Page 41 of A Dream Shrouded in Fury
His deep rumble of acknowledgement made me smile.
“Lutrena bredtha me,” he said.“My beautiful song.I recognized it the first time time I saw you.I didn’t understand why the sun and sky should have sent you to me, but I knew exactly what you were.Lutrena fin me de presa mathrennen.”He repeated those words—the very first words I’d heard him say—so smoothly it was like they’d imprinted themselves on his mind.“My final song to guide me home.”
My heart clenched, and I knew if I didn’t move past this moment, I would succumb to grief.I guided my hand away from his scars and up to his face, turning him towards me.
“I’d love to bring some light back into your life, Jael.Just for tonight.If you’d let me.”
“No one else has in far too long,” he whispered, his breath warm across my lips.“Whatever magic you carry, I want nothing more than to soak in it.For tonight.”
For tonight.Because tomorrow...tomorrow that darkness we both lived in would shroud us forever.
Jael
XXVII
I slept better that day than I had in years.The feel of Kalla’s warmth pressed against me and the memory of our bodies rocking together in the cramped space of the blind had wrapped my mind in soft cotton and protected me from the monsters that chased me every time I closed my eyes.
All too soon, the sun was down and the moon was up, letting us know it was time to finish the final leg of our journey.This was it.Our last night.Before dawn, I would be murdering a princess on behalf of the Coynfare and destroying the well-laid plans of a cruel king.Kalla would return to her mountain and her familiar routine.Our paths, which for over a week had run together, would diverge, never to cross again.Fae and vampire once more divided.
Despair sang through me like a discordant note, an out-of-tune echo that sent my heartstrings jangling, but there was nothing for it.Kalla might live in darkness, but she carried too much brightness to be tainted by my shadows.
She crawled out of the blind first and slipped on her breeches and shirt before standing by to watch me do the same.I loved the way her eyes devoured my nakedness before I covered myself, as though she were memorizing the shape of me.I both hoped it was true and that it wasn’t.I loved the idea that our night had meant something to her but didn’t want her to hold on to me too tightly.I wanted her to be happy.
As soon as we were dressed, I held my hand out to her, and she accepted it as we began our walk back to the others.
A thin layer of cloud drifted over the moon and obscured the path in deep shadow, so I trusted Kalla to lead me.Even without the blindfold, I was content to let her be my guide for as long as she could.
We found Cliff and the others standing outside the cave when we arrived and accrued a good number of looks from everyone except Corban, who made a pointed effort not to look at us at all.
“We can’t be far now, can we?”he asked, blocking any sly comments that appeared to be brewing on Hethyr’s tongue.
She settled for exchanging a knowing glance with Ria, and I appraised them with interest.At what point had the fae and the vampire become such friends as to share silent conversations between them?
How much could change in the span of a week.
“It’s not,” Cliff confirmed.“I bet we’ll be bidding you fair folk farewell by midnight.Maybe sooner if we get a move on and keep a good pace.”He shot Corban a dark look.“It can’t come soon enough for my taste.”
Kalla’s grip tightened on mine, and I squeezed back.Cliff was right.The sooner I let her go, the better for everyone.
As much as it pained me, as hard as my fingers fought me, I released her hand and strode forward to walk beside Cliff, needing to put space between us now in case I didn’t have the strength to do it later.
We walked in silence, on alert for more guards to jump out of the woods and surprise us.That we saw no sign of them did nothing to put us at ease.On the contrary, it raised my suspicions that we might be walking into a trap.When the guards who’d attacked us had failed to report in, the rest would have known something was wrong.Either the royal contingent hadn’t had enough soldiers left to send anyone else, or they would come in force.Our only choice was to move quickly and stay alert.
The trail came into view, and Corban lengthened his stride.“About fucking time,” he grumbled.“All these wasted days, and now we’ll finally have our chance to strike.First the royal bitch, then we ride home and lead the charge against the throne.It’s been a long time coming.”
“You must want this badly,” Ria said, her eyes narrowed.
“More than you can believe.It’s time for a regime change, and I’ll be the one to take over.”A wide, cruel smile stretched across his face.“I can’t wait to put the bastards down.All those nobles who smeared shit across my face are going to eat it.”He barked a laugh, already enjoying his victory.
Cliff frowned.“Sounds like you’re aiming for a power grab more than to save your country.”
“One and the same, aren’t they?I want the king gone, but someone needs to take his place.Otherwise, some other shit will step in and nothing will change.The Coynfare will prevent that.”
“You will, you mean,” Kalla said, and the look Corban sent her might have frozen water.
“What does that matter?I can bring change.You doubt me?”
“I doubt anyone looking to put themselves above their people.You’ll be just as bad as Leonine.”
