Page 125 of Ironling
He’d woken up with his mate in his arms before, but always in the murky darkness of predawn. There was something about lying with her here, in her bedchamber,herbed, sunlight bathing them, that had his foolish heart daydreaming.
It should always be like this.
They shouldn’t ever have to sleep apart.
Yet…
I can’t,she’d said.I can’t.
She couldn’t run away with him. Or wouldn’t.
The blow still stung, even as he molded his body around hers and breathed deeply from her sweet-smelling hair.
He hadn’t truly expected her acquiescence; everything he knew about her told him she would stand and fight. Yet to hear it still set his heart to aching bittersweetly. In the old days, when an orc had made off with their desired mate into the mountains, it hadn’t always been consensual—a main reason why the tradition had fallen out of favor.
Hakon feared it might end up being so with his own mate. If Aislinn wouldn’t come willingly, would he dare take her anyway?
They would be hunted. Captain Aodhan himself would track them. Aislinn may even resist him and try to get away. Chief Kennum in Kaldebrak may very well refuse to allow him back with a human captive, and a noble one at that. Siggy would surely beat him over the head.
He understood all this and yet—if it came to it, if it was her safety over her position, he would do it. For her.
Hakon let his eyes slide closed and put away such thoughts. The situation hadn’t grown so dire yet, and he had no qualms with wringing Bayard’s neck before making off with Aislinn. Whichever solution was better for her, Hakon was determined to see it through.
The lazy morning sun lulled him back into a doze, his body lax and spent from a night of lovemaking and his mind content to plan how best to separate Bayard’s head from his shoulders. His thumb ran in slow circles over her ribs, and his fingers toyed with the ends of her hair.
Inside that room, it was easy to pretend. Despite her rejection, lying there with her only filled his heart with imaginings of what could be.
Lost in his fantasies, he didn’t hear the door to the solar open.
He did, however, hear Fia’s shriek of alarm and quick attempt to muffle it behind her hand.
Aislinn lurched upright, and Hakon moved to block her with his body.
They all held perfectly still, staring, waiting—
The door opened again, one of the guards calling, “Is everything all right?”
“Yes,” Fia called back. “Just a spider.”
The guard chuckled and closed the door again.
When she turned back to the bed, Fia threw a scowl Hakon’s way, and he returned it, even as his ears burned. Marching over to the bed, Fia planted her hands on her hips and stared down her nose at them.
“You just couldn’t keep away,” she huffed, her accusation for both Aislinn and Hakon.
A growl rumbled beneath Hakon’s sternum, not liking being scolded, especially over finding a way to be with Aislinn.
Fia pointed a finger at him. “Don’t you growl at me. You both know how risky this is, what with everyone jumping at their shadows and Bayard acting like he’s already lord of the castle.”
Hakon growled in earnest, muttering an orcish curse under his breath.
Aislinn’s head dropped into a pillow to muffle her groan.
“Up with you now,” said Fia. “I was going to let you sleep in, but the mayor is here asking for you. It seems that Bayard’s men are getting comfortable in town and harassing several taverns.”
Aislinn groaned again. “Sorry excuse for knights,” she mumbled. Pulling back the sheets, she climbed out of bed.
Hakon watched on with a mix of curiosity and fury.
