***Just a fair warning...there's a little bit of NSFW content ahead!***
Chapter 10
The voices, laughter, and music got louder and louder as Dessa and Elys walked toward Arloerin's city center later that evening. Of course, she knew what was happening, but Elys still tried to surprise her by covering her eyes with his hands before they rounded the corner.
"What are you doing?" she laughed, attempting to tug him away by his wrists. There was no budging him. "You know I can hear everyone, right?
She could hear the smile in his voice. "Gotta make it a little bit of a surprise. Milena's going to kill me for telling you about it."
"I've gotten even better at making you spill about secret plans, haven't I?"
"That you have," he laughed.
Though she knew about it all, a hush spread quickly through the crowd as they finally came into view. Elys pulled her to a stop, stepping up against her back before leaning down to whisper in her ear.
"Happy birthday, Dessa Jai."
As soon as his hands uncovered her eyes, Dessa had to blink several times before her vision went back into focus. Of course, everyone was preparing for the Summer Solstice festival, but this...this was for her. And as soon Dessa's face lit up as she gazed around, all eyes landed on her and Elys before a chorus of happy birthdays rang out loud and clear.
Since the sun had already set, Arloerin glowed with not only moonlight and stars, but also the thousands of lights that outlined the buildings, strung across the streets, and floated over the city center. Brightly colored streamers accompanied them, billowing in the light breeze. Dozens of tables were situated around the square, covered with beautiful white tablecloths and platters of food just waiting to be devoured and bottles of wine, water, and juices. Not only was the city itself decorated for both Dessa's birthday and the solstice festival, everyone around were dressed impeccably. Good thing she decided to wear her emerald gown or else Dessa would have been underdressed.
Dessa laughed as soon as she saw Milena and Archer rushing forward to collide with her in a crushing hug, true to their birthday tradition.
"Happy birthday!" Milena practically screamed in her ear as the music started up again, then kissed her cheek. "You know how long I've been waiting to tell you about this? All freakin' day! I'm actually glad Elys forbade us from coming to you earlier or else I would have totally spilled."
"Thank you," Dessa grinned when they managed to pull apart. "You've been keeping this a secret? You can never manage to keep a secret."
"I know!" she grinned, then gestured to the party behind them. "And you know how long it's taken to arrange everything? Practically the whole time we've been here."
"And she's been bossing us around every chance she gets," Archer grinned, grabbing her up in a hug that had her feet lifting off the ground. "Happy birthday, cousin."
Her smile never dropped as she pinched his cheek. "Thank you."
Eamon was the next to get to her, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Happy birthday, Des. Archer's right about Milena, though I have to give it to her. She knows how to throw a party."
"Hey, I did half the work while she was training with you," Elys cut in.
"And I got punched and cut up while you three were running around the city."
"Someone had to draw the short end of the stick."
"I thought you wanted to help me train!" Dessa complained, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Of course, I did...though if Archer had been there, I wouldn't have been the only one on the receiving end of your rage," Eamon grinned with a wink at her.
Dessa smacked him on the stomach as she strode past, then looped her arm through Milena's. The boys followed behind as Milena steered them toward a long table at the center of the square right in front of the fountain. In the three weeks since the attack on the city, every bit of damage had been fixed, but Dessa could still see what happened playing out in her head. Her smile waivered slightly as they approached, then her nerves took over at the sight of all who sat there.
"Dessa!" Cleo yelled as she jumped up from her chair between Adeena and Kav. Just as Milena and Archer had, she wrapped her arms around her, lifting her feet from the ground. "Happy birthday, sweet girl. I hope this all beats your birthday celebrations back home?"
"It's definitely up there," she grinned at her.
"And Elys...has he been spoiling you today like he said he planned to?"
"Of course. Why do you think there are three boxes being shipped back to the palace? I couldn't tote everything around with me."
Cleo laughed as Renna and Adeena came up beside them. Though Adeena only greeted her with a smile, Renna pulled her in for a hug and kiss on the cheek.
"There's someone I want you to meet," Renna smiled at her, stepping sideways as an older male came into view, having not left Renna's side. "Dessa, this is my mate and husband, Evander. Evander, my love...this is Dessa Deverell Ayveri. She's Bridget and Alberich's granddaughter and her parents are their daughter Alyvia and Crown Prince Jai."
