Page 83 of A Darkness So Sweet

RAGNAR

He’d almost lost her. That was all he could think. He’d nearly lost her, all because he had indulged in his own battle lust. Revenge had blinded him and he’d left her alone for too long. All Ragnar wanted was to clutch her against him and hold her just a little while longer.

Her limbs were tangled around his waist, holding onto him tightly as he pressed her against his heart and ran. Still, Maia wasn’t close enough. He wanted to crawl inside of her and never leave. Because if he had been just a few moments later... If he had stayed in the battle and not heard Gunnar’s shout...

Thinking of what might have happened to her made him see red. He wanted to go back and kill that man again. Hacking into his flesh hadn’t been enough of a punishment, not for someone who would do that. The man had had intentions, brutal intentions, and that soldier had been about to do that tohis wife.

Blood boiling still, he pushed himself harder. Running faster through the forest in the hopes that at least if he ran, Ragnar could get some of these feelings out. He didn’t have to think about them if he was running. The thoughts couldn’t keep up with the speed with which he ran. But they still chased them. The memories of what had been done, and the fears of what could have happened, trailed along behind him like wolves nipping at his heels.

The humans hadn’t been what Maia had wanted. His heart bled for her, but also tha the had been foolish enough to believe her. Even for a few moments. The humans would never change. He wasn’t fast enough to outrun their cruelty, no matter how hard he tried.

Soon enough, they reached a clearing where the trolls could rest. Soon enough, the others of his kind gathered together with knives and swords to protect their injured

His fire hair shook like a leaf in his grasp. She trembled in his arms, her face pressed against the side of his neck as she breathed in his scent. And he knew.

He knewthat she needed him to be present right now. She needed him more than his people did, even if some of them were injured.

He’d never felt more torn.

Because he could see there were trolls who needed to be healed. He could see even his own brother was wheezing and bleeding out, the breath filtering from his lungs in a way that wasn’t natural or right.

And yet...

Maia sighed against his throat, her breath fanning across his skin and raising goose bumps in its wake. “They need you,” she whispered against his skin. “And they can’t do it without you.”

Ragnar was ashamed of both the relief and the disappointment that rose in equal measure to her words. “I’ll heal them quickly.”

“I’ll be fine.”

Those were the words she kept saying. Over and over. But he could see that wasn’t true. Even as he set her on the ground, his hands on her shoulders, she shook. Her arms curved around her waist, holding onto herself in a hug like she needed something to ground her.

“Ach,” he muttered, yanking her into his arms again. He hugged her tightly. “We’ll go. They can use up the rest of the healing potions.”

“No, Ragnar.”

“You’re not in any state to stay here.”

“Your brother is hurt, Ragnar.” She peeled herself away from him to look up with those giant green eyes. “You have to heal them. That’s who you are.”

He hated that she was right, but he loved her for it. For seeing what he had to do and deciding to put his people before her own well-being. But that was what Maia did, wasn’t it? She always put everyone in front of herself. He regretted that in this case, so did he.

Sucking in a deep breath, he nodded before rushing through the healing process. He saw to all who needed him until he got to Gunnar, who grabbed onto his arm. His brother was sitting on a log in front of a fire, his hand pressed over the wound on his chest that had already healed a bit thanks to one of Ragnar’s potions. But it was still ragged and bleeding, red liquid seeping out of it in a slow, sluggish crawl.

“Take her away,” Gunnar said, his voice twisted in pain.

“She’s more than earned our respect,” he replied. “If the trolls don’t see that now, then they’ll never trust her.”

“No, I’m saying...” His brother winced as Ragnar started working. The healing magic was likely a little too cold against the wound, because Gunnar pressed his hand against Ragnar’s, holding him tighter to the wound. “Take her away, just the two of you, for a while. I saw what that man was going to do to her. I tried to get to them, but...”

He’d seen Gunnar. His brother had attempted to stand, his back curving in a crawl as he’d forced his body to move. Just the barest amount, falling onto his face and then forcing himself back up as he’d slowly made his way toward Maia. It had been hard to watch, but that was the only reason Ragnar had known something was wrong.

Cupping the back of Gunnar’s neck, he pressed his brother’s forehead against his own. “You are the reason she’s alive, Gunnar. I know that. You know that.”

“I do.”

“Thank you. Thank you for keeping my troll wife safe.”

Gunnar breathed out a long exhale and then nodded as the healing magic settled into his body. “I’m fine. The rest of us will heal on our own. Take her to the illuminated glen, brother. No one will be there for a while yet. Bring her somewhere to remember that there’s still beauty in this world. Heal her soul as well as her body.”

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