Chapter 92

MILA

I was once again left behind.

After Felix and the armies left for the border, I went back up to our bed. My hope was to get a nap in, but I mostly just ended up sobbing. I had just sent my husband away to war–and I had no idea when or if he would even be returning.

My world felt like it was crashing around me.

Whenever I closed my eyes, all I could see was Felix’s bloodied body lying somewhere in the fields of Fresonia, slain by his brother. Maybe my dreams were not memories–maybe they were some sort of premonition of his death.

I had to get to him.

I haphazardly started throwing items into a small suitcase and called Isla. Thankfully, she picked up right away.

“Mila? Why are you calling me from your honeymoon? Go back to your husband!” Isla exclaimed.

My eyes filled with tears at the mention of my honeymoon. Yet another thing Charles had stolen from me.

“I’m not on my honeymoon,” I said, my voice thick with emotion. “There’s a war on the horizon, Isla. Surely you’ve heard whispers.”

There was a long pause, and then Isla said, “My father and brother are in the Fresonian army. I heard they shipped out this morning. I just didn’t know… I didn’t know if you were allowed to talk about it.”

“Do you know where the village of Barlow is?” I asked.

There was a long pause. “I do.”

“How fast can you get me there?”

Isla sighed. “You’re a princess now. I cannot be responsible for putting you in danger.”

“The only one responsible for my decisions is myself,” I pointed out. “Please, Isla. I’m asking you to do this not as your princess, but as your friend.”

I could feel her hesitation through the phone, but eventually Isla said, “I can get you there by car in about three hours.”

“That quickly?” I asked.

Isla’s voice was grim. “He’s a fast driver.”

The understatement of the century. I was amazed I did not lose my meager breakfast during our breakneck journey to Barlow. Isla’s friend dropped me off near the edge of the army encampment and gave me a meaningful look as he helped me with my bag.

“Tell the prince that the people of Fresonia stand behind him,” he said. I looked at him in surprise.

“We’ve heard rumors of a threat ourselves,” the driver confessed. “Many of us have been preparing to guard our own homes in case of an attack.”

“It won’t come to that,” I assured him, even though I wasn’t so sure myself.

“We trust the prince,” the driver said. I placed a hand on his shoulder in gratitude.

“I do, too,” I said. And then I made my way to the army encampment.

I was stunned to see the scene before me. All my knowledge of the Dragon Knights came through Felix, not firsthand experience. I was shocked to see the sheer magnitude of the army: magical beings and humans alike. Dragons of various shapes and sizes curled up around the edges of the camp, as if providing some sort of protective border. Way down on the other side of the field, I could make out the familiar sight of Ignatius.

If that’s where Ignatius was dwelling, my husband surely couldn’t be far.

As I approached the other end of the field, I could actually hear Felix talking, having some sort of last council meeting with the other princes. I stood awkwardly off to the side of the open tent, not wanting to interrupt.

“That should be all for the night,” Felix was saying. “We’ll meet again at dawn’s first light to discuss our final strategy. This is it, men. The hour is upon us.”

Prince Lukas raised his head to agree with Felix but in doing so, spotted me outside the tent. His face grew pale and he shot an anxious look at Felix.

Felix turned, and to say that he looked surprised to see me was putting it mildly. I had never seen him in such a state of shock. For a moment, it even looked like he might cry.

Albert quickly dismissed the other princes and they scurried away. I took a timid step towards Felix.

“I know you wanted me to stay behind,” I said, “but I had to come.”

Felix raced towards me and lifted me into his arms, cradling me against his chest.

“I’m furious at you,” he said into my hair, “but I’m glad you’re here.”

He lowered me to the ground and took another long look at me.

“Only you would show up to an army base against explicit royal orders,” he said with a touch of pride in his voice. “Whatever shall I do with you, Mila?”

I twined my fingers into the soft hair at the nape of his neck.

“Take me to your private tent and I’ll show you,” I said, feeling bold after the morning’s event.

Felix’s eyes widened as he caught the meaning of my words. He scooped me back up and carried me over to his tent, nestled at the front of the field and next to Ignatius.

It was small, but tidy, with a cot and a small tub for washing. I smiled as I saw a picture of me tucked next to the bed. Felix followed my gaze and blushed.

“I always want to have you with me,” he said by way of explanation.

I set my suitcase down and turned to face him. I kissed him, at first gently, but soon my pent-up frustration and passion took over and my hands became a bit rougher. My fingers traced their way down his stomach to the waist of his pants. Felix shuddered at their touch.

I looked up at him. “May I?”

He could only nod. I quickly unbuckled his trousers and lowered them to the floor along with his underwear. I sank to my knees before him, aware of his quickening breath and fluterry anticipation.

I took him in my mouth, keeping my eyes trained on his face the whole time. Felix moaned and gripped my hair in his hand, softly yanking at my head. I moved faster, up and down, feeling him tighten within my mouth.

Felix cried out my name as he came, and I stayed on my knees, riding the wave with him. I could feel a pool of heat forming between my own legs at the sight of his pleasure.

Felix raised my chin and forced me to look at him.

“Your turn, Princess,” he said in a rough voice.

He lifted me onto the bed with ease. I was not sure how my clothes came off, but they somehow ended up on the ground of the tent. I did not care. All I could think about was how it felt to have Felix plunge two fingers inside me, pumping in and out, making my body weak.

“Felix,” I gasped, digging my nails into his shoulders. “Felix, don’t stop.”

I felt my body tense and curl against him, Felix smiling into my mouth as pleasure rolled through me.

“I missed you,” he said softly after I finished.

“It was only a few hours,” I said teasingly, amazed I still had a voice after what he’d done.

“Still,” he said, sitting up in the cot. “That’s too long to be away from you.”

I pulled the blanket around my naked body and cuddled against his side.

“I know it’s no honeymoon,” Felix said, drawing me against his chest, “but I will give you a proper trip once our business is settled here.”

I nodded as I laid against him, shoving aside my fears for the next day.

We could only have a honeymoon if Felix made it out of here alive.