Page 124 of To Scale the Emerald Mountain
“I would. You know her. And my trust in those around me is steadily waning.”
“It will be done, my king,” he says before bowing deeply.
“I hate it when you do that,” I admit, and Kraeston laughs. “Any word from the smith?”
“Aye, he said the alterations have been made and it will be delivered tonight.”
“Good,” I sigh as a mixture of excitement and uncertainty swirls within me.
“Are you ready?” Kraeston asks softly.
“Yes. But I am afraid I have one more thing to ask of you, old friend.”
“Say the word and it’s done.”
“I must ask you to expel a great deal of power before you take your leave.”
Kraeston smiles at me knowingly, drawing accurate conclusions as to what I need from him. I confirm verbally before we say our farewells, aware that it may be some time before we meet again.
Striding to the window, I peer down at the pool. My pulse races, and I smile at the memory of what happened there with Ellya only hours ago.
I adore her fierceness to claim what is hers.
The devastation Ellya wore at the realization that there have been many before her made guilt saw at my sternum. I always knew the day would come that my history with others would come into question. I was wholly unprepared for how it did.
But Ellya’s face when I told her that I pleasure myself to thoughts of her was everything my empty heart needed. She was shocked, but beneath her shock was the consuming heat that I feel every time she enters a room. She was clearly drunk, and that lowered her walls enough to lean into her jealousy and desire for me.
My control is breaking by the day having Ellya so close in her full maturity. Her continued rejection has been making the animal within me writhe and claw, wanting to fully commit to the challenge she has set before me. I will be rising to it now, after her attacking me in raging jealousy after all these weeks of pushing me away.
She does not get to have it both ways.
My patience with my gentle approach and giving Ellya space has come to an end, and with it, that loss of careful control. I am still a patient man and can wait for her to admit to what is right in front of her, but I will no longer hide my need.
I will have her.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
ELLYA
The gambling house I’ve chosen is the perfect distraction that I need.
The air is thick with smoke, the sounds of laughter, and shuffling cards. Occasional dice click together before rolling across felt tables, and silver balls rattle through the divots of spinning roulette wheels.
Leave.
The word keeps hissing in my head over and over. I take another drink of ale—trying to drown it out.
I came here with no money, but I quickly caught the attention of a man who was willing to buy my drinks and cover my bets. The superficial rush is almost freeing. In the last several hours, I’ve easily moved from one to the next. I am now sufficiently drunk again and have won enough money to support my own drinks and games.
Sitting at a dice table in a private back room, the scent of stale liquor stings my nose while I watch my newest friend lose the game spectacularly. I groan exaggeratedly with him when his bet is off, yet again. Under the table, his hand rests on my knee.
I stiffen at the touch but smile at him anyway.
“Your parents must have thought you something special at birth to name you after the Mother.” He squeezes my knee gently. I smile like the perfect doll; though the perfect doll might have remembered his name.
“My mother died birthing me. My father blamed me and cares more about my brothers. I was raised by my grandmother because she felt like she had to. Maybe they named me Ellya because they knew I would live up to the disappointment the name became known for.”
He looks surprised and laughs, removing his hand from my knee and placing it around my neck. “A beautiful, cynical woman. Your kind is usually the most fun.” He grins at me suggestively. He smells like rosemary and pepper and his touch against my skin is like splinters of wood, chafing me raw and making me want to recoil away.
