Page 134 of Crown of Briars
Well, perhaps notquiteso easily. My pulse was still racing from Varius’s kiss. I wasn’t sure what had happened. We had both been full of adrenaline and fury and fear. In spite of the danger, in spite of our injuries… nothing had felt more right in that moment.
Numbness and fatigue spread through my body, making it easy for me to lean into his chest while he carried me. I felt his powerful muscles straining as his wings kept us afloat, soaring over the treetops. I marveled that his wings never flapped like Azure’s did. He had leapt into a tree, then used that momentum to propel us forward, wings spread as we glided with the wind.
Azure had fled the moment Varius had arrived. I saw her vanish into the trees, using the distraction of Varius’s appearance to escape from Warwick’s sight. But I didn’t know for sure that she was safe until I heard her voice in my head.
I would never forget the sight of Warwick’s hands wrapped around her throat, her eyes going dim…
I suppressed a shudder, pushing the image away from my mind.
Tislora was behind us somewhere. But in Varius’s arms, I felt safe. My eyes closed as I buried my face into his chest, inhaling that familiar smell of dark spice and heavy rainfall.
He smelled like home.
And he had come for me.
Warwick had nearly killed me. But Varius had come for me.
I didn’t realize my hand was curled against my amber stone until Azure’s voice rang in my mind.
“I saw what happened. You are lucky to have a powerful king like that on your side.”
“Are you all right?” I murmured without thinking. Warwick had nearly killed her.
“Yes,”Azure said.“It’s nothing a night of rest won’t fix. You saved my life, Sybelle.”
My eyes grew hot with emotion. I had almost lost her today, all because I’d been so foolish to enter these woods again.
“The wound isn’t too deep,” Varius said, clearly thinking I was speaking to him. His chest rumbled with his voice. “It will heal just fine. I’m more concerned withyourinjuries. Human flesh is more…” He paused.
I smirked. “Fragile?”
He chuckled. “That wasnotwhat I was going to say.”
“If you weren’t fae, I would call you a liar.”
He laughed again. “I was going to say moreprone to infection.”
“Well, that’s also true.” With my finger, I absently traced a line of muscle between his pectorals. He shuddered underneath my touch. “Thank you,” I whispered. “For coming for me.”
He was silent for so long that I thought he hadn’t heard me. I stared up at him, but his gaze was fixed ahead, no doubt to ensure we didn’t crash into a tree or something. In a solemn voice, he murmured, “I will always come for you,dannahla.”
I wasn’t sure why, but the words sounded almost sorrowful. His brows were drawn together, his mouth turned down, and I wondered what he was thinking about that made him so somber.
Did he know about the rose jewel? Was he concerned that Warwick had found out about it? Just before Varius had lifted me into his arms, I had grabbed it from the ground. Now it was tucked into my cloak pocket, and I kept one hand firmly wrapped around the hard, smooth petals. The contact of my skin was likely keeping the enchantment from attacking us.
Perhaps Varius had noticed I’d taken the jewel, and he was upset I hadn’t told him about it.
But there was plentyhehadn’t toldme.The witch’s words still echoed in my mind, along with her screams of agony. So much about that vision still haunted me.
I would talk to Varius about it soon. But I had to process it all first.
And I needed to do some research in the library to see what more I could learn about the spell.
I must have fallen asleep in Varius’s arms. When I awoke, I was surrounded by fluffy pillows and wrapped in a thick woolen blanket. I opened my eyes to find a darkened room. When I shifted, I realized I was lying in a massive bed.
Alone.
“Varius?” I croaked sleepily.
