But I saw it.
My hand slid up into his hair to keep his head to mine so I wouldn’t lose it as he kissed me, made love to me and showed me his spirit.
I’d never seen anything like it and it… was… beautiful.
With nothing but kisses, light touches and slow, sweet, deep strokes, Lahn built the fire until I had to let his spirit go so I could close my eyes with my climax, my moan drowned in his mouth.
Mere seconds later, not yet fully recovered from my own orgasm, my mouth received the gift of his groan.
Once he recovered, his lips swept my cheeks, my eyes then his face disappeared in my neck.
I held him tight and stared at the roof of the cham, not able to stop myself from feeling moved that he showed me his spirit, something so precious to him, something he kept safe, something he did not share and further not able to stop myself from being dazzled by the display.
Shit.
I pulled in a breath, turned my head and, mouth at his ear, I whispered, “You’re a natural at this kissing business.”
His head came up and his eyes came to mine, the shimmer gone but his gaze was warm.
“Natural?”
My hand slid to cup his jaw. “Have you ever kissed a woman, my king?” I asked my question softly in Korwahk.
His eyes held mine in a way it felt like he was trying to read me before he grunted his clearly guarded negative admission of, “Me.”
I was his first.
He’d given that to no one else. He’d given it only to me.
Shit. I liked that.
I smiled at him. “Well, you’re good at it,” I said softly in English.
“A natural.” He stared at me so I lifted my head two inches, my lips a breath from his where I whispered, “Kay anhay tee.” I paused then finished with emphasis, “Chah. ”
I liked it… a lot.
I watched again as his eyes smiled.
Then they grew intense and he whispered back, “Kah rahna tunakanahsa Pahnsahnalla.”
I blinked.
This was new. He called me, my golden warrior goddess.
“What?” I asked then in Korwahk, “Tela?”
Instead of answering, he pulled out, rolled and sat up, taking me with him so I was straddling him. His hand cupping my head tipped mine down and his arm around my waist squeezed tight.
Then he said in Korwahk (most of which I caught, some of which I guessed), “I am sorry, my tigress, but you have a difficult choice this morning. Either you attend the pyre or you do not. It is your choice but I urge you to watch the ashes of Dortak’s bride drift to the heavens.”
All thoughts of what Lahn called me flew from my head.
Last night, I attended an execution slash suicide. This morning, a funeral.
Fantastic.
It must be said, sometimes this queen business sucked.
My eyes slid to his ear and I whispered in Korwahk, “I will go.”
“Lahnahsahna,” he called and I looked back at him. “This is not the easy choice,” he told me then gave me a squeeze. “But it is the right one.”
It was way cool he understood and even cooler that he seemed proud of me.
I didn’t tell him that. Instead, I sighed then I nodded.
Then I asked in Korwahk, “What was her name?”
Instantly, he answered, “I do not know.”
I blinked again then I stared. Then I asked, “You don’t know?”
He shook his head, “I do not.”
Was he crazy?
I pulled back an inch and felt my eyes narrow. “You ordered the death of a woman whose name you don’t know?”
