tugged at its tie to loosen it. Mooriah rose and removed the offending clothing, presenting her bared breasts to him.
Firelight made her skin glisten. He palmed her breasts, testing their weight and running the pad of his thumb across one, dark nipple. The urge to taste was too strong to ignore. His tongue ran circles around first one then the other, and he grazed her with his teeth, satisfied when she bucked in response.
Then he delved lower, kissing across the gentle curve of her belly, gauging her reaction. His hands cupped generous hips, and he nuzzled their apex through her waistcloth.
Her fingers trembled as she undid her belt and slid out of her remaining clothing. Then she was bare before him, and he could feast.
Mooriah writhed and squirmed as Ember’s tongue attacked her core. He lapped at her with a fervency she would never have guessed possible. She squeezed her eyes tight under the assault and whimpered.
Her legs were mobile, kicking at the air when he placed his large hands on her thighs to still her. Then he resumed his attack with even more urgency.
She clutched the mats beside her as the pleasure rose and crested and she breathed out her emotions, chanting his name over and over again.
All was still for a moment. She no longer held control of her body, it belonged to Ember. He crawled up her body in order to claim it.
If her fingers worked, she would have undone his waistcloth, but she was lucky that he attended to the task himself, very efficient.