Before I Let Go (Skyland #1)(37)

“It can wait.” He lifted his hand slowly and pressed it against my cheek.

“We both know it can’t.” The queen’s voice was firm and left no room for argument.

He stared at me for a long moment before he slipped my hand into his and lifted my wrist against his mouth. He pressed a gentle kiss along the sensitive skin before he whispered his next words. “I'll come find you shortly. Wait for me.”

I didn't say a word. I simply climbed from his lap and straightened his shirt over my body. Thalia was there in an instant. She reached out for me, ready to offer her strength in my moment of weakness. Evren looked back and forth between us before his mother called his name again.

“Let's get back to your room,” Thalia spoke softly, and I nodded in agreement. I wanted to be anywhere but here. Evren was back. He was safe, and I shouldn't have been desperate to hold on to him and make sure that no one else could touch him, but I was. The frenzy I felt was churning in my magic, and every inch of me ached to reach out for him.

“Adara,” Thalia said my name more firmly, and I finally looked away from the prince and looked up at her. “We'll find Evren later. We should get you dressed.”

I let her pull me away from him, each step feeling like torture, and as we made our way back to Evren's room, I couldn't breathe.

“Not here.” I quickly shook my head. This was Evren's room, his space, and I had been invading it without his permission.

Tahlia nodded as if she understood and motioned toward my door. “Go ahead. I'll clean up our mess from earlier.”

I hadn't even thought of that. I hadn’t thought of what it would look like when he walked in and saw all of my things.

“Okay.” I nodded and walked backward until my trembling fingers pressed against my door. I pushed inside and closed the door securely behind me, and only then did I allow myself to fall to my knees and thank the gods that Evren was back.





CHAPTER 13





The palace was eerily quiet, but my worry was roaring against the walls of my room. It had been hours since I left Evren. Hours since his mother had called for him.

And my body had been burning for him ever since. I laid back in bed and slammed my head against the pillow in a huff. Everywhere the blankets were touching me was too much, every graze against my skin kept me burning, and I felt like I was going to implode.

Evren's magic was still coursing through me. It snaked through my veins, caressing every inch of me, and it was driving me crazy. I lifted my hands and let some of my magic seep from my fingertips. It swirled around the darkness, fueling me, but it did nothing to calm me.

I slammed my hands back down against the bed, and my magic cut off immediately. I prayed to the gods for sleep to claim me. I had been begging ever since I walked into my room, but they were no help to me.

Marry me.

I threw the blankets toward the side of the bed.

Marry me.

His words rolled through me like a storm I was incapable of stopping, and I thought of little else. What would it be like if I just simply gave in to him, gave into everything I wanted but was too afraid to take.

I ran my fingers down my body and gripped the edge of Evren’s shirt. The tips of my fingers pressed against the tops of my thighs and a small whimper passed through my lips.

I closed my eyes as I let myself think about what it would be like to be his… what it would be like if I just gave in and allowed him to have whatever part of me he wanted.

I pushed my fingers higher until they grazed over my hips. I imagined they were his. I tried to think about exactly what he would do if it were his hands instead of my own.

I let them slide into my undergarments, and I closed my eyes as I pressed my head back against my pillow. I was already so wet, so turned on from Evren feeding from me hours ago, and my legs clamped together as I ran my finger over my sensitive nub.

“Open them.” The sound of Evren’s voice had me jumping in shock, and my gaze slammed into his where he was leaning next to my fireplace. I hadn’t heard him come in, and I was embarrassed that I was too distracted by my greed to sense him.

“What are you doing in here?”

“I came to find you.” His gaze fell to my legs, and I could see his own hunger in his gaze.

“Are you okay?”

“We’re not talking about me right now.” He ran his hand over the scruff on his jaw, so much longer than the last time I had seen him. “Open your fucking legs, princess.”

He wasn't asking me. It was a command, and a moan slipped past my lips at the sound of his voice.

I slowly let my knees fall open, and he groaned at the sight of me. “That’s a good girl. Let me see it.”

A chill ran down my spine, and I had no idea what I was doing. But I let my legs fall wide open as I watched him take me in.

“Move your hand. Touch yourself just like you imagine I would.”

I slowly moved my fingers, and I clenched my eyes shut as embarrassment and pleasure coursed through me. It didn't matter that he had already seen every part of me. This was different.

“Take them off.” Evren’s voice sounded closer, and I snapped my eyes open to look at him. He stood at the end of my bed with one hand pressed against the frame. “I want to see you.”

I hesitated, and if Evren could see the fear in my eyes, he simply obliterated it with his words. “I've been dying for you, princess. Let me see what's mine.”