Page 8 of Grounded By Love
“The rock giant, what else?” He glared at the sleeping form, got up and looked into her eyes. “It was an honest mistake, I had a few too many glasses of ale with some friends.”
Claira was floored. He came almost every week to profess his love for her, yet he’d betrayed her. Her emerald eyes flashed with vexation.
“How could you do this to me?” Claira motioned towards the rock giant. “He is almost better. I have poured so many of my hours into this rock giant. And now because of your mistake you’re going to make it a waste of my time.” She accused him hotly.
“They’re coming for him, Claira. You must hand him over or else they’ll take you as well. I don’t want to see you hurt.” Robert pleaded to Claira.
“Then you shouldn’t have told them!”
“You allow a rock giant in your bed, but you will not take my hand in marriage?”
“I have explained we would not make a love match!” Claira waved her hands in the air. How many ways did she have to reject him?
“You would come to love me, in time, like all other women. I would see you well off, if you would just accept me.”
Kaeldar woke to the sound of an angry female voice. His eyes cracked open, and he saw the human female talking with a human male.
Tensing, he waited to see what they were discussing. Was she going to turn him over to the human male?
By the tone of her voice though, Kaeldar doubted she wanted the male to be there at all. She seemed irate with the human male, but the drug in his system was making it hard for him to understand what they were talking about. He knew the human language, but right now all he could make out were jumbled words.
When the human male reached out to touch her arm, Kaeldar felt rage spark through him. Then he took a mental step back. Just because she had cared for him, didn't mean she was his or that he wanted her.
He just wanted to help her get away from the male, who she clearly held distaste for. Her face scrunched up, as she continued to talk with him hotly.
Looking to the window Kaeldar saw it was night, and he wondered how many days he’d been here under this female's care.
As her voice got louder, he struggled to piece together their conversation. Kaeldar wanted to know what was going on around him and if he should fear for his safety.
Eventually, his mind cleared enough so he was able to glean a little into what was being discussed.
She’d saved him and brought him to this cottage by herself. Then she’d tried to keep him a secret, so the villagers wouldn’t know. Then this scum of a male had decided to get drunk and let her secret spill. After hearing their discussion, he knew the male had put them both in danger just to get rid of the rock giant threat.
Growling he rose up on an elbow. “Human female.” He managed to get out from between his stiff lips.
He could tell he had shocked them, when both of their spines stiffened. They turned in unison to stare at him in astonishment. The female’s eyes were wide with unease and surprise, while the male’s were filled with hatred.
There was no way this human male had spilled the secret on accident. Kaeldar could tell the human male despised him and wanted to see him lying lifeless on the ground.
With yet another growl, he let himself fall back onto the bed. He wasn't about to talk to the human female with the male standing right there to hear every word. He had to convince the human female to let him go, for her safety as well as his. He needed to get back to his people to rejoin the war efforts against the humans.
They were a plague on this land… except for maybe one.
He eyed her, as she led the human male out of the cottage and closed the door.
Grabbing Robert by the arm Claira dragged him out of the cottage.
She was still shaken by the gravelly words of the rock giant. He’d spoken in their language. She had to wonder if he knew more. Maybe she would be able to talk to him at some point.
“Thank you for letting me know.” Claira said, trying to play it off. She needed him to leave, so she would have time to think.
Robert followed her though, as she made her way to her vegetable patch to stare at it in the dark.
“What will you do?” He inquired.
She shrugged. She had no idea what she was going to do. What was the next step to this mess she’d brought down on herself? Sometimes she wished she had a friend, or a family member, someone she could talk to and know they had her best interest at heart.
“Nothing, I suppose.” Claira whispered, more to herself.
