Page 68 of Winds of Darkness
“If you wish,” he replied, but that was a lie. He wasn’t going anywhere, even if she wished him gone.
“You will still be here when I wake?”
“I will always be here for you, Ashtine. Sleep.”
But it wasn’t until he’d removed his boots and climbed atop the bed next to her that she finally found rest. Her fingers curled into his tunic, keeping her tethered to him. The sound of wings rustlingdrew his attention to the window where Nasima was perched on the ledge. She clicked her beak, feathers rustling again.
“Thank you,” Briar said softly.
The hawk made another clicking sound before she launched back into the sky.
Chapter 10
Ashtine
If this was a dream, she did not wish to wake.
Not only because it was the first truly restful sleep she could remember in years, but because she was surrounded by the scent of the sea. The winds were there. She could feel them gently flowing around her, but they waited. All her life, the winds had spoken when they wished. Now they waited until they were summoned. A give and take. A balance. A peace she had desired for months. Years. Decades, if truth be told.
Ashtine took a deep breath, curling more into the male beside her and soaking in these last moments of calm. She wasn’t fool enough to think this could continue, but she was wise enough to take the reprieve while she could.
Opening her eyes, she found Briar propped on several pillows, one arm behind his head. His other arm was curled around her, fingers making a light sweeping motion along her waist and hip. If he knew she was awake, he didn’t reveal it, and she took the time to truly study him. His pale, blonde hair was such a stark contrast to his dark skin. It reached his shoulders and made his icy blue eyes stand out even more. He appeared completely relaxed as calloused fingers continued their same path. Had he simply … lain here this entire time?
Glancing at a window, she found the light of a dying day. The sun was nearly set. Someone, she assumed it had been Noelle,had been in the room and lit candles and sconces and tended to the fire. There was fresh water on the bedside table, along with a plate of dried meat and cheese, although the food appeared untouched.
He had to know she was awake. Fae could sense the smallest shift in breathing, and in the silence of the room, he could detect a change in heart rate, but neither of them spoke. Was that normal when waking next to someone? She wouldn’t know. This was a new experience. While she had been intimate with males before, it had been only that. She had never woken next to one. Never spent an entire night with someone. She’d never actuallysleptnext to another in her centuries of life. How odd to still experience new things even after over two hundred years of living.
Minutes passed. Briar’s fingers never ceased their movement, and she was nearly lulled back to sleep until a burst of flames appeared next to Briar’s head. He sighed, pulling the message from the fire and scanning it. Then he tossed it aside, propping his arm beneath his head once more.
“You must go,” Ashtine said, loosening her grip where her fingers were still curled into his tunic.
“It can wait,” Briar answered, shifting onto his side. He propped his head on his fist, staring down at her. “How do you fare?”
“My wellbeing need not be your concern.”
“And yet it is,” he countered. “Ashtine, what happened?”
“That question is too broad, and I find it confusing to answer.”
He nodded in understanding, contemplating his words before he spoke again. “What drove you to the courtyard today?”
“The winds are unrelenting,” she answered, rolling away from him and onto her back. “Is this common practice?”
When he didn’t answer right away, she glanced at him, finding his brow pinched in confusion. It was an expression she was far too used to.
“You do not need to supply an answer,” she added, turning away and trying to find the resolve to get out of the bed. She knew this stolen peace would shatter the moment her feet touched thefloor. But fingers were gripping her chin, gently turning her back to face him.
“Do not dismiss me, Ashtine,” Briar said, the words somehow both gentle and commanding all at once. “I simply need a moment to discern what you are saying and how to respond.”
“I understand I am—”
“I swear to the gods, if you say you are vexing, I will become upset,” he interrupted, and the temperature in the room dipped. “I am learning how to speak with you, but you must give me the chance to do so. I do not become impatient with you. I request the same courtesy.”
Ashtine’s eyes narrowed. “You are impatient at this very moment.”
“Impatience and displeasure are different.”
“You do not need to spend time learning how to communicate with me.”
