Ice Runner by Viola Grace Page B

even tighter. He groaned and slumped against her, his head pressed in the curve of her neck.
    She stroked her fingers through his hair and sighed as the urge to try that again rippled inside her. She raised her leg, stroking his outer thigh with her inner thigh, and he moved his hand down to her hip, rolling to his back with her still in place.
    “Sometimes, you just have to make things happen.” His hands caressed her hips, and she could feel his body flaring to life inside hers once again.
    She followed his lead, and after she got the hang of the rhythm, she found that location had little to nothing to do with being able to find pleasure. When he joined her in dazed bliss, she sighed in relief.
    A moment later, she was lying on his chest and he stroked her back. “Why the big sigh?”
    “My policy has always been no one left behind, and for a moment, I thought you would be my first loss.”
    He chuckled and threaded his fingers through her hair, lifting her for his kiss. “Never worry about me. Here, it is always ladies first.” She laughed and pressed her forehead to his.
    “Good policy.”
    They rearranged themselves, and he curled around her protectively as they eased into sleep.
    Tomorrow, a full court would be assembled, and she was going to meet her birth parents for the first time. Surprisingly, she slept.
     
    Sitting on a throne in front of a whole bunch of strangers was not the oddest thing that Kescu had ever done, but it was a bit stressful. She was wearing the clothing that the Sector Guard had sent. A lightly armoured bodysuit and a set of robes that indicated she was a Citadel novice. She had signed on to accept Lorvik’s instruction early that morning, and the status allowed her to bypass the formality of court clothing during the day.
    The line of the nobles was coming to an end, but Kes still hadn’t seen the people that she came for.
    “Lyrica and Jerrin Aduran.” The chamberlain introduced them, and Kes didn’t pay attention to anyone else.
    Her skin tone came from Jerrin. The paler gold skin was a rarity from what Kes had seen so far.
    Lyrica gave her her face and figure as well as her hair and eye colour.
    Kes got to her feet. “Would you come with me, please?”
    The chamberlain looked to Lorvik, but Lor was getting to his feet as well. “Give us a few moments.”
    The court murmured to each other, but Kes didn’t care. She walked out to the garden and led her parents. When she was standing next to a bench, she turned and extended her hand. “I am Kescu Washley. Pleased to meet you.” Lyrica extended her hand and smiled, “Lyrica Aduran, this is my husband, Jerrin.”
    “You are my parents. You sent me to Kema Washley.” Kescu held her mother’s hand with both of her own.
    Lyrica swallowed. “We did.”
    Jerrin had tears slowly tracking down his cheeks, and Kes did what her heart urged. She lunged forward and hugged them both at the same time. “Thank you. You picked the right mother for the job.”
    All three of them cried together, spoke in blurts and cried again.
    Lorvik eventually pried them apart and kept his arm around Kes as her parents tried to get a lifetime’s worth of knowledge into one moment.
    Finally, he said, “Kema can answer your questions about Kescu’s dietary habits. If you will join us, we are going to sign the marriage contract today. Your child has grown into a woman of power, and I don’t just mean becoming a ruler.” To demonstrate, Kes knelt and picked up some fallen leaves and sticks from the base of the hedges. She held them in her palm, and they flared with flame before disappearing into ash. “I will need some self-control training to keep from lighting the palace on fire, but I should be in control in a few months.”
    The day whirled by with the palace witnessing the marriage contract. The official wedding would wait until Kema and Eera were on Shivi, but for all intents and purposes, Kescu and Lorvik were legally wed.
    At the dinner that