Luminescent (Inheritance Cycle and Beyond)

Chapter Thirty-Six: Radiant

"Truly! The horrors our ears face when one of them starts talking about their wealth." Tolme giggled.

"Speaking of suitors, how is yours?" I asked as I grabbed a slice of fruit and bit into it. Tolme blushed.

"Father has taken the initiative and started talking with Henri's father." Tolme murmured. "He has allowed us to start courting."

"Do I hear wedding vows in the future?" I purred with a coy smile. "If so, I want to be the godmother of your children."

"Khensamel!!!" Tolme burst out, her face going completely red. I laughed at her facial expression.

"Only jesting," My face sobered up. "But in all seriousness, how are you doing?"

"Quite well, Henri and I have taken the time to catch up with each other," Tolme answered, placing her teacup on the table separating us. "I've naught realized just how much I have missed his company."

"You'll have the rest of your life to enjoy it as far as I'm concerned." Tolme's eyes sparkled with happiness.

"Speaking of the rest of my life, what is going on between you and the Dragon Rider?"

"I think I would like to know that myself," I mumbled back before sighing. "To be truthful, the two of us met far before we came to Ûru'Baen. Our relationship was interesting but not complicated."

"Do you love him?"

"Love him?" I asked, thinking about it. "I'm not sure I know what it means to be in love, or what it means to be loved."

I shook my head before standing up and brushing my skirt clean.

"Lydia, has Miss Tolme's carriage arrived?"

"Miss Tolme's carriage has arrived, but a wheel spindle has broken," Lydia replied, bowing her head. "The stable hands are currently fixing it and will have it returned to proper use by sunset."

I looked out the window. We had an hour, maybe two before the sun would disappear on the horizon.

"Have the kitchen prepare another meal for Miss Tolme. She shall dine with me tonight."

"Of course," Lydia replied before scurrying out of the room.

"I guess I am eating dinner with you?" Tolme asked with a smile. "What a luxury, Yilba might just die of jealousy."

"For that, I pray."

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My senses were telling me that I wasn't alone in my bedroom. I was lying on my stomach with my hands underneath my pillow, sleeping, when my body went on full alert. Keeping my eyes closed, I sought out the knife I kept hidden at the head of my bed.

With my fingers wrapped around the hilt of my knife, I waited until I felt the presence close enough. Using my right leg, I flipped around, snapping my leg against the intruder. He fell onto my bed as I twisted and straddled his waist, holding the knife at his neck.

"I suppose I should have seen that coming." Murtagh grinned at me as I straddled his torso. "but I must admit, you are in quite an attractive position."

"You know," I said as I brought my lips down to his ear. "sooner or later, my knife will hit its mark."

Fingertips glided up my thigh as grey eyes stared into mine. Pulling the knife away from Murtagh's neck, I reached over and placed my blade on the nightstand.

"I have to make sure I remember that next time I try to join you."

"Presumptuous of you to assume that I want you in my bed." Murtagh's lips twitched into a half-smile before one of his hands reached up to drag my lips to his. Our lips met, and all thoughts of the suitors disappeared from my thoughts.

Our hands dug into each other's bodies as our lips tangled together in hunger. Now I understand why the woman of Carvahal said that if you went long enough without intimate touch, you'd feel starved. I was starving, and Murtagh's firey embrace was the only relief.

Wrapping an arm around my back, Murtagh rolled our bodies, so he was on top. Palms pressed my wrists against my mattress.

"That's not fair," I moaned at him as he began to kiss and nip at my neck. "What if I want to touch you!?!"

"You'll just have to wait," He replied against the delicate skin of my neck before biting down. My body writhed against the bedsheets as shockwaves traveled throughout my body. The sensation was so pleasurable it border-lined painful, leaving me in a whimpering mess.

No matter how much I wiggled underneath him, he would not let me up. No matter how much I twisted my wrists under his hold, his hands were like steel vices. Murtagh liked to dominate. I had no issues with that.

I just wanted to feel him under my hands, was that too much to ask for? Apparently so.

I wanted to feel his muscles, run my fingers over the accumulation of scars on his body, feel the comforting warmth his body provided mine.

My wrists were finally released, and my first instinct was to bury my fingers in his hair as Murtagh's mouth dipped below my neck.

"Frida wanted me to relay a message to you," I gasped out. Murtagh lifted his head to look at me in confusion, I smirked at him. "This time, use the buttons."