She stood just outside the door to the keep, shadowed by the tall walls stretching towards the night sky behind her, but Cas didn't need to see to know it was her. He would recognise her voice anywhere.

"Why are you here?" he asked. Until now, she had respected his need for space, only coming close the last time she worked to remove the magic inside him.

Taking two steps towards him, the shadows fell away as the moon illuminated her silhouette. Dressed in a beautiful blue dress with an intricate pattern in gossamer silk along her arms, and her long silver-blonde hair pinned back but flowing freely down her back, she was stunning. It was no wonder Kairn couldn't tear himself from her side.

"I wanted to make sure you're all right," she said, nodding towards the tankard he still held in his hand. "You've had quite a few."

He raised a dark eyebrow. "Worried I will topple off the ramparts?"

The ghost of a smile crossed her lips. "Maybe nothing quite so dramatic. I'm just not used to seeing you imbibe."

Feeling a childish need to prove he was fine—even if he was far from it—he raised the drink in a mocking salute before taking another mouthful. "Considering that we might be under attack any day now, I believe it's fully reasonable to indulge oneself for once."

"Fair." Her gaze lowered to the ground, and she looked as if she was debating whether to continue their discussion. He rather hoped she decided not to. "I suppose we all find different ways to cope when waiting for the inevitable."

When he said nothing else, her shoulders slumped and she let out a small sigh. "Take care of yourself, Castel."

She turned to return inside. He should let her. It was the wise thing to do.

"I hate seeing you with him."

His words halted her steps, and he cursed himself for his inability to remain silent. Turning slowly to face him, her brow lowered and he could see exactly when her temper sparked. Even in the winter night with only the moon and stars to light their way, he recognised the dark glint in her deep-blue eyes, the tightening of her mouth.

"You have no right," she said, crossing her arms over her chest while the wind whipped her long hair behind her like a mantle. She was a glorious sight.

"I know."

"I've been more than clear about what I want, and you chose to—" Her diatribe stopped when she realised what he'd said, and her arms fell back to her sides, but the line between her brows remained. "Then why?"

His free hand flexed while the other tightened around the tankard. "Because I still want you." His eyes met hers, as he could no longer hold back his confession. Aided by jealousy and alcohol, he took a step towards her. "Because I've always wanted you, and I don't know how to stop."

"And I'm right here." She raised her chin slightly in that stubborn way he both loved and found incredibly frustrating. "Like I have always been. So what do you want?"

He let out a joyless sound somewhere between a chuckle and a huff. "That's just the thing," he said as he took another step. "I don't just want to take you to bed, Isobel. Yes, it might scratch that itch, that desire for you that burns ever bright. But I want more than that."

When he stopped in front of her, she had to tilt her head back to continue meeting his gaze. Her mouth was slightly open, and the air misted in front of her when her breath mixed with the cold air.

"Wh... What are you saying, Castel?"

He grabbed her hand with his free one and brought it to his face, running his lips over the knuckles, before gathering the courage to confess everything. "I'm saying that I don't only desire you. I love you, Isobel. I have always loved you. And, I—" He shook his head, trying to find the right words. "I don't know how I could go on without you. I know you can never be with me. Not fully. You're prohibited by your vow as a sorcerer. So maybe I'm a coward like Boreas says. Maybe I've been using my fear of hurting you as an excuse. Because the alternative is to have you for a brief period only to see you walk away, and that's... It's torture."

"Castel, I—"

"So yes," he cut her off with a wry grimace. "I selfishly hate seeing you with Kairn even when I know I have no right to."

Her hand in his twitched, but she didn't pull it back. "I... I wish I could offer you more," she said. "But yes, my vows weigh heavily upon my shoulders. I've railed against the strict rules many times, but the Grand Sorcerer will not relent. For what it's worth"—she pulled her hand from his to cup his cheek—"there is nothing between me and Kairn. He has shown some interest, but I have no inclination to take him up on any offers."

