Page 22 of Claimed By Stone
There was nothing left for me to do but pretend to be a statue. I got back into my pose and stood as still as I could, the nervous energy coursing through.me. As much as I hated to admit it, jealousy accompanied the nervous energy.
As I stood still and listened, I heard their conversation.
"Thavros, what is the matter with you? I can tell something is off. Even Khuldruk asked what happened in his absence."
"Frema, it is nothing. Please leave me."
"No. I just returned, and something is clearly wrong with you. While Khuldruk is content to let you figure it out on your own, that’s never been my way. Out with it."
I heard his footsteps move up the stairs. The nearness of him felt dizzying. Even like this, I could feel him. But as he moved up the stairs, the woman did too.
My heart thudded in my chest. I had never felt this real, yet I was forced to pretend to be made of stone.
As he climbed the stairs, he seemed to be able to feel the shift as well. His eyes flew to me, and I tried my hardest to remain stone still, but my body was screaming to go to him.
His eyebrows instantly drew together as he appeared to sniff the air.
Quickly, he turned on his heel as the woman behind him climbed the stairs.
"Frema. I mean it," he said, low and menacing. It was a voice I'd never heard from him before. "Right now, my only desire is to be left alone in peace from your infernal nagging."
"Brother," she said in almost a whisper. "What is wrong? Please. We only want to help."
"Leave. Me. Be," he growled out.
The woman stopped, her mouth dropped open as if she'd been slapped.
"Fine. I will leave you. And tomorrow you will apologize for speaking to me this way."
She turned on her heel and marched back down the stairs.
Thavros and I both stood there, stone still until we heard the door open and close again.
She was gone.
"My darling," he said, moving to me as I nearly burst out of my pose, running to him.
"What is it?" he said.
But I was in no mood to talk. I needed to feel his arms around me. I had no answer for what was causing these feelings inside of me. I just knew something was coming. I could feel it. I looked up at him, tears pooling in my eyes. Tears. I didn't even know I was capable of tears.
The moment my watery eyes registered, I saw the panicked look on his face. "What is wrong? Are you hurt?" he asked, instantly sweeping me up in his arms and taking me to the table.
My heart warmed, and my racing thoughts stilled at his touch. Being held in his arms was the only thing that had provided any sense of calm.
He sat me on the table and cupped my face and wiped away one of the tears that had settled on my cheek. "Please, this is breaking my heart. What is wrong? How can I help?"
Without a thought, I threw my arms around his massive shoulders. His arms instinctively wrapped around my waist and pulled me closer. Pressed to his big, strong form, I finally drew a deep breath. I felt safe and steady for the first time since being pulled awake.
After another shaky breath, I said, "Something feels different tonight. I don't know how to describe it. I feel alive, but like magic is pulsing through me."
He attempted to pull back to look at me, but I clung to him. His arms wrapped around me were the only things holding me together.
"Shhhh," he soothed as he gently stroked my hair. "You’re safe. I am here. We will figure this out. Together."
I clung to him for a few more moments, drinking