Page 29 of Hymn of Breath and Bone

Caspian’s kiss wasnotteasing as he replied, “Especiallybecause you’re prickly.”

I laughed, stroking my thumbs over his eyebrows as I pressed a kiss to his forehead. “I love you too, you impossible, insufferable seagull. Just in case that wasn’t clear.”

Another heated kiss sent fire racing straight to my core. “You wouldn’t like flying long distances,” Caspian commented, breathing a little heavily.

I smirked, knowing I’d won. “And I doubt you’d enjoy carrying me, but we all suffer what we must.”

“Oh no, Urchin,” Caspian grinned. I was glad to see his feral amusement returning as he stroked a hand over my backside. “As much asI’denjoy it,” he squeezed enough to make me yelp, “I think we’ll have to sail. We’ll take my smallest ship to try to avoid notice. I’ve no desire to announce to the Stormcrow that we’re in Nordhavn when I’m hunting for him. I’ll have warriors follow us on a more official vessel.”

“But how will Astraios—”

“I’ll send a messenger,” Caspian replied, cutting off my question with another kiss. “Eos is terrifying enough to keep Arctos in line, and we’ll negotiate with your father once we’ve dealt with the Stormcrow.”

“Sowhenexactly do we leave?”

“Tomorrow evening,” Caspian said. His golden eyes met mine with another confession. “After the handfasting.”

“We’re being handfasted tomorrow?” I tried to push myself out of Caspian’s arms, but he held me fast. “And you were just going toleave meafter? What about—you know.” I blushed, and Caspian leveled a wicked grin at me.

“What aboutwhat, Urchin?” he asked infuriatingly, his fingers drumming against my hips. “I can’t think of what you could possibly mean.”

“The claiming, you evil prick,” I snapped, scowling as his grin widened. “You were just going to leave me pining and alone for a week?”

“Now, Urchin, that’s ungenerous of you,” Caspian scolded in a mocking voice as he loomed over me. “I would have left you extremely sated before leaving.”

“And now?” I asked a bit breathlessly.

“Now,” Caspian replied, pressing a feather-light kiss to my lips, “I will leave you extremely satedandtake you with me.”

He scooped me up and I yelped as he carried me to his bedroom, and my heart galloped in a happy little beat. This was it. He was going to claim me finally.

“Tonight,” I pleaded, holding his face in my hands. “I want you tonight, Cas. Please.”

Caspian groaned in agony as he dropped me unceremoniously on the bed and leaned over to press a chaste kiss to my lips. He kneeled before me on the bed like some fallen god, and my breath caught a little as his eyes slid from my toes all the way to my lips.

“It's…bad luck to spend the night together before a handfasting,” he said.

I barked out a laugh, which died in my throat when I realized he was utterly serious. “You’re joking,” I said, scowling up at him as I propped myself up on my elbows. “Youpromised—”

“It won’t be romantic,” he said, pushing my hair back from my face with a chagrined look. “Not if we do this now. You deserve romance and softness and all the things that I’ve imagined when I imagined claiming you.”

I melted a little at the idea that he wanted this to be romantic and gentle.

But it wasn’t whatIwanted.

“I just want you,” I breathed, nipping his lower lip between my teeth and enjoying the rumbling growl that vibrated through me in response. “Wild and rough and honest and real. Tonight. Now.”

Caspian kissed me again, his hand roaming slowly over my back and toward the ties that held up my gown. His fingers hovered there, teasing and patient as if waiting for something.

“Please, Caspian. You promised.”

“I did,” he murmured, fingers slipping beneath the edge of the gown to brush my bare skin. “And I plan to deliver on each and every one.” He leaned closer until we shared breath, his body hovering just above mine on the bed. “I will fulfill every filthy fantasy you can think of.” He nipped my lower lip, and I let out a little moan. “Fuck, you’re not making this easy.”

“Me?” I scoffed, laying flat on the bed and spreading my arms wide in invitation. “I’m right here, Cas. Come and claim me.”

“Fucking skies, Marina,” he groaned, leaning down to catch my lips in a feral, plundering kiss. “You are a menace.”

The kiss deepened, and I moaned a little as I felt his hands roam down my body, pausing just below my navel.