Page 90 of Oath of Betrayal
I could see several dragon riders mingling with the females next to the small lake while fae lanterns awakened to life in the falling dusk. ‘I missed you,’ I whispered, and he leaned over to kiss my forehead. ‘I know, sweetheart, I’m sorry.’
Every now and again, a dragon descended to the landing field before heading for the caverns to rest. Crickets and owls filled the evening with their soothing melody, and even exhausted to the bone, I felt calm and at peace.
Home.
The thought made me smile, and I observed the citizens of the fortress wrapping up their tasks before they went to rest. Every one of them was unaware of my thoughts and the silent promise I had made to protect this beautiful, secluded place with everything that I had.
‘We worked so well together,’ I whispered, feeling the slow, languid stroke of Ari’s fingers on my back. Alaric felt different, and I missed his mischievous smile and endless teasing. Still, he was here beside me and I cuddled to his side, enjoying the moment for as long as it lasted. Eventually, his soothing touch made me yawn and relax into him. I should have gone to bed, but I didn’t have the energy even to keep my eyes open.
‘You’re tired, Domina. Let me look after you,’ he whispered, almost too quiet to hear, but I was definitely too sleepy to understand. Lifting me gently, Alaric laid my head on his chest.
‘I can walk,’ I argued weakly.
‘I know,’ Ari answered, but didn’t put me down.
He carried me to the castle, and I simply closed my eyes, my face resting next to the symbols of his curse. Ari’s shirt was still open, hanging off his shoulders, and I touched the unblemished skin above the marks. Even though I was exhausted, my magic still responded to him.
I chuckled, brushing my lips over the figures, and Ari inhaled sharply.
‘Annika, please,’ he murmured, pressing me harder to him. His voice was so strained, and I could see he was fighting temptation.
How my life has changed,I thought, remembering how vehemently I had denied the idea of having another Anchor, and now I was contemplating seducing a dark fae to complete my bond.Complete. That word summed it up perfectly. I needed each of them for different reasons, but together, we felt complete.
With my mind on a flight of fancy, I smiled.
This is going to get complicated. I wonder how we’ll make it work.
A vision of the three of them surrounding me as I twirled in happiness filled my thoughts. It would work; I knew it would. Asthe vision darkened and faded away, I felt myself slipping into slumber. I tightened my grip on Ari’s neck and let my thoughts drift away, safe in the embrace of a cursed necromancer.
Indolence.
I rolled the word over my tongue with a smile as I stretched, feeling a shiver run down my spine. The luxuriously soft sheets caressed my skin as I slowly opened my eyes, only to frown at the unfamiliar surroundings; I couldn’t see much, with only a sliver of daylight escaping the heavy drapes over the windows. For a moment, I thought it must still be night, but it didn’t take long to realise it was the sombre décor of the room that darkened it.
Above my head, the ceiling was painted with a mural depicting a scene from what must be the artist’s idea of the underworld—a desolate landscape with monsters dominating the scene, their eyes replaced with gemstones that gave them an eerie semblance of life. When I turned my head to the side, I noticed black and silver curtains on the bed. They were luxurious but surprisingly lifeless, and the posts they framed were carved into strangely contorted female forms.
‘Vel be damned, the owner of this room must have a lot of nightmares sleeping here,’ I said, sitting up to lean on my elbows. In response to my outburst, a shadow rose from one of the chairs, and I instinctively reached for the aether, muttering a spell that formed a shield in front of me.
‘There is no need for that, Ani,’ Alaric said, stepping forward. ‘And yes, I have nightmares, but not because of the décor,’ he added, approaching the window to pull the curtains open.
At the sudden influx of light, I winced, closing my eyes, but not before noticing that Ari was almost naked, with only a pair of loose silken trousers riding low on his hips. At that, I opened my eyes slightly, shamelessly wanting to admire the view. His long white hair, unbound and flowing freely to the middle of his back, captured my attention, and I bit my lip in appreciation.
‘What happened?’ I asked, trying to distract myself from looking at him like he was an oasis in the middle of a desert. ‘Did you bring me here?’
I vaguely remembered Ari picking me up at one point; I must have fallen asleep after helping in the infirmary. I lifted the covers, noticing I was in a similar state of undress, with only a white chemise covering my otherwise exposed body.
‘You were so deeply asleep you didn’t even stir as I carried you to the castle. My magic was so depleted that I was defenceless. I selfishly wanted to keep you close—just this once—and laid you to sleep here in my room. I asked Agnes to undress you. I promise nothing else happened,’ he said, noticing my concerned frown.
‘Come to bed. It is still early.’ I patted the bedding. Alaric’s resolve was crumbling if he’d admitted me into his sanctuary. He didn’t even allow servants here. It was my turn to grasp the opportunity to be close to him.
‘Annika, I can’t. There are things you need to know.’
He seemed so distant that I reached out my hand, hoping he would take it. ‘Then tell me. The man who takes the time to make me smile, tease me, and challenge me? I want him back. The world is falling apart around us, and I’m afraid and uncertain, but there is one thing that I am certain of. I want you.’
As the last word left my lips, Alaric moved. With inhuman speed, he captured my hands, pinning them above my head and caging me beneath his powerful body. ‘You slept so peacefully, and I held back. I looked at you, wanting you, knowing I could never deserve you. I’ve done so many questionable things. I forced Orm to use your geas and forbade him from telling you. I wanted to use you as a weapon. To Anchor you and gain the power to destroy the Lich King. There was never any hope of repairing the keystone. I lied to Orm, and I lied to you,’ he rasped.
‘The man you are talking about … doesn’t exist. I did all of that to make you trust me, to make you want to bond with me. I knew it was wrong, and I still did it. All to rid myself of my damn curse. Then you stood up to me, refusing to bend to my will. You defended me in front of the envoy.Gods, woman. You trusted me. You let me touch you, and your magic soothed my pain while your heart eased my torment. I’m a monster …’
‘Ari? Shut up and kiss me.’
