Elowen's POV His hands joined mine. Spreading my arms wide, pressing them into the mattress above my head, his fingers entwined with mine. He held them there, gently pinning me beneath him as his mouth explored every inch of my bare skin. The heat of his lips trailed down my neck, my breasts, his tongue leaving a trail of hot, wet kisses as it slowly worked its way down my belly. I arched into him, a desperate sound escaping my lips.He released my hands, his fingers skimming slowly down the length of my arms, my sides, until they curled around the backs of my thighs, gripping my legs tightly. My breath hitched in my throat as he lifted my hips, his hot mouth moving lower and lower, his tongue dipping inside me. A wave of pleasure pulsed through me, sending shivers across my skin. His fingers dug into the backs of my thighs as he slowly, tortuously dragged his tongue across me, tasting me. Another desperate moan escaped me. He released his hold on my legs, shifting back up
Elowen’s POV Later that night the Blackthorn mansion, usually alive with the subtle movements and hushed conversations of its inhabitants, had finally settled into a profound silence. The crackling fire in the grand hearth downstairs had long since died down to embers, leaving only the soft, ethereal amber glow of moonlight pouring through the wide, arched windows of the long hallways, painting the polished marble floor in pale, silvered stripes. I hadn’t been able to find sleep, the turbulent echoes of the day’s confrontations still swirling restlessly within me. Their anger earlier hadn’t truly scared me. It was the raw, unwavering love that lay beneath their protective fury that had left me feeling strangely vulnerable, exposed in a way that made my chest ache. I wrapped the soft, plush blanket tighter around my shoulders, seeking a small measure of comfort, and wandered quietly down the silent corridor. My bare feet made no sound on the cool, smooth marble beneath them. I pass
Elowen’s POV The moment I finally stepped into the relative sanctuary of my room within the Blackthorn mansion, the accumulated weight of the day’s emotionally charged events pressed down on my shoulders like a physical burden. I had barely begun the process of changing out of my academy uniform, the stiff fabric feeling like a second, unwelcome skin, when the heavy oak door burst inward with a sudden, violent force that rattled the very hinges in their ancient frames. “Why in the hell didn’t you tell us, Elowen?” Theron’s voice, usually a low, smoky drawl, was now a tightly controlled snarl, the surface calm barely concealing a deadly undercurrent of rage layered with a palpable hurt. I froze, standing awkwardly in the middle of the spacious room, half-unbuttoned tunic hanging open, the soft fabric of my dressing robe clutched loosely in my hands. “What are you talking about?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper, a sudden premonition of what was to come chilling me. Ranon was rig
Elowen’s POV The instant the shrill clang of the academy bell sliced through the stunned silence of the lecture hall, I was on my feet, propelled by a raw, visceral need to escape. I didn’t wait for the lingering murmurs to fade or the excited whispers to quiet. I needed air, a vast expanse of it. I shoved the heavy oak classroom door open with more force than necessary and strode out into the echoing corridor, my footsteps ringing sharply against the cold stone floor. My chest felt constricted, a painful tightness as if my ribs were straining to contain something wild and untamed that threatened to break free. Damn her. Damn Lisa and her venomous words, her calculated cruelty. She had known exactly where to strike, aiming for the raw nerve of my insecurities, twisting the knife of my complicated relationships with the triplets. And gods, I had let her. I had let her win by snapping, by giving the entire class a dramatic, uncontrolled display of my volatile temper. And now? Now t
Elowen’s POV The lecture hall, usually bustling with the low murmur of scholarly discussion, felt strangely colder than usual this morning, the chill seeping into the very stones of the ancient building. I slipped into my usual seat near the back, trying to keep my head down, hoping to remain unnoticed. My heart still hadn’t quite settled into a normal rhythm since that brutal, emotionally raw moment with the triplets in the courtyard earlier. Their faces, etched with varying degrees of pain and anger, haunted the edges of my vision—Ranon’s barely concealed hurt, Alaric’s carefully constructed sarcastic mask that had cracked just enough to reveal the raw ache beneath. I should have handled it differently. More thoughtfully. More… maturely. I would handle it better. Eventually. But not now. Not when my head felt like a turbulent storm and my chest was too full of a confusing mix of guilt and longing. I just wanted to disappear, to become invisible until I could sort through the ta
Elowen’s POV The academy courtyard, typically a vibrant tapestry of early morning activity, buzzed with the usual pre-class energy—students engaged in hurried conversations, a few already beginning their morning sparring rituals, others still rubbing sleep from their eyes as they congregated in familiar groups. But for me, the familiar chaos felt strangely muted, the sounds and sights around me slightly out of focus as I stepped into the bright morning light beside Theron, the lingering warmth of his body still a tangible memory against mine. He hadn’t relinquished his hold on my hand since we’d left his room, his fingers interlaced firmly with mine, a silent declaration. A knot of apprehension tightened in my stomach. I tried to subtly pull my fingers from his grasp, my gaze darting around, worried about the inevitable scrutiny of too many lingering eyes. But Theron only tightened his grip, his knuckles brushing against mine with a possessive firmness. “They already know, Elowen,
Elowen’s POV The next morning sunlight, the color of molten gold, managed to seep through the heavy, dark curtains of Theron’s room, painting warm, hazy stripes across the floor and gently brushing against my cheek. I stirred slowly, my limbs feeling pleasantly heavy and languid, completely nestled in the comforting heat of Theron’s embrace. His strong hand was splayed possessively across my waist, his bare chest pressed firmly against my back, the steady rhythm of his breathing a warm caress against the curve of my neck. I didn’t want to move, didn’t want to break the quiet intimacy that enveloped us like a soft blanket. “Awake?” he murmured, his voice low and gravelly, still thick with the remnants of sleep, the sound sending a delicious shiver down my spine. I smiled, a small, sleepy curve of my lips against his skin. “Barely.” He shifted slightly, pressing a lingering kiss to my shoulder blade, his lips then grazing slowly downwards, tracing a warm, deliberate path to the s
Elowen’s POV The moon, a silent voyeur in the inky sky, had climbed higher, its silvery light now painting the academy grounds in stark contrasts of light and shadow by the time Theron and I finally made our way back to the hushed stillness of the Blackthorn mansion. The long corridor leading to the private quarters was dim, the only illumination emanating from the ornate wall sconces, their soft golden glow casting elongated, dancing shadows across the polished stone floor. My hand remained securely nestled within Theron’s, his grip steady and reassuringly warm, a silent anchor in the lingering turbulence of my emotions. I could feel the weight of his occasional glances, the subtle intensity in his silver eyes as he seemed to study my every expression, as if trying to decipher the intricate map of my inner world. We didn’t speak much during our walk back. There was a quiet understanding that permeated the silence, a sense that words were unnecessary, that our shared emotions trans
Elowen's POV Later that evening the air in the academy courtyard was cool and still, heavy with the unspoken promise of the approaching night. The moonlight, a soft, ethereal glow, filtered through the dense canopy of ancient trees, casting intricate, lace-like shadows over the winding stone paths. I wandered aimlessly, my footsteps silent on the damp flagstones, seeking a momentary escape from the tangled chaos that had become the soundtrack of my days. My heart still felt bruised and unsettled by the morning’s events—Caelum’s subtle provocations, the triplets’ fiercely protective reactions, the barely veiled venom in Alaric’s voice, and, most acutely, the weight of unspoken emotion in Theron’s silver eyes. All day, I had felt their gazes on me, a constant, silent scrutiny. But Theron’s had carried a particular heaviness, a complex tapestry of questions left unasked, feelings deliberately kept unreadable, creating a palpable distance that had settled like a cold knot in my chest.