Dessa's smile grew once more as she stared up at the male. He looked around the same age as her grandfathers, his dark hair threaded through with silver. She could see the similarities between him and his granddaughters with the shape of their eyes, the slight, constant upward turn of their mouths. And as he stood beside Renna, it was easy to see the mating bond shining brightly between them after having been apart for so long. Dessa couldn't wait to see more of them together, especially having heard so many stories from Renna throughout the years.
Not wanting to just go in for a handshake, Dessa was the one to hug him, squeezing tight. "It's so nice to finally meet you," she told him, pulling back with a smile. "I apologize I didn't come yesterday. I've been..."
"No need to explain, my dear," Evander told her, returning her smile with one of his own. "I've heard so much about you over the last day that I feel like I know you already." He reached up to brush his fingers along the silver Deverell streak in her hair. "You look so much like Bridget...which I'm guessing you get from your mother, Alyvia."
"I do," she nodded with a bright smile. "But of course, I have Daddy's hair and eyes."
"How is Crown Prince Jai doing? I'm guessing he's not the same rowdy male I knew?"
"Great," Dessa laughed. "Probably being just as overprotective with my mother and little sister Lenora as he always is. And wishing I'd get home soon."
"I wouldn't doubt it," Evander nodded with a smile, then looked behind her at Elys. "And this must be your mate, Elys, the Seer of Ikreus. I've heard a lot about you as well."
Elys reached out to shake his hand. "It's nice to finally meet you, sir. I've heard about you, too...and am finally able to see you as well."
It took Evander a moment to realize he was speaking about his visions. "Hopefully everything looks promising?"
His eyes flashed white so quickly that no one really noticed but Dessa. "It definitely does."
It wasn't just Evander Dessa had yet to meet yet, though. Sitting around one end of their table were four others, all of whom were dressed just as impeccably as everyone else, though Dessa knew were deadlier than they seemed.
The assassins of the Guild of Starlight.
One by one, they all stood and approached. She knew their names, knew their special skill sets. It was different meeting them, though.
Warek, the orc who was practically always by Adeena's side with his fanged smile turned to her.
Selise, the water nymph who was Adeena's second in command, the one who helped her the most through the years with keeping her grounded in this world.
Dante, the devastatingly handsome, golden-haired male who Dessa was immediately nervous around, especially with the way he smiled at her. Of course, Elys would be the only one she ever had eyes for, but she had to admit the mage was something to look at.
And last but not least the mage Taeva, her dark brown skin practically glowing beneath the lights above them, dark hair in tight braids and curled into a bun at the nape of her neck, which highlighted the low dip of her dress in the back.
Adeena was the one to introduce them all, even as Dessa's stomach twisted nervously. "Dessa, I'd like you to meet...my grandfather's guard," she began.
"What...? Oh." Of course, she couldn't exactly introduce them as the assassins of the Guild of Starlight. Not when they were in a public space. "It's nice to meet you all."
Selise smiled softly, so different from what Dessa would have thought about an assassin. "We've heard a lot about you throughout the years."
Warek gave her a wider, fanged grin, winking at her. "It's nice to meet you, too, princess."
Dante pushed him out of the way, lifted Dessa's hand, and kissed the back of it with his eyes never leaving hers. "It's definitely a pleasure to be in the company of such a spectacular female."
Taeva smacked his hand away from hers, though she did it playfully. "Don't let these males shower you with pretty words, especially when you've got that handsome mate of yours all to yourself."
Dessa couldn't help but laugh, looking over at Elys who was surprisingly standing off to the side even as Warek and Dante flirted with her.
He gave her a lopsided grin and winked. "I know she's more than capable of taking care of herself, so I'd rather not get in her way for fear of being maimed myself."
***
Dessa's nineteenth birthday was definitely going to go down as one of her favorite. Sure, it was always a party since it also marked the beginning of the Summer Solstice festival, but it was so different from all of the others. Of course, she wished her parents and the rest of her family were able to be there, but there was no stopping them from celebrating some of her future birthdays in Arloerin also.
This time, she was able to let go and just be herself. Of course there was plenty of food to eat. All the best dishes were spread out on their long table that fit them all as conversation and drinks flowed with ease. Everyone told stories that had the others laughing and chiming in, especially the assassins. With every passing moment, Dessa knew she liked them all, even as Warek and Dante pulled her away from the table as the dancing began. They took turns twirling her around and making her laugh with their pretty words before Eamon and Archer had their own turns. Elys sat off to the side just watching and smiling as she laughed more than she had in those last few weeks.
