The prince’s air affinity surged around me, lifting me from the ground and gusting me to the side.
“My prince!” I called upon my own magic and burst through his. Gritting my teeth, I wrenched a huge gust of air from my gut that propelled both of us through the doors and out onto the balcony just as the first fairy attending the dinner glanced in our direction.
Outside, the crown prince snarled his irritation as he fixated his attention on the dining room once more. Before I’d even caught my breath, he was swinging the door open and about to return inside.
I spun him toward me at the last second and wrapped a hand around his neck. I plastered myself to his frame and then did the only thing I could think of.
I slammed my lips to his.
The second our lips made contact, his entire body stopped. The prince just stilled, as though frozen in time.
My tongue darted out as his taste flooded my mouth. I curled my hands around his neck as my heart pounded with the feel of him against me.
A single groan came from the prince as he crushed me to him. His arms wrapped around my waist, his grip strong and powerful as his pounding aura coiled around me.
A rush of his air elemental affinity whooshed, and then we were on the other side of the balcony, flying on his wind until we were hidden in one of the deep alcoves as shadows embraced us.
I gasped at his absolute power.
Growling, the prince crushed his lips to mine again as his hands slid down to cup my backside. He hoisted me up, plastering me against his broad chest as a snarl worked through his lips.
I moaned, unable to help it as heat spiraled through me. The male was a sorcerer with his tongue. And his scent. His taste. Mother Below, but once again, I wanted him.
“Ilara,” he groaned, the sound guttural and barely fae.
His hands were everywhere, up my body, in my hair, cupping my breasts, feeling the curve of my backside.
Desire pooled between my legs, and his nostrils flared as a satisfied-sounding purr came next.
“You’re mine,” he said on a low growl.
That possessive declaration left his lips, and for the first time, I wondered if it wasn’t entirely about owning my power, but then my focus became the taste of his mouth and the strength of his hands. Lust consumed me so completely that all of my thoughts fled.
Chilled air kissed my skin as my nipples peaked in the frosty air. The prince had me against a wall, my dress entirely ridden up with both of my legs hooked around his waist, and he’d somehow freed one of my breasts and was feasting upon my nipple like a dying male.
And Mother . . . did the male know how to use his tongue.
He growled again when I hissed as a thousand nerve endings came to life under his masterful touch, but when he bit my nipple hard enough for my head to clear, I realized what we were doing, and Mother Below, I was once again practically fucking the murderer of my family.
“Prince Norivun!” I tried to wrench myself away from him even though my core throbbed. “Prince Norivun,” I gasped again, then clawed at his chest.
But he only growled more, then cupped my rear with his other hand and squeezed my soft flesh.
“Oh gods.” My head tilted back when one of his fingers curved forward to tickle my clit. A shockwave of rapture spiraled through me.
“So wet,” he groaned as his finger pulled back just enough to find my damp entrance. He swept my underthings to the side, and when his thick finger began to enter me, my entire body seized.
Yes. Gods, yes.
My eyes flew open.
No, what am I doing?
“You must stop.” I pounded on his back. Shadows dipped his expression into such vicious beauty that, for a moment, I couldn’t speak. My chest rose and fell so rapidly as my legs quivered around him.
Absolute need etched his features into dark desperation, and I struggled to remember why I’d stopped him.
“Ilara?” he finally said, his breathing ragged as his hard erection bulged in his pants.
We both panted, clouds puffing around us, but I somehow managed to whisper, “Um, it’s, ah . . .” I closed my eyes, trying to clear my thoughts. “It wasn’t Lord Waterline!” Yes, that’s it. That’s why we’re here. “Lord Waterline isn’t to blame for attacking me. Lady Endalaver manipulated him.”
He blinked, then blinked again.
I forced myself out of his grip, and he finally released me enough that I was able to stand. My core throbbed, but I made myself take a step away.
His gaze fell, his lip curling savagely when he beheld my bare breast.
He was already reaching for me again when I took another teetering step to the side and straightened my clothing, covering myself again. Mother Below, what’s happening? I could barely function.
He snarled, and the sound of it sent a tingle straight to my clit, but I made myself stay away from his touch. “I had to stop you. I couldn’t let you kill him, and I couldn’t think of anything better to do, so I kissed you.”
Silence.
“Prince Norivun?” I gulped in another breath.
“You kissed me,” he finally repeated. Another second passed. “What?” Genuine confusion painted his features.
“It’s not Lord Waterline. It’s Lady Endalaver. You weren’t understanding, so I kissed you before you could kill him.”
His chest heaved, but his expression cleared slightly. “You’re saying Georgyanna manipulated Lord Waterline to attack you.”
I nodded frantically, my heart still beating much too fast, but at least the cold air was helping to cool my heated flesh. “Yes, yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying.”
He stabbed a hand through his hair, his bicep bulging. Every line of his body still exuded such a fierce aura that it was a struggle to stand, but I made myself stay rigid and out of arm’s reach.
“You can’t kill Lord Waterline.” I gulped in another breath. Blessed Mother, when did it become so hard to breathe? “Georgyanna’s behind what just happened. Not him.”
The prince’s head snapped toward where Georgyanna stood inside. She was with the circle of fae still in the dining hall, acting as though she hadn’t a care in the world as her head tilted back every time she laughed or smiled coyly at the males around her. Thankfully, we’d been far enough away that they hadn’t seen our air elements collide before we’d flown out to the balcony.
The prince took another deep breath and raked a hand through his hair again. “How do you know?” he finally growled. “How do you know it was her and not that prick, Lord Waterline?”
“I . . . I don’t have proof,” I stammered, “but it’s not the first time she’s tried to make everything harder for me. Please trust me. It’s her.”
I had never told anyone about the balance beam incident, and I wasn’t going to. Lady Endalaver played dirty, but I wasn’t going to run to anybody for help. I’d figure out a way to deal with her on my own. I wasn’t weak anymore, and I refused to become another bully’s victim.
“And you’re certain that Lord Waterline wasn’t acting upon his own mind on the balcony?”
I thought of that strange gleam coating his eyes, as though he’d been influenced, then gave a curt nod. “I’m certain. She manipulated him.”
Prince Norivun took another deep breath, the ardor in his eyes finally cooling. “In that case, Lady Endalaver is about to realize what happens when someone messes with my—” He cut himself off and raked a hand through his hair again.