Crowned (Beholder #4)(9)

Once the red smoke disappeared, I noticed the thin line of moonlight peeping through the bamboo walls. After that, I noticed the touch of gentle kisses along my jawline. Rowan.

“I thought we were getting ready for the festival?” I asked. “There’s a lot at stake here.” Including my life.

“Caster culture is all about appreciating the moment. You never know what the next day will bring, let alone the next hour.” Rowan kissed a slow path down my throat. “And we have at least an hour here.” Rowan nipped at my neck, sending a jolt of desire through me. “And I want to take this moment with my mate.” He pulled my body flush against his.

I pursed my lips and did some quick calculations. “When does the Monkey Festival begin?”

“It started hours ago, but the chance to summon the trickster gods is still quite some time away.”

Rowan’s kisses were distracting, but I wasn’t sure at all about this Caster concept of enjoying the moment. At least, not this particular moment. Tonight’s festival took place at Trickster’s Haven, a village that was halfway across the continent. Although Rowan was strong with transport spells, it still might take us some time to get there. “Are you sure we shouldn’t leave now?”

“Positive. We’ve plenty of time before midnight. That’s when the summoning takes place.” Lifting my hand, he gently brushed his lips across my ring finger and mating band. A flutter of excitement moved through me. It was true. Being held by Rowan was something to savor. “Perhaps we could wait just a few minutes more.”

Rowan gave me his lopsided grin. “Now, you’re making sense.”

A series of heavy slamming noises boomed from the door. I’d know that particular knock anywhere, because it was no knock at all. In fact, it was more like a battering ram of a fist slamming into the thin wood. And that kind of noise typically came from only one category of Caster—Rowan’s personal guard.

“My king, your presence is requested at the festival.”

Rowan chuckled. “As I was about to say, it’s only a matter of time before one of my guards shows up and drums us out of here.”

The kisses were too delicious to end so quickly, so I mouthed two words to Rowan, One hour?

Surely, the Casters wouldn’t notice sixty little minutes.

Rowan leaned in to nip my ear. “Yes, I think the Casters can wait another hour.”

The pounding continued. “I heard that,” bellowed the guard. “No one can wait an hour. The people grow too happy to listen to a speech.”

Oh, no. That was guard-speak for the crowd getting too drunk too quickly. Unless we showed up and started to add some structure to the evening, the Casters could quickly turn from a celebrating crowd to a drunken mob. Those tended to be horrible to clean up.

Rowan rubbed his nose along mine. “They never pay attention to my speeches anyway.”

“Your brother Jicho can’t stay much longer,” added the guard. Although he as still speaking through the door, the man’s voice was rather loud. I wonder if the ability to yell through doors was a requirement for the personal guard. “He said to tell you that he’s wanted to show you the mechanical boat he’s been building with Amelia.”

I gave Rowan a sad smile. “We can’t miss Jicho showing us his machine ship.”

Rowan slowly brushed his lips across mine. “Agreed. We’ll leave immediately.”

“Thank you, Genesis Rex,” said the guard through the door. “We’ll expect you to transport to the site within five minutes.” Now, I understood that part of the guard’s role was to keep Rowan on time and kingly, but they oftentimes seemed overzealous in my opinion.

Rowan shook his head. “You have my word that my mate and I will arrive in two minutes. I have more than enough magick to cast spells to alter our appearances and transport.”

As a rule, mages tried not to use magick for daily skills that could be done without it. Overexposure to power warped the mind until all you could focus on was casting meaningless spells.

“That’s all I needed to hear,” said the guard. The pounding stopped. We really needed to give them less power over our schedule. That said, whenever we limited their access, the people ended up almost killing one another in drunken brawls.

Rowan held up his hand. “Shall we?”

“I’d like that.”

He linked his fingers with mine so both our hands touched. “Then let’s journey together.”

And so, we did.





Chapter Six




Before I knew it, Rowan’s transport spell to Trickster’s haven was complete. My mate and I now stood on a dry plain covered in hardy-looking ferns and a few spindly trees.

I gave Rowan’s hands a gentle squeeze. “You’re going to spoil me, transporting us both everywhere.”

Rowan winked. “And I’m not even trying hard.”

I kissed the tip of his chin. “Showoff.”

“For you? Always.”

I ran my fingers up his arms. When Rowan had rescued me from the gateway, threads of violet magick had wound up his limbs. It was a sign of hybrid magick at work. “Have you tried to create the cords again?”

I didn’t need to clarify my question further; Rowan knew what I was asking about. We both loved innovations in spellwork. He shrugged. “A few times.”