Chapter 181 - Come Back To Me

AUTHOR NOTE: Try the song "We Fall Apart" by We As Human while reading this chapter. It's the song that speaks Etan's heart to me in this scene.

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ETAN

Holding her, finally, was a balm to Etan's soul. All the questions, all the doubts still swirled in his head. But his heart… his heart broke open like a ripe plum. He had to caution himself before he squeezed her so hard he stopped her breath.

"Ayleth," he whispered into her hair.

She nodded against his chest and clung back just as tightly. "I know. Me too."

He clawed both hands into her hair from her temples, drawing her head back so she looked up at him, then he took her mouth and a shudder rocked through his entire body—the tingles of thrill and joy, the tectonic shift of fear, the primal drive to possess. 

She was his and only his and he couldn't live without her. 

The kiss was brutal and loving and far, far too deep for standing in the middle of a clearing watched by two other men. But Ayleth gave a little sob and returned it, her hands clawing down his back, pulling him closer. 

Etan found himself wholly unable to temper his passion. Overwhelmed with relief that she was there and would forgive him for her pain—and fear that she hadn't measured her mother correctly and at any moment she could be stolen.

An image filled his mind of her body suddenly going slack, her mouth unresponsive, her eyes rolling back in her head.

"God, Ayleth!" he gasped, taking her by the shoulders, breath heaving with his desire for her and his fear, he almost shook her. "What if she uses that spell? What if she takes you? All she has to do is crush that thing—we have to get you back to the castle!"

Her brow furrowed in deep lines and she put a gentle hand to his face. "Etan, listen to me: She would never do that to me. And if she would… it's too late. The horns of alarm have already been raised. I am already missed. And yet, here I am. Still alive. 

"My parents are already in a rage, I'm sure. I'm sorry I didn't think of the impacts on Summitras… but I pray the Peace Accord will force them to hold. None of the Kingdoms want to see it breached. I'll send a message to them, let them know I came willingly, that I wasn't taken. That's all we can do. I can't… Etan, if this has shown me anything it's that I can't be away from you."

He stared at her, searching her eyes. He didn't hold her confidence that her mother wasn't precisely that ruthless. But she was right that her disappearance would already have been discovered. And that they would know where she'd gone. 

For better or worse, Ayleth was right. It was time for them to walk into their future. He had to pray that she was correct about her mother's self-control. And that Quwan would know the way to break the spell when they reached Summitras.

"You're really mine," he whispered. "My wife. I cannot regret that you came. I will never deny you again, Ayleth. I will not leave your side. Come hell or high water, Ayleth, you are mine forever."

"Yes!" 

He'd just taken her mouth again, buried his tongue in her mouth in a pale reflection of what he would do to her when he had her alone, when a gruff, male throat cleared not far away. 

"Perhaps it is time we returned to the tents?" Borsche said carefully. 

"Perhaps it is time that the Heir of Summitras remembers that he paws the future Queen of Zenithra and he has yet to answer for his betrayal."

Etan broke the kiss, but dropped his forehead to Ayleth's, his eyes screwed tightly shut. "Can a man not kiss his wife without this… commentary?"

"Be grateful that I comment with my tongue and not my sword," Falek growled.

"What are you both even doing here? You're supposed to be patrolling!" Etan groaned

"We have a visitor," Borsche sighed. "Perhaps the future King can put his desire aside for long enough to address that?"

Etan snapped his head up, pulling Ayleth behind him, stalking towards the trees to find the men who'd stayed out of sight. But before he found them, there was a tiny squeak of indignation, and Borsche cursed. 

"She bit me!"

"You deserve no better—a spy and a traitor, you are. Serving a liar and a thief!"

Etan's heart dropped to his toes as the three of them emerged from the trees, Borsche's face thunderous, Falek's stony though Etan sensed an edge of humor in his eyes, and Sarya… Sarya stalking towards him, her arms pulled behind her back which pushed her breasts forward as she walked with her chin high and eyes flashing. 

"Sarya," he said quietly. "I'm so sorry you—"

"Liar!" she hissed. "Liar and thief! Bastard! You weren't making a right choice for your Kingdom at all! You were lying to all of us—saving your own skin just so you could have hers!"

"That is not—" 

Ayleth put a hand to his forearm and shook her head, her eyes never leaving Sarya. Ayleth had a very strange expression on her face. Etan watched her. 

"Liar! You made my parents believe your suit was real! Do you truly try to say they would have sent me with you unattended if they believed anything would result from it other than a marriage of our Kingdoms?!"

Etan clawed a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry, Sarya. I… I knew this would hurt you. I'm sorry."

"I should have known. I should have listened! From the very first night I caught you in the garden with her… but I hoped. And you used me! The Queen was right! She warned me that you were a snake, that Summitras was nothing more than a pit of vipers! But I stood in defense of you!"

"Which Queen?" Ayleth asked, her voice calm, but cold.

Sarya blinked, and turned from snarling at Etan to meet Ayleth's gaze. 

There was a chilled, fragile moment when Etan's heart plummeted as he remembered back to that night he'd almost taken Ayleth in the garden, then been intercepted by Sarya later. He'd thought at the time that her behavior was odd, but he'd been so consumed…

"Your mother," Sarya spat at Ayleth. Then she turned back to Etan, defiant, as the penny finally dropped.

Ayleth was nodding. "So, it was you who betrayed us? No wonder you were so willing to wait to earn my husband's affections." 

Etan couldn't believe how calm Ayleth was. Rage tore through his chest. "You could have gotten both of us killed!" he snarled.

Then he launched himself at her.