Page 116 of Between Despair and Hope

“Old blood. Healed myself the first time,” I croaked. “I’m alright.”

I adjusted, about to sit up, but he held on so tightly, I couldn’t move. I opened my eyes and looked up at Rain, finding him blinking rapidly as he cupped my face. The Supreme knelt and placed a cold hand on my neck.

“It looks worse than it is,” the Supreme reassured Rain, a tight smile on his face.

“Thank you,” I whispered, looking up at the man as he healed me. I shuddered to think what would have happened if Nor and the Supreme hadn’t intervened with the ward. He looked down at me with sad, brown eyes, and started to say something before hesitating and closing his mouth.

“Go on, out with it.” Rain adjusted me in his hold, pressing me tight against his body as the Supreme pulled away. Rain stood, picking me up easily, my legs tucked over his arm. The Supreme flinched at the harsh tone before righting himself and standing, careful to not touch his white clothing with bloody hands.

“I was going to say I was sorry for not believing you at first. Filenti has been a faithful servant for a very long time. I am…distraught I didn’t see it sooner.”

“Where has he been assigned? Which temples?” Dewalt’s voice was a whip cracking behind me, and I tensed. Rain held me tighter, and I relaxed into it, the touch more than I’d had in weeks.

The Supreme winced and took two large—and wise—steps backwards. “Ardian. That’s where he was before I assigned him to the capital.”

Dewalt closed the distance the Supreme had created, and I reached for his arm, knowing why rage flowed from him. I had the same questions. But it wasn’t as if the Supreme could answer them—not now anyway. I’d request a list of names from him, and we’d do our own research.

“D,” Rain’s voice was a growl, and I studied his face, the rage radiating from him still potent even without being able to feel the bond.

“Dewalt, can you find the key to the collar?” I asked, diverting the male attention and posturing. I watched as Nor dragged her foot through a marking on the ground outside as she cut her palm over it, red drips steaming in the snow.

Moments later, Rain opened a rift which brought us all into the temple, and then he turned and created another which opened up in front of the comfortable cream sofa at the estate. He set me down gently. Exhaustion and relief hit me so hard, I stumbled through it in a daze toward the sofa, only remembering at the last moment I was covered in blood.

“Fuck off,” he barked behind me, and I turned to see Dewalt’s face on the other side of the rift as it closed.

“Why didn’t you—”

Rain strode toward me with purposeful steps, riding a wave of fury in his eyes. Gripping my face, a hand on either side, his lips crashed into mine. Desperate, searching, panting, Rain kissed me so hard, I reached up and grabbed his wrists. I lost my balance, twisting enough to bring a cry to my lips. He jolted back and stared at me, chest heaving.

“My rib. I think it’s broken.”

His hand dipped beneath my shirt, reaching up to palm my side where I held it. His hand was warm against my skin, still wet from the snow. A fire roared in the grate behind me, and I closed my eyes. The heat of his healing divinity, the comfort of his presence, and the crackling fire brought me peace.

“Elora?” I asked.

“At the palace with Thyra. I suppose she got to see her new quarters.”

I deflated a bit, knowing he’d been trying to make it perfect for her. He should have been there when she saw it for the first time.

“I’m sorry.”

“Are you?” he snapped, and my cheeks flushed with shame as he pulled away from me.

“I am. For all of it.”

“You didn’t tell me because you knew I wouldn’t approve.”

“Partially, yes.”

“And the rest?”

“Bartering,” I said, hanging my head. “I thought maybe you’d be desperate enough to know…”

“Desperate enough to know where my wife was going, endangering herself, workingin the Wendwith no guards? Desperate enough that I’d what? That I’d—”

“Not everyone who lives in the Wend is a criminal,” I argued.

“You think I don’t fucking know that, Emmeline?” he growled. “What you did was reckless all the same.” Frustration flared down the bond between us, red and hot.

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