She tilted her head to the side as she watched him, and in the pale moonlight, she shone like the brightest star. He wanted her so badly that it was physically painful. "But Castel," she continued. "Surely you must know that I have always wanted you too?"

The honesty in her gaze was his undoing. The tankard in his hand fell and clattered across the ground, its contents spilling into the snow as he captured her mouth in a passionate kiss. He might regret this come morning, but for now, he needed to feel her. To taste her.

She melted into his embrace, her arms coming up to wrap around his shoulders, while he continued kissing her. He could never get enough of the way she responded to him, to the faint scent of lemons that clung to her hair, to the feel of her soft body pressed against his.

If he allowed himself this moment with her, he wasn't sure how he could ever let her go, but the need to kiss her was bigger than his self-preservation. Bigger than everything. Remembering that they were standing in the middle of the courtyard, he pulled her along into a dark alcove around the corner from the door to the keep. What he wanted to do to her was not appropriate for public viewing.

Isobel's back hit the stones behind her as Castel crowded her against the wall, his mouth still on hers and his hands gripping her waist. The icy winter air should be freezing, but the alcohol she'd imbibed during the evening and the fervour of Castel's kiss sent a scorching heat through her.

In the dark alcove, it was as if they were in a world of their own. There were no sounds other than the wind howling, the occasional noise of the guards walking along the ramparts, and their own laboured breathing. Castel kissed her with an intensity that bordered on desperation. Tasting her. Conquering her. And she was more than willing to surrender.

Her hands buried in the soft hair at the back of his head, and it was enough encouragement for him to slide his hands down to her bottom and press her against him. Even through the layers of their clothes, she could feel the evidence of his desire, which only stoked her own. His mouth left hers to trail across her jaw until he reached her neck. He kissed and nibbled on the sensitive skin until she writhed in his arms. One of his hands cupped a breast through the fabric of her dress, kneading softly.

She moaned, her eyes closed as she enjoyed every touch, every kiss. When Castel gently bit down on her neck, she let out a gasp. She'd never known she was so sensitive to that, but it sent a spear of pleasure straight to her core. A moment later, he kissed the same spot, soothing it with soft lips.

Lifting his head slightly, Cas whispered, his hot breath hitting her ear and making her shiver, "I love touching you. Seeing and hearing you react to what I do to you is the best reward."

She would have answered, but her mind was preoccupied with the sensation of his hand sliding down her hip towards her thighs. When he dropped to his knees in front of her, she stared down at him, unsure of his plans. His hand sneaked under the long skirt of her dress and started lightly travelling up her legs, and her jaw dropped.

"Castel," she whispered. "We can't do that here."

He looked up at her, his eyes dark with desire. "Why not? No one will disturb us. They're all busy indoors, and even if someone was to come outside, they can't see us here."

His hands were on her thighs now, caressing them just above the edge of her stockings. A wicked smile played on his lips as he lightly trailed his fingertips along the inside of her thigh, lightly brushing against her core before moving back down again. She had to bite her lower lip to hold back a moan of anticipation.

"What if someone hears us?" Her voice was breathless and not sounding nearly as admonishing as she had intended.

"Then I suggest you're quiet," Castel said as he hooked his fingers under the underwear strings at her hips and tugged down.

"Oh, I... Ooh!" Her protest ended on a moan when his hand came back up and caressed her hot, wet core. His thumb gently grazed the most sensitive part of her, and her hands gripped his shoulders to keep her knees from buckling.

"Shh," he teasingly admonished her while touching her equally teasingly, moving his fingers back and forth.

She leaned her head back against the stones and closed her eyes, enjoying the waves of desire his touch evoked. Wedged between the wall and his shoulders, she felt secure knowing that she wouldn't fall over, which was good because she certainly didn't trust her own legs right then. She had to hold back a moan as he flicked his thumb over her sensitive nub again. This was so wicked and yet so good. His thumb rubbed against her, pushing her desire higher.

