"So, what are the plans now?" Jura asked and scratched his forehead.
"Hardly anything for the council to worry about," Dreki said coolly.
"You can't just announce open war on the Aatskina tribe and not-"
"We can do whatever we want, councillor Jura," he interrupted. "We have the king's support." He motioned towards me and I clenched my jaw.
"We all know you have no support. You have power. Power you stole. Power you've gained through blackmail." Jura rose to his feet. "I'm done. Your Highness, councillors. I will take my leave." He bowed at me, nodded to the other councillors and only sent a cool stare at Dreki before he left the room.
"I think this is a good time to announce that we will absolve the council. Your services are no longer needed."
Islo snorted loudly and leaned back in his chair. "I can't wait to see what the public has to say about that."
"We've been clear to the public about what we need from this monarchy. We are not a republic, even despite how much you would like it to be one."
"If you think I'm just gonna roll over-"
"Maybe I should remind you of a few things, Charred." Dreki's heavy gaze landed on Islo and I didn't want to hear more.
"Islo," I murmured. "Enough." I rose to my feet and put both of my hands on the table, meeting the gazes of the councillors, one by one, ending with Islo. "You're all excused. Islo, please escort me back to my chambers."
Islo rose to his feet and followed me out. Neither of us said anything until we were back in our apartment and he had closed the doors behind him.
"How many Aatskina resistance members were working in the stronghold?" I asked and dumped down on the sofa.
"I don't know. But I'm still in contact with some." Islo joined me and sighed deeply. He shrugged his councillor jacket off and slung it over the backrest and down on the floor. "Guess I won't need that anymore."
"You will. When we get these dogs out of my stronghold."
I could see Islo smiling out of the corner of my eye.
"I love it when you talk dirty."
I sighed and turned my head. "It's not a joke, Islo. We have twenty people hanging on poles in the square. We need to get these people out."
"Quinn," he said and took my hand in his. "If I keep thinking about it, I'm not going to make it. Alright? I need to stay focused."
I softened and nodded. "I know. I'm sorry."
"No, Sweetness, don't apologise." He leaned in and kissed me. "We've gotta keep moving forward. Or rather, we gotta go to bed. I'm exhausted."
"I'll have a bath first, I think," I murmured and rose to my feet.
Islo rose too and came up behind me. "How about I join you?" he whispered.
"Can you really think of that right now?"
"Please." His voice turned needy as he kissed my cheek. "Help me forget for just a moment."
I grabbed his hand and fitted my fingers in between his. "Fine. Join me then. But you're going to scrub my back, and you're going to like it."
He smiled very widely and nodded. "Yes, my king."
I was so incredibly bored. Islo had fallen asleep ages ago, but I couldn't sleep. I was just staring up at the ceiling and I kept thinking of the Aatskina tribe. I had had many friends from that tribe. Hell, Al had linage from there through her mother. Aatskina was a part of us. Not me, but this country. We had to stop the rebels before an all-out war broke out.
Islo murmured something in his sleep and I turned my head, looking at him. He looked plagued. He had complained about bad dreams haunting his nights. And he'd sometimes wake up with cold sweat covering his body. He'd curl up to me and hold me so tight, I almost couldn't breathe.
I was happy I could support him through this. He was ridiculously easy to support because he told me exactly what he needed. I was never in doubt when he needed me. And sometimes he didn't have to say anything. He could just look at me in a certain way and I'd be by his side in seconds.
He needed to be touched a lot. Hugs. Affection. Love. He needed a lot of love. And I had so much to give. So much I wanted to burst sometimes.
I turned towards him and softly kissed him. His expression softened immediately, and he kissed me back. Tiredly at first and then he deepened it.
My hand slid over his soft stomach and further down.
"Quinn," he breathed as I circled my hand around him. "It's so late."
"Yeah," I murmured. "But I want you now."
He chuckled and raised himself up, kissing me again. I moaned into the kisses. I loved kissing him. Sometimes more than anything else. That probably made me a total teenager, but I loved his mouth. It was so ridiculously soft, and he was an amazing kisser. The way he was pressing his tongue against mine, curling it around mine. And he never gave too much. Most of the time he didn't give enough, and he knew that. He was deliberately teasing me, leaving me starved for more.
"Come here," he murmured and grabbed my hip, pulling me flush to him. He undressed me slowly, as if he was unwrapping a gift, sliding my shirt off my shoulders. He kept kissing my newly exposed skin feather softly.
Then, he moved down and kissed my chest, running his tongue over my skin. I couldn't hold back a high-pitched moan, my fingers slipping into his dark curly hair.
He came back up again and kissed me on the mouth, chuckling as I moaned again. His fingers were doing amazing things to me.
I latched on to his shoulders and kissed him deeply. He groaned into my mouth and grabbed my thigh, pulling me closer yet. He put my leg around his hips and readjusted before pushing inside of me. I whimpered loudly and he stopped.
"You okay? Did I hurt you?" he asked, pulling back a little.
