Page 130 of Moonlit Fate

“Let’s get you cleaned up,” I said, scooping her up and carrying her to the bathroom. The dried mud on her skin and clothes flaked and disintegrated, leaving behind a trail of dust.

“I can manage,” Aria protested even as she rested her head against my chest.

“Trust me, it’s okay.” I kissed the top of her head before setting her down beside the tub and turning off the water. Her eyes were clouded.

“You sure Eldan won’t mind this?” I asked, motioning around the bathroom.

Her eyes cleared, and she looked at me in bewilderment. “Mind? Why would he?”

“Thought maybe you two...” I trailed off, not sure how to put it.

“Me and Eldan?” She shook her head emphatically. “He’s like a brother to me, Atticus. Nothing more.”

“All right,” I said, turning my gaze away so she could undress in private. I focused on fortifying my shields, determined to conceal my relief. Still, I couldn’t stop the grin that spread across my lips. She and Eldan weren’t together.

“Can you stand?” I asked.

“Yeah.”

“Let me help.” I peeled the final layers of clothing from her skin, careful not to touch the scrapes. The water lapped at the edges as I helped her into the tub. Aria let out a relieved sigh as she leaned back, resting her head on the edge so her hair trailed down over the side.

She was a stunning woman, and it would be dishonest to deny my attraction to her. The sight of her lying there, completely nude, was both alluring and distracting. Despite my attempts to remain composed, my cock had a mind of its own, creating an uncomfortable tightness in my pants. I didn’t want her to misinterpret my intentions, so I began mentally reciting multiplications and percentages until my obvious dilemma was no longer visible.

As much as I wanted to join her in the water, now was not the time. We’d only just started to talk again. Instead, I settled on the edge of the tub, found a clean cloth on the decorative shelf and began to wash the grime from her skin as gently as I could.

“Does it hurt?” I asked as I lathered the cloth with the soap.

“Less now,” she admitted. I gently massaged the soap into her skin, methodically working my way from her fingers to her shoulder, careful to avoid the scratches. Once finished, I moved on to her other arm, repeating the process. Her muscles relaxed slowly with each stroke, tension seeping out of her. It was both blissful and torture to be so close to her.

Her eyelids drooped, and her nodded. “Let’s get you out of the water before it gets too cold.” I grabbed a towel from the shelves. With a quick flick of my wrist, I unfurled it and held it open. Urging her to stand, I wrapped it around Aria, patting her skin dry with as much gentleness as I could muster. I wanted to worship her body. My hands shook a little from the effort of holding back the rush of feelings that threatened to overwhelm me. I didn’t want it to flow through our bond and overwhelmher.

Her hair had stayed dry, so I wrapped a dry towel around her body and guided her to sit on a stool to brush her hair. With each stroke of the brush, the knots in her hair unraveled, the rhythmic movements creating a relaxing flow.

“I felt your fear,” I admitted. “In the same way you experienced my nightmare. It echoed down our bond, a distress call I had to answer.”

“I’m glad you did,” she murmured, leaning into the brush strokes. “I was running low on energy, but when you appeared, I knew I had the strength to go on.”

“It was the weirdest thing, though,” I said, and she twisted her head to look at me. “I left my bed and shifted, all my focus on reaching you. I was running in the forest close to the den. Then, it was as if the shadows swallowed me. For a fraction of a second, there was nothing. Just as quickly as they had engulfed me, they expelled me and I was suddenly sprinting alongside you.”

Aria’s fear vanished, replaced with the same wonder I felt. “That’s… Gods, Atticus, that’s incredible. How did you do it? Do you think you can do it on command?”

I laughed, relieved that the last remnants of fear had dissipated from the bond. “It was. I don’t know, and I have no idea.”

Silence fell between us as I continued brushing her hair, watching as it transformed into a stunning silvery cascade that shimmered in the light.

“Let’s get you into something warm.”

She nodded, and we moved through to her bedroom. She pointed to a chest of drawers, and I opened them to reveal a collection of neatly folded clothes. I found a soft shirt and pants that would be comfortable enough to sleep in. I helped her dress. It was an intimate act of devotion, though I kept my touch business-like, purposeful, and mastered the multiplication tables in a way I never had as a child.

“Atticus—” she began, but I cut her off.

“You need food in you. Then we’ll talk.”

I scooped her up, carrying her effortlessly as if she were made of the same shadows that had once cloaked me. We made our way through the silent manor and into the kitchen. The cooks had long since extinguished the fires, so the kitchen was colder than the rest of the house. When I turned the corner, a strange woman sat at the small table, her feet propped up on it. A large platter of meat, cheese, and bread was on the table in front of her.

She turned her head when we entered. “Finally,” she said. “I thought y’all were never coming out of there.”

I set Aria down and stepped in front of her, shielding her from the woman. I had no idea if she was a threat, but I didn’t want Aria in harm’s way after what she had endured. I’d made a promise to protect her. “Who are you?”

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