Total pages in book: 119
Estimated words: 110079 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 550(@200wpm)___ 440(@250wpm)___ 367(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110079 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 550(@200wpm)___ 440(@250wpm)___ 367(@300wpm)
“Let’s eat before you bathe and go to bed,” Adrian suggested, pointing to the food that had arrived after they did and was now set out on the table. There were several dishes under covers and a pot of wine. The idea of eating while he’d been away from Adrian had largely turned his stomach, but now the promise of food from his home sounded delicious.
Haru caught Adrian’s hand and pulled him to sit on a cushion next to him. They worked together in silence, lifting the lids to see what had been prepared so late for them. Delicious scents and spices wafted up on curls of steam, making Haru’s stomach growl. Yet, he filled Adrian’s plate first prior to diving into his own food.
It was only after he’d inhaled a good portion of his food that he noticed Adrian was picking at his.
“Are you not hungry? Or is this not to your liking? I can go to the kitchen and see what else they have.”
“No! No, this is good. I ate earlier. I guess I don’t have much of an appetite.”
Haru set aside his bowl of rice and picked up the pot of wine to refresh his and Adrian’s cups. “You’re still angry.”
“Yes.” Adrian exhaled.
“At me?”
“No. Yes. I’m madder at Tyche for hurting you.”
“Don’t be angry at Tyche.” Haru reached out and brushed his fingertips along Adrian’s rough cheek. His lover had not shaved in a while, and there was a thick growth of stubble that felt almost like sandpaper. It was interesting, since Adrian always endeavored to remain clean-shaven. “I’m touched by your concern for me, but we must think about it from a logical point of view. We saw the devastation that Cirina wrought with her powers in Bellcairn. I’m sure it would have been ten times worse if she got her hands on her sister’s powers. None of us would have been able to escape. I chose this to keep you and everyone else safe. If you must be angry, be angry with me.”
“Maybe…” Adrian mumbled. It sounded as if he agreed with Haru but wasn’t ready to release his stubbornly held anger at the God of Luck. Adrian’s concern for him charmed Haru, but he didn’t want Adrian to harbor misplaced anger against Tyche. “If he were so worried about keeping the powers safe, why didn’t he take them? He’s already a god.”
“True, but he’s not a warrior like I am.” Haru lowered his eyes to the remaining food on his plate, moving it about with his chopsticks. “I think it says a lot about his inner strength and self-control that he chose not to take the powers. While no one has said it to me, I have pieced together the idea that the Goddess of the Hunt rose to power by killing gods and stealing their powers. What if Tyche had to watch this mad goddess murder other gods and goddesses he knew? What if he experienced years of fear and was forced to hide to protect himself from Zyros? Tyche would not wish to create another situation like that, so he chose me.”
Adrian lifted his dark gaze to Haru, and the hint of a smirk toyed with his plush lips, making Haru want to lean in and steal a kiss. “And you don’t want to go around killing gods so you can become the most powerful creature in all of Thia?”
The idea was ridiculous. Nothing within Haru craved power and domination like that. However…
“Would you like me to become a god? I will become so powerful that even my cousin must bow to me, and I will obey only my Adrian.”
A sharp bark of laughter broke from Adrian’s throat, and he shook his head. “No. I simply want my Haru back. No extra powers, please.”
“Good.” Haru leaned close, stealing a kiss. There was no hesitation on Adrian’s part. His mouth opened the moment their lips brushed, welcoming Haru deep inside where their tongues slid together. There was a vague hint of the mellow peach wine they’d been drinking. The rest was all Adrian. The sweet, wonderful mate he’d missed so much.
His heart picked up its pace, and the powers resting low in his chest stirred, but Haru shoved them aside, wrapping them in his own energy to muffle them while trying to give Adrian his full attention. Nothing could distract him from this man.
“Haru,” Adrian groaned into his mouth. He broke off the kiss but didn’t fully pull away. Adrian dragged his lips down Haru’s jaw, kissing his neck. “You need to finish eating.”
He closed his eyes and sighed at the feel of those soft, nipping kisses. “I find my appetite has shifted to desiring something else.”
Adrian chuckled low and sat up straight. “Then let’s get you into the bath so we can get ready for bed. Tyche and Caelan are going to have us up early for boring meetings. And Nori has made it very clear that we need our rest.”