For just a moment, she dared to glance down at him, only to find him watching her face as he touched her. The heat in his gaze matched the ardent desire she could sense all around him, all around her. She had long lost track of whose feelings belonged to whom, lost in a sea of passion.

"Remember to be quiet..."

She was just about to ask him what he meant when she felt a sudden rush of cold air against her legs. Castel was now covered by the skirts of her dress, the fabric covering his head and shoulders.

"C... Castel?" she whispered, her breath hitching as she felt him press a kiss against one of her thighs.

He lifted one of her legs and hooked it over his shoulder, leaving her wet and exposed to him under the skirts. He was so close to her she could feel his breath against the apex of her desire. This was so deliciously wicked, she thought she might faint. By the Gods, she hoped no one would wander into the courtyard.

Any worry of someone walking in on them fled when Castel pressed a kiss against her, and all she could think about was the sensation of his lips on her. He placed kiss after kiss along her slit and at the very top of the inside of her thighs, the stubble on his chin scraping against her skin. Feeling lightheaded, she dug her fingers into his shoulders as she waited for more with bated breath.

Then his tongue licked a long stroke from the bottom to the top, finishing with a light flick on her most sensitive spot, and she nearly came apart right then and there.

"By the Gods," she moaned before she remembered herself and bit down on her lower lip to stay quiet.

Castel's hands reached around her, one cupping her bottom and the other snaking over her thigh on his shoulder, keeping her in place and helping her stay upright. All while he continued to lap at her with long strokes that sent sparks of desire across her skin. He was still teasing her, only sometimes allowing her a light flick of his tongue or a gentle suck where she wanted him most, before returning to taste all of her. She was grateful for the support his arms gave because she suspected she might have crumbled to the ground by now otherwise.

Her head rolled against the wall and her breath came in shallow gasps. If he didn't grant her release soon, she might perish.

"Please..." A moan tore from her lips. "Cas..."

She could have sworn she felt him smile against her. Then he finally moved his attention to the part of her desperate for his touch. He teased and sucked until she could no longer hold back her moans. He brought her closer and closer to completion, and when he moved a hand back to slip two fingers into her, moving in rhythm with his licks, she cried out as she came apart. Waves of pleasure coursed through her as she called out his name.

There was a risk she might have bruised his shoulders by holding onto him so hard, but he continued stroking her with his tongue, prolonging the pleasure. Her hips jerked, bucking towards him as if she couldn't get enough while simultaneously finding it almost painfully good. He held her close, carefully slowing down when she began wiggling away from him as the pressure of his tongue was finally becoming too much. Finally, he placed a kiss on the inside of her thigh before coming out from under her dress and smoothing the fabric down over her legs.

Her body felt limp and spent but filled with deep satisfaction. Unable to move, she stayed leaning against the wall while Castel stood up in front of her. Pulling her into his arms, he gently kissed her neck.

"By the Gods, you're beautiful," he whispered against her ear. "And you taste divine."

Her face burned, but she couldn't pretend his words didn't please her. When he straightened, she reached up to smooth back a lock of hair that had fallen over his forehead. He turned his head to press a kiss against her palm, sending tingles of awareness up her arm, despite the pleasant exhaustion still making her limbs feel heavy and languid.

"Isn't this the part where you usually run away?" she teased, though part of her still expected him to.

Castel made a wry face. "I didn't run."

"Just walked quickly?"

His warm chuckle washed over her, making her smile. "I suppose," he allowed. "But I have no intentions of leaving you tonight."

"I'm glad," she murmured, leaning further into him. His chest was so hard and lean compared to her own, and she hoped he would allow her to explore it. "Will you join me in my chambers?"

"I won't allow myself to fall asleep, because even after you removed the traces of magic, I still fear that we may have overlooked something." When she must have looked terribly disappointed, he smiled and leaned down to give her a lingering kiss. "But I will come to your chambers and not sleep."

Excitement washed over her, and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, kissing him back.

"Well then," she mumbled against his lips. "What are we waiting for?"

~~~~~~