I panted and looked up, meeting his gaze. I couldn't get any words out, but I shook my head. I was more than okay. This felt absolutely amazing. I slid my hand down to his hip and got him to move. He chuckled softly and moved with me. I circled my arm around him, pressing him to me.
"I love you," he whispered and tipped my head up so he could kiss me.
I only moaned back, completely unable to even start to think about forming words. He was hitting all of my spots with just slight movements and I was losing my mind.
"You are so beautiful. And strong." His hand ran down my body, giving my ass a squeeze.
"Islo," I groaned, digging my fingers into his back.
"Moan my name again," he almost growled, his voice so gruff. I did as he commanded and he shoved me on my back, grabbed my hips and hoisted them up, sealing me to him before he just lost control. There was no rhythm in his movements anymore, he was just losing himself in my body. And I loved it.
I couldn't hold back anymore. My body betrayed me and ended everything before I was even ready. I could feel every muscle clench and Islo groaned loudly, jerking his hips a couple of more times before he dumped down on my chest.
His body was slick with sweat, but he looked so content. I ran my hand through his hair, and he made a sound much like a purring cat.
"You. You are absolutely amazing in bed," he panted and looked up, smiling widely at me.
"You sure know how to be smooth," I laughed.
"Ah, you didn't fall for me because I was smooth." He kissed my chest.
"No, I fell for you because you have the cutest freckles."
"You and those freckles." He pulled up, showing off all of those lovely dots on his chest. He looked down and then back up at me. "You really like them that much?"
"Yeah," I said and ran my hands over his chest. "They're so pretty."
"Pretty huh?" he murmured and lowered himself down again, kissing me softly.
"Yeah," I breathed, moving my head to the side as he kissed me down my jaw and then stopped at my throat, softly pressing his tongue against my skin.
"No one has ever said I'm pretty before."
"You are."
He pressed his hips to mine, letting me feel how much he liked that. He wasn't done with me at all. And I certainly wasn't done with him.
"Do you ever wonder what life would be like if you weren't royalty?" Islo asked and waved at Isla as she rode past us. She smiled widely, waving back at us.
I had bought her a gentle and older mare. Bright yellow coat with pretty white sucks. White mane and tail. It was perfect for a princess.
"I never felt like a royalty," I said and shrugged a shoulder. "I wasn't treated like a prince. I was never treated like Al was. I was just someone who hung around in the stronghold because the queen was too nice to kick me out. Or my father put his foot down and decided I was staying regardless of what she said. I mean, he legitimised me, but she never told me. She let me believe I was younger than Al." I sighed deeply. "I think I'd be happier if I wasn't here."
"Even now?" Islo asked, looking down at me.
"If you were wherever I'd be instead of here? Definitely."
He smiled widely and put his arm around my shoulders, placing a kiss on top of my head. "You'll be a brilliant king once we get those assholes out of here though."
"As long as you help me." I leaned against him, needing his support. He kissed my hair again, and we stayed like that for a while. The wind rustled the oak trees surrounding the riding track and combined with the sound of Isla's horse trotting, it made an almost alluring tune.
"We could leave. Skyen isn't a part of this country. We could go there."
"I can't leave. Not now. If you had asked me a couple of months ago, I would've said yes. But this is my country. My throne. I can't just leave it when it needs me the most."
"I admire your bravery, Quinn. And your honesty. I would never admit to wanting to tuck my tail between my legs and leave."
"Do you want that?" I turned my head up and looked at him.
"I would never admit it," he repeated and smiled half a smile. It was a sad smile. He was afraid and he wanted to leave.
"I'm here for you," I said softly. "And I won't judge you for leaving. You don't have to be here anymore. You don't have the council, you can-"
He bent down, took my face in his hands and kissed me, interrupting me before I could finish my sentence.
"No, Sweetness," he whispered against my lips. "Don't tell me to leave."
"I'm not." I took his wrists in my hands and met his gaze. "I'm not asking you to leave. I'm asking you to do what's best for you and Isla."
"I don't know what's best anymore." He clenched his jaw. "Keep your enemies close right? It's better for us to be here and know what's going on, rather than be in Skyen and know nothing." He sighed deeply and clenched me closer, smiling at his daughter as she rode by again. "Isla has finally found a footing here. She likes it here. I don't wanna rip her away again."
"Would it be selfish to say, I want you both to stay?"
He chuckled. "No. Because we want to stay. With you."
"Dad, you're not looking!" Isla yelled as she came back.
"I am looking sweetheart, and you're doing great!" Islo yelled back, waving at her. She got the horse to slow to a trot and then stopped close to us.
"Quinn, Princess Blonde is so sweet. Can she live in my room?"
I snorted. "No, she has a room in the stables."
"But I don't think she likes it there. It's so cold."
"She has a thick coat to keep her warm. I'll make sure the stable boys look after her too."
Isla wrinkled her nose at that notion and turned the horse around, obviously not ready to go inside yet, despite the freezing cold. The girl must've been born with ice in her blood.