Throughout the night between drinks, food, and dances, Dessa made time to walk around and talk with everyone who stopped her to say happy birthday and chat. She wanted to know how everyone was doing after the attack and what else needed repair in the city. As far as she knew, everyone and everything was fine.
And even though the night carried on with joy and celebration, she couldn't help but catch the interactions between Cleo and Adeena. Sure, the twin sisters sat next to one another at the table and were even apart of the same conversations, there was still a slight tension between them. Dessa hated it, especially when they'd spent such a long time apart from the other, but knew they were still getting to know each other for who they were now.
By the time midnight came, the party was still going strong, but Elys had a different idea of how to spend the rest of the night. For the last half hour, he'd stolen her away from the arms of all other males who'd occupied her with dances and kept her to himself. Of course, she didn't mind it, not when he held her close, one hand wrapped around hers while his other traced the outline of the back of her dress, which dipped almost to her waist.
Dessa had her eyes closed as she nestled her face into the crook of his neck. "I'm just going to keep telling you thank you, all right? Because this is probably my favorite birthday so far."
Elys's arm tightened around her as he turned to kiss her temple. "You're welcome, Dessa. I'm glad you've loved today."
"Plus, you've officially made up for missing my last five birthdays, too."
"I have?"
"Yep."
"Then I guess my present can just be tossed out since..."
She stood up straight, looking him dead in the eye. "You got me another present?"
One dark brow shot upward. "You think I wouldn't? This is the first one of your birthdays in which I get to call you mine."
Dessa smiled slowly, fingers playing with the short hair at the nape of his neck. "Then you want to make good on that promise you made me this morning? Because with that nap we took this afternoon...well, I'm not tired in the slightest."
Even though she felt a certain part of him twitch against her stomach as he pressed her closer, Elys couldn't help but laugh. "You do know that isn't your birthday present, right?"
"Hey, if you want to give me something else as well as some alone time, I wouldn't complain. You'd better just..."
He stopped her with a kiss, one that had her whimpering. "Then get us back the palace and I'll gladly put something on you while taking everything else off."
There was no need to tell her twice, not when she had her magic wrap around them to portal them back into the privacy of their room. Another spark of magic and the door out to the hallway was locked and a soundproof ward billowed out to span every inch of space.
"You're getting extremely good at that," Elys said against her lips, his hands fumbling with his shirt as they both tried to pull it from his waistband.
Finally, Dessa managed to yank it over his head and toss it across the room. "Some of my magic is as easy to me as breathing. Other aspects...not so much. Now, less talking, more undressing."
The laces of his pants were her next target, though he quickly stopped her with his hands circling her wrists.
"No," she groaned, peering up at him with her bottom lip pouted. "It's been three weeks and you're stopping me now."
"I told you my plan," he grinned. "Plus...you need to learn patience."
Elys turned away from her, heading for the door of the bathing room, but not before he glanced back at her as she heaved a dramatic sigh and flung herself back on the bed. Even with just those few heated moments between them, her whole body was alight with fire. Not shadowfire, but she still felt as if she could burst into flame at any moment.
Elys was back a few moments later, still shirtless, the laces of his pants partially undone, and had managed to take off his boots to set next to the wardrobe on his was back into the room. Dessa sat up and leaned back on her hands, raising one curious brow when she noticed he held one hand behind his back.
"All right, I'm intrigued. What else could you have possibly gotten me?"
"Remember what I said? Wait," he told her, pausing his footsteps.
She gave him a blank look. "If you say you're going to give me the gift of patience, I'm going to slap you."
"Not that you couldn't use it," he snorted. "Now, close your eyes."
She did as he asked...after heaving another dramatic sign. Even without seeing him, she could feel him moving throughout the room before finally coming to a stop in front of her. It took everything in her not to reach out and touch him, but she didn't have to wait long for him to do it instead. After putting something down beside her on the bed, his hands went to her knees as he pulled them apart only to fit himself between them.
"Not yet," he told her with a huffed out laugh when her knees tightened against him, trying to draw him nearer.
"Fine," she said. "Now can I open my eyes?"
He shifted again, leaning over to pick up what had to be her gift. "All right. Open."
Even with his request, she still kept her eyes closed for several more seconds, her heart picking up pace in her chest. The first thing she saw when she finally opened her eyes were Elys's, which were staring so deeply into hers that it had her toes curling in her sandals. Next was that he was on his knees in front of her. And finally, that he held his hand between them with a brown leather pouch nestled in his palm...the kind of leather pouch jewelers put expensive pieces in to keep safe. And this leather pouch had a stamped emblem of one of the most expensive jewelers in all of Laria.
