I shoved my elbow back, straight into Kieran’s stomach. “You know what I mean.”
His sharp intake of breath suggested I might’ve nailed him a bit too hard, but that’s what he got for being a smartass. I might’ve felt guilty if he hadn’t followed up with a full-bellied snicker at my annoyance.
“Yes, she understands Aetheric,” Kieran answered. “That’s how she was trained.”
“Does the entire Elder Guard speak Aetheric?” I asked in disbelief.
Again, Kieran chuckled. “No, Little Conduit. Muniin is my horse. I brought her to Sophrosyne with me when I joined the guard.”
Oh. Interesting.
I was tempted to pepper the man with more questions.Why Aetheric? Did you train her yourself? The guard lets you keep your own horses? She was the only dapple grey I’d seen inthose stables—all of the others were either black or brown…And where, exactly, did you come from before you joined the Elder Guard, that you were trained in fucking Aetheric?
But I held my tongue. Mostly because, as we sped deeper into the seclusion of the path, I could feel Kieran shift behind me, offering just enough delicious friction to distract me from errant curiosities that I knew were better off left undisturbed. He didn’t like to talk about his past. I knew that.
His breath blew hot against my neck as he leaned forward and adjusted his grip on the reins, moving both straps of leather into one hand.
The free hand, his dominant left, began to wander—lazily coasting its way up my thigh. I shivered at the warmth and roughness of his callouses slipping beneath my dress.Again,if the fucker had just told me what the plan was, perhaps I could have dressed more appropriately for the occasion.
“Kier!” I hissed in protest as his hand moved toward my inner thigh. “We are inpublic!”
“There’s nobody around, Little Conduit,” he crooned into my ear, raising gooseflesh on my arms. I supposed he was right in that regard…and my skirtswereloose enough so that my legs remained plenty covered even as Kieran took his liberties. “Nobody can see what my hand is doing…And nobody knows where it’s going…”
“Still…” I attempted to object, though the word came out as a soft sigh, my body betraying me as his hand continued to drift, the tips of his fingers brushing the lacy hem of my panties.
“Do you want me to stop?” he asked as his knuckle grazed the thin veil of cotton serving as the barrier between Kieran and my swelling clit. With just the slightest bit of pressure, my body jerked and jolted against him as I sucked in a sharp breath.
“I—Nngh,” I panted.
“Use your words, sweetheart.”
Gods, I hate him.
“No,” I whispered, my own tongue mutinying against my better sense. “But?—”
“Come on now, Ark,” Kieran rasped, his lips brushing against the shell of my ear. “Do youreallythink I’d let anybody else see this pretty little cunt of yours in broad daylight?”
It was hardly broad daylight.We were miles deep within the Wyldwoods at this point, further in than I’d ever traversed before. Sunlight only managed to peek through in patches beneath the massive boughs of ancient oak and pine and hemlock.
Kier clicked his tongue disapprovingly, right around the same time he slipped a finger beneath the hem of my panties, gliding between already slick folds with ease.
“I don’t think so,” he breathed. “This ismine…Feel how wet it is for me? Do you really think I’d ever willingly share this?”
I groaned as Muniin cantered over a series of exposed roots, which caused my hips to dip forward, pushing Kieran’s forefinger deeper inside me.
“That’s my girl,” Kieran purred. “I said I’d take care of you, did I not? I knew you needed some fresh air,little houseplant.”
“I hate you,” I breathed, aloud this time.
“No you don’t,” he replied. “But you’d hate me if Istopped,now wouldn’t you?
He slipped a second finger inside me, middle finger curling upward while the forefinger withdrew, spreading the gloss of my arousal over my clit. How in the Hel this man managed to maneuver with such precision with touch alone—while we were onhorseback,no less—was beyond me. I did my best to swallow the keening noises that threatened to escape my throat. Just because I didn’tseeanyone nearby didn’t mean I wanted anyone tohearwhat manner of degeneracy was taking place.
“Don’t you fucking dare,” Kieran snarled, nipping at the shell of my ear.
“Don’t I darewhat?” I hissed back, a mix of pleasure and irritation over this man’s power, his utter command over my body.
“Don’t you dare hold back on me,” he demanded, shoving the first finger back inside me with no small amount of forcefulness, letting his thumb take over his forefinger’s prior ministrations against my clit. “I want to fuckinghearyou, godsdamnit.”