Their Hidden Princess (Zora and Maximus) novel Chapter 255

Zora’s POV

When I blinked my eyes open, it must have been the morning. The sun was out, and in the distance, I could hear my four mates training. Had I overslept? Why had they let me?

Then I remembered. The illness. Thorne leaving. Thorne coming back. Thorne all around me. Inside of me.

Gods.

We’d only made love once before he curled himself around me, insisting that I rest. I hadn’t wanted to. I wanted him more, as much as I could get. I was exhausted but I had wanted to keep going. Maybe I had been afraid that he would leave again.

That fear had been quashed when he wrapped me up in his arms. As he held me closely, he whispered, “I’m not going anywhere. We will have other moments. Now that I’ve had you, I want it all. But you’ve been sick and need rest. Sleep.”

I hadn’t been able to resist that promise, and fell asleep shortly after, safe and warm in his arms.

Slowly, I pushed back the blankets that Thorne had drawn up over us, and sat upright in the bed. Since they didn’t wake me for training, my presence must not have been as imperative today. Perhaps they were trying to work as a team before adding me back into the fold. Or, more likely, they were all just letting me rest.

I had been very sick. Focusing internally now, I moved my fingers and my toes, trying to feel if there was anything amiss inside of me. But no, I felt no illness or weakness. In fact, I felt better and stronger than I ever had – other than a bit of stiffness that I knew was from spending too long in bed. Besides that, I felt great.

I had consummated 4 of my mating bonds. I honestly didn’t think it was possible for me to feel better than I had.

Closing my eyes, I thought of my mates. Maximus, so loyal. Kairos, impulsive but so strong and brave. Valentin, my steadfast guide. Thorne, my knight.

They were each so different, but I cared for them in equal measure, my love for them burning stronger every single day.

I smiled to myself. Things were difficult. I had tremendous pressure pushing down on me. But I wasn’t facing it alone. And with my mates beside me, supporting me, I believed there wasn’t anything I could handle.

Oddly, in an instant, something about my bed changed. I went from sitting on top of a plush mattress, my legs covered in soft blankets, to sitting on something much harder, my blankets gone, the brush of wind tussling my hair.

“Zora? How did you…?”

That was Max’s voice, so close like he was in front of me. But I had been in the bedroom while the others trained.

I opened my eyes.

I was outside, sitting in the middle of a circle of my mates. They all looked at me with abject surprise on their faces. I was certain that my own mirrored theirs.

I was still in my pajamas. I was in bed only a second ago.

How did I get here?

Valentin, as per usual, the one to first recover from the shock. “You teleported.”

The others turned their shock to him. I blinked, unsure.

“Consummating your bond with Thorpe has helped you grow stronger,” Valentin said. “Tell me, Zora. How did you do it? What were you thinking about before you came to be out here?”

“I was in bed,” I said. “I just closed my eyes for a minute and I…” A blush warmed my cheeks. “I was thinking about… you. All of you. The next thing I know, I was here.”

“Teleportation can be dangerous,” he said. “Please do exactly as I instruct. Do not take chances. Do not try to show off.”

“I’ll be fine,” I told him. His worry was palpable, but unnecessary. “I feel stronger than ever.”

“Without the proper training, you need to be careful.”

He was pushing this harder than I thought he might, more now than he had before or with any of my other powers. Teleportation was a rare ability, even I knew that. But to think I wasn’t ready for it? I had to be. My mates were here, and I was strong.

Unless… maybe he thought I wouldn’t be able to do it, and he was trying to spare me from disappointment.

“I won’t disappoint you,” I told him. Or myself.

His eyes softened. He traced his thumb over the top of my cheekbone. “You could never,” he whispered. “My fears are only for your safety, Zora. If anything happened to you…” He closed his mouth, as if he was unable to say the words. “I wouldn’t be able to stand it.”

“Nothing is going to happen to me,” I said. “Trust in me, Valentin. As I trust in you and the others. We are strong when we are together.”

The fear did not leave his eyes, even with my reassurances. “I have lived long enough to know very few things ever go to plan. Please. For my sake. Just promise you will be careful.”

His words gave me pause. I was still determined to prove myself, but I also wanted to ease him, so I made that promise. “I will.”

I didn’t yet know if it was a promise I could keep.