"I can already tell you spent way too much on it," Dessa whispered, her eyes never leaving what was in his hand.
"Like I'm pretty sure I've told you before, I get my love of spoiling the females in my life from Jai, especially when that female I love spoiling is also my mate and the love of my life," Elys told her, holding his hand out closer to her.
Another gulp. Another sputtering heartbeat. "And it better not be an engagement ring either. Momma and Daddy would kill you for not asking them first, especially when they don't know about us being mated. Plus...even though we both know it's going to happen...it's literally been three weeks since we were, Elys."
"Trust me, Des," he said slowly and quietly. "When I ask you to marry me, it'll be perfect. But that time is not now."
"It isn't?"
"No. Now, are you going to look or not?"
Hesitantly, Dessa reached forward to pluck the leather pouch from his hand, feeling the slight weight of it, hearing the soft clang of metal inside. All right, so no ring...but what could it be?
"There's only one way to find out," Elys chuckled.
Her eyes snapped up to his. "Did I say that out loud?"
"You did," he said, and kissed the tip of her nose. "Go on."
Untying the drawstring that held it closed, the weight of the contents shifted as she turned it over into her hand. Almost immediately, she knew what it was, even as Elys turned it over in her palm to show her the front of it.
"You've always loved Lyv's locket Destan gave to her, so of course I knew I would someday get you your own," Elys explained. "I was actually freaking out about what to get you for this birthday until Milena was rambling off possibilities last week and she said something about it. And of course I had to find the best of the best when it came to Arloerin jewelers or else it wouldn't have been perfect."
And it was perfect. The silver locket was the same size as her mother's, one Dessa had indeed always admired all the way back to when she was little. But while her mother's had etchings of Roshan and Posy along the border, Dessa's locket had Eira at the top and flames circling the bottom. Even the etching of the crown in the center was different with a swirling design similar to Elys's tattoos and dotted with tiny sapphire, aquamarine, and diamond stones. It was absolutely stunning, especially when it held the symbolization of what was most important in her life.
"Elys," Dessa breathed out, finally looking up at him only to see he was nervously gauging her reaction. "It's perfect. Absolutely perfect."
"You like it then?" he asked, his voice low. "I didn't want it to be exactly like Lyv's, but of course I had to draw some inspiration from it. I had to sketch it out before I went to have it professionally made. I was worried it wouldn't be finished in time, so I..."
Dessa stopped him as she drew him in by the back of his neck, cutting off his ramble with a soft, sweet kiss. "Hush," she told him then. "I love it. And I love you."
Elys's smile made a spark of flame shoot through her chest. "I love you, too, Dessa Jai. And once again, happy birthday."
Staring down at the locket, she looked at more of the detailing, then tried opening it to see if anything was inside. She knew her mother still carried a folded up note from her father in hers, but what could she put in her own from Elys? The only thing was, it didn't want to seem to open.
"It's not going to yet," he smiled knowingly.
"Well, what's in it then?"
He just shook his head. "Patience."
It took everything in her not to make good on her threat of slapping him. She fought the urge to roll her eyes.
"Put it on me then?" she asked, holding out the locket to him.
Elys didn't say a word as he did as she requested, waiting for her to pull her hair off to the side, leaning up closer to her to make sure the clasp was secured. Even after it was, he still didn't pull back, instead ducking his head to kiss just below her ear, undoubtedly feeling her pulse hammering beneath her skin.
"Well, there's the one thing I was going to put on you tonight," Elys murmured, lips trailing down her neck to her collarbone.
"And the rest is coming off, right?" Dessa managed to get out.
"Definitely."
He started with her sandals, unlacing the ties that wound up her calves before tossing them beside his boots. As soon as they were off, both hands slid up to her knees, brushing emerald green silk to the side so he could see the length of her legs. Sitting back on his heels, Elys stared up at her before ducking his head once more, kissing the inside of both thighs before his hands continued their upward trail until his fingers found the lace of her underwear.
"Lift your hips for me," he murmured against her thigh before nipping at her skin with his teeth.
There was no need to tell her twice, not with the fire that raged through her now appeared as her shadowflame, which danced around her wrists and through her fingers.
Elys's mismatched blue eyes sparked with mischief when he saw, then smirked as he lowered his head to her. Dessa's curse rang out as her hands then weaved into his hair and gripped the bedding behind her before she felt herself falling back. Elys took advantage of the loss of balance, hooking both legs over his shoulders and pinning her down with one hand against her stomach as she squirmed.
Face flushed and biting her lip so hard she could taste blood, Dessa's mind was only on Elys's hold and what his mouth and tongue were doing to her. Heat pooled low in her stomach, winding up and threatening to make her combust.
She tightened her hand in his hair, managing to pull him up and away from her as her words came stumbling out. "N-no. Stop, Elys. I just...I want you to..."
He didn't need to hear her request, not with their mating bond shining bright and whole between them. Licking his lips and giving her another grin, Elys stood up slowly, gazing down at her trembling body as she sat up to meet him half-way. Somehow, Dessa managed to stand on shaky legs, though her hands were anything but as they once more started on the laces of his pants. They both watched as she worked before she managed to undo them fully, then as he kicked them off. Not being able to help herself, Dessa wrapped a hand around him as he began to slowly push the straps of her dress from her shoulders, thumb brushing along the silver chain of her locket. He continued to ease her dress off her. The emerald silk landed in a pool around her feet, leaving them both bare to each other.
As they stumbled back to the bed, Dessa managed to twist them so Elys was the one on his back before crawling up the length of his body. Just to tease him a little, she trailed kisses up his legs, took him into her mouth for a few seconds and swirled her tongue around him to earn her a curse and a groan. She then continued up the plane of his stomach until she was able to straddle his hips, only pausing to meet his own heated gaze before sinking down onto him with a breathless moan.
Even with having a mating bond so new, they both already knew what they wanted and needed from each other and were more than willing to give it. With this, they were just needing to be with one another, to be so wrapped up and consumed by the other that they couldn't think of anything else. Lips pressing featherlight kisses across heated skin, fingers brushed against chests, ran along spines, and lower to the spot where their bodies were joined that had them both moaning.
After managing to make their love making last for as long as possible, Dessa could feel that heat in her stomach rushing lower to where her and Elys's bodies merged. By then, she was under his weight, her hair flared out along the sheets, knees drawn up alongside his hips as he moved in her, and one arm gripping around his shoulders while her other hand was digging her nails into his back. As soon as that heat finally burst into flame and sent her tumbling over the edge, Elys kissed her hard, swallowing her scream, and found his own pleasure.
It took them several long minutes to manage to detangle from one another, though still holding each other close. Elys was laying on his side, one arm slung across her stomach and his other bent beneath their shared pillow. Dessa tried her best to calm her breathing, bare chest rising and falling with every one of them, but it was only the soothing motion of running her fingers up and down his arm that had her calming. Turning her head to the side, she noticed he was trying to do the same until his haggard breathing eased.
"Thank you for my birthday present," Dessa whispered to him as she ran her fingers through his hair. "And by birthday present, I mean my locket."
"You're very welcome, princess," Elys replied with a soft smile as he reached up to gently touch it where it rested between her breasts. He then glided his thumb beneath her lower lip, following the movement with his eyes. "I don't think I'll ever get used to this. I don't think I want to either."
"I know," she smiled, then playfully nipped at his thumb with her teeth. "Even though it's only been three weeks, I missed you even though you've been right there beside me. I'm sorry I've been lost in my own head."
"You've got nothing to apologize for, Des. We're going to be all right. Everything is going to be all right."
But the flash of white that concealed the mismatched blue of his eyes said differently.
"What is it? What did you see?"
Elys shook his head, tightening his hold on her as he kissed her forehead. "Nothing I haven't seen before...but it's something I haven't told you about."
Dessa swallowed hard, hoping it wasn't like the last vision he didn't kept to himself...the one of him not being to see their future together after a certain point in their fight against Fin.
"If everything goes according to plan, by which I mean with going into the past and managing to get Destan back...there's a point in that future where we'll be separated for a few weeks. I don't know how or when, just that you're in one place and I'm in another."
"And do we...do we get back to one another?"
She held her breath as he seemed to do the same, eyes going white once more.
And finally, after getting the answer he was hoping for, he leaned in to kiss her softly again. "Yes, just like we always do."
***See? Told you it wouldn't be long until I uploaded!
Ugh, I missed the Dessa and Elys cuteness. I feel like I haven't written a proper friends to lovers book before and this just makes my heart happy! I'm excited to see their journey together through this book and then then last one in the series, especially with everything I have planned!
What did you guys think? Comment and vote!
Happy reading!
- Ansley***