Free Breathless Magic by Rachel Higginson Page B

Terletov’s initial attack.
    I could feel the residual Magic in the useless gates that
hung at awkward and wide angles. He had used some kind of explosive that had
been made with Magic.
    I also felt the Magic that chased us out of the Citadel.
Terletov’s men had followed us for as long as they could, but Kiran had grown
up on these winding roads and knew them better than anyone. They couldn’t keep
up with us, and they couldn’t follow us for long.
    We drove for hours, though, before we finally began to feel
relief. We were well into Hungary in fact, before our nerves calmed and our
hearts slowed down.
    Kiran clutched my hand the entire time, refusing to lose
contact with me.
    Titus sat quietly in the backseat, neither willing to break
the tension nor remind us that he was with us.
    We’d just barely escaped. Our children had been threatened
and now their secret was out. Our Citadel had fallen.
    And now our people were at an even greater and deadlier
risk.
    This was by no means over.
    But at least we were safe.
    At least we were together.
    We’d left all our material possessions behind, except the
ones that mattered most: our wedding rings, Kiran’s crown and the pendant
necklace he had given me so many years ago that dangled around my neck.
    The rest was all behind us.
    And we would leave it there until we could defeat this enemy
and rebuild our Kingdom again.
    We had been here before. We had fought for the Castle, for
our people, for our Magic to remain open and free.
    We would never stop fighting. This was what we were born
for… what we lived for. And we would stand side by side during this and the
rest of eternity.
    Kiran was my husband, my lover and my King.
    This fight belonged to us more than anyone else. Terletov
could try to destroy this Kingdom but he would soon realize our strength and
resolve would out match him every moment of every day.
    This was our Kingdom.
    And he could burn in hell for trying to take it from us.

 
    Chapter Eight

 
    “I don’t believe you,” my husband’s glittering blue eyes
narrowed on me, sparking with light from the fire that burned a few feet
away.  
    After we escaped Terletov’s Castle attack, we’d driven
straight through Europe until we’d rendezvoused with Avalon and Sebastian in
Geneva.
    This was somewhat sentimental for Kiran and I, so while the
rest of the group had left for South America in search of Kiran’s mother, we
had stayed behind for a night to recoup.
    Kiran was obviously worried about his mom, but he was equally
worried for me and our unborn babies. He wanted to make sure that everything
was fine and normal before we endured the plane ride over the ocean.
    And apparently, Syl’s good bill of
health was not enough for him.
    I wasn’t going to complain though. After the day, week,
months I’d endured lately, I was ready to relax for just one night.
    Tomorrow there would be plenty to worry about and fight for.
    But tonight, with my friends and family safe, with Lilly
returned and the babies perfectly healthy and buzzing with Magic and life, I
wanted to enjoy this rare moment of alone time with my husband.
    Currently, we were sprawled out in a bed of pillows in front
of a wonderfully warm fire. The lights were dimmed, there was music playing
softly in the background and I had just climbed out of a deliciously relaxing
bath.
    My husband was trying to seduce me.
    “I promise you, they’re fine.” I laid back on the pillows
and walked my fingers over my twenty-weeks-along inflated tummy.
    Kiran scooted next to me and stared down at my stomach as if
it would talk back to him and tell him the truth.
    “Here.” I grabbed his hand and placed his fingers on the big
bump that housed our children. “Feel their Magic.”
    Gently he lifted my recently-purchased cami and pressed his palms against my naked skin. His face lit with utter and
complete joy at the faint little buzzing that tingled beneath the pads of his
fingers and his Magic swelled with