Page 53 of Blood Weaver
“A secret? Now you’ve got my attention,” I smirked.
His grin widened as he reached for the tray and snagged a piece of meat, popping it into his mouth with great relish. I followed the motion, hyper-aware of the grease that stained his bottom lip, and then as he slowly licked it clean. I was so entranced by his mouth that I had to shake my head and look away.
I cleared my throat and frowned. “What kind of secret?”
“What if I told you we were no longer allied with Keldara?” he whispered as he leaned in closer. “What if I told you it’s been ten years since we were allies?”
My frown deepened. “Ten years …” I gasped. “You mean since the invasion of Valoria?”
He nodded.
“How? Why?”
He tsked and wagged his finger at me. “Now, now, Leila. I can’t tell youallour secrets.” He grinned and reached foranother sliver of meat. “But I hope this little secret will warm you up to the Crimson Clan … even if only a little.”
A million theories coursed through my mind as I tried to piece everything together. “Didn’t the Crimson Clanwantto invade Valoria?”
He tilted his head and smirked. “Now, I didn’t say anything about that.”
“Then what happened?” I pressed.
Ronan looked behind him to make sure no one had entered the tent or was strolling nearby, and leaned forward again to whisper. “Let’s just say Keldara and the Crimson Clan had a deal in which Keldara didn’t deliver.”
My brows shot up. “You wanted something from Valoria,” I murmured.
Ronan slowly nodded.
“What was it?”
Ronan laughed. “I think you’ve had enough secrets for now. Finish up before I eat it all.” He nodded toward the tray of food.
I rolled my eyes and reached for the bowl of soup, then proceeded to drink it in a few gulps. The warmth of the soup coursed through my veins, lending a semblance of calm to the storm of questions swirling in my mind. Every revelation, each unveiled secret, painted intricate patterns of complexities and entwined narratives to create a world where alliances and enmities were as fluid as the shifting sands.
Once we finished our dinner, Ronan lifted the tray and called out for Silas, who must have been standing guard outside the tent. The Crimson Clan warrior hurried inside to retrieve the empty food tray. Without another word, he exited, leaving Ronan behind.
“You’re not leaving?” I asked with a raised brow.
He shook his head slowly. “No, unless you want me to?”
I bit my lip and contemplated his question. Did I? Did I want Ronan to leave me here alone? Or did I want his company like when we were hiding in the mountains?
“Stay,” I whispered as I peered into his darkening crimson eyes.
“As you wish.”
The tension in my tent climbed to levels even I couldn’t handle. I fumbled with the edges of my blankets, the intricate weave coarse against my nervous fingers. The quietness around us felt tangible, a thick, charged silence that threatened to consume the tent's confines.
The candle flames danced precariously, casting an enigmatic dance of shadows that echoed the array of emotions churning within me. Ronan’s presence, both a solace and a storm, rendered the night’s silence as articulate as the unspoken words that hung heavily in the air.
Ronan reached toward me and swept my hair behind my ear, slowly caressing me as he withdrew his hand. Had this been weeks ago when I first met him, I would have slapped his hand away. But now … I didn’t understand where my thoughts and feelings were. My brain told me this was all wrong. Once an enemy, always an enemy. But my heart … my heart fluttered at his touch, his soft, intense gaze, and his warmth that I’d grown to crave.
“Leila,” he whispered. He retracted his hand, but I quickly grabbed his wrist and stopped him. He looked at my hand and his gaze fell on me again. “What I want … I’m not sure you’re willing to give … yet.”
“What do you want, Ronan?” I asked, my voice heavy with need. I tugged at his wrist, bringing him closer.
His brows furrowed in confusion and then understanding. “I want you,” he murmured. “All of you.”
My heart stuttered as I stared into his darkening eyes. “I can’t give you all of me.”
