Dawn of Cobalt Shadows (Burning Empire Book 2) by Emma Hamm (free novels to read TXT) 📗

spinning because he could smell the biting mint of her hair, the chill of her flesh, and the strong grip of her arms around his waist.

She was here and real in his arms. It wasn’t something out of a dream but she had come for him.

Nadir curled his body around hers, drawing her closer to his chest. The feeling of her fingers splayed wide over his heart was right. He couldn’t think of a moment in his life when he’d felt this complete. So utterly enchanted by another person who he had missed for what felt like his entire life.

He leaned down, breathed in her scent, and then rested his cheek against the top of her head.

He’d let go of her soon. Had to. There was so much they needed to talk about. A war on her homeland, his people rebelling against him, what he’d done with his dragon… his plan to become a god.

It could all wait. For a few more moments while he bathed in the feathered touch of her breath against his neck. The warmth of her fingers where she held his heartbeat close to his skin. The weight of her arms around him.

“Husband,” she whispered.

He tightened his hold around her shoulders. “It’s good to have you home.”

27

Sigrid

She tucked her face into the crevice where his shoulder met his neck and willed her heart to stop beating so fast. He’d hear it. Then he’d know that she’d missed him just as much as he’d missed her, and then where would she be?

They hadn’t seen each other in… was it a year now? Already?

Somehow, he’d grown into a man. His shoulders were far broader, and she’d already thought him rather large a year ago. His waist had tapered, his arms stronger and hands capable of handling so much more weight.

It was his face that disturbed her the most. The beard was one thing. She hadn’t even thought to enjoy facial hair on a man, but found his quite pleasing. There were fanned wrinkles at the corners of his eyes which hadn’t been there before, and a line directly in the center of his forehead that was clearly from stress.

He’d aged. More than that, he’d grown into a man while she was gone.

Sigrid wondered what he saw when he looked at her. A girl still? A young woman trying to pretend that she could lead a group of animals who didn’t want to listen to her? Or did he see a queen in the making, one who could take on both kingdoms if it meant that she could save her family?

She blew out a breath, the chilled touch of her breath raising gooseflesh on his skin. She didn’t know what her own answer would be to the question. If she looked into a mirror, would she see the same woman as she wanted to? Or would she see a scared child still looking to find herself?

Nadir pulled away just enough to see her face. He notched a finger beneath her chin and tilted her face up to look at him.

Her stomach burst into butterflies. She couldn’t think when he was looking at her like that. Like he’d missed her so much it was difficult to breathe now that she was here.

Because she felt the same way.

This wasn’t the same boy she’d known a year ago. And that scared her. Who was he now? Was she going to have to get to know him all over again? Would they even like these new versions of each other?

Perhaps he wasn’t worried about it at all, because Nadir grinned so wide she worried his face might crack.

“It’s so good to see you,” he said, his voice deep and rough. “I hadn’t thought to ever see you again.”

“I don’t think either of us planned on it.” But that was a lie. She’d come to his room a year ago, hadn’t she? The very first Beastkin that she’d taken away from Bymere had come from him, after the battle. He’d been the one to start their secret plan to save their kind, and she had been the one to first reach out.

Her fingers fisted in the fabric of his shirt. She didn’t want him to back away. Not yet, just a few more moments where she could touch him—know that he was alive and well—when all she’d done was destroy the things he’d tried so hard to build.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I don’t think I ever said it. But I am.”

“I know.”

“I didn’t want to hurt anyone.”

“Neither did I.” His hands curled tighter around her waist, drawing her closer to him and his warmth. Had she ever been this warm before? Sigrid wasn’t certain. The heat billowing off him in waves reached deep under her skin and warmed her to the very core. “I’m sorry for all the pain I’ve caused you. It wasn’t right.”

“You did what you had to do.”

“So did you, and that didn’t stop you from apologizing.” He pressed his lips against her temple, and gods, if she didn’t let her eyes drift shut and enjoy the moment. If only for a few seconds. “I’m still sorry our lives can’t be just the two of us somewhere alone. Where we could figure out who each other is without the weight of responsibilities and kingdoms.”

His words rang with a bitter pain that rocked her to the core. He was right. They would have gotten along very well if they weren’t from two separate worlds who hated each other.

She might have even loved him if she’d been given the time and the space to do so. He was a good man in his core. One that was vain and arrogant, certainly, but there was something more in him no one else had ever encouraged. She’d learned that in her time at the palace.

They couldn’t stand in the middle of the desert forever. Too many people relied on them to make a decision and stop what was happening between the two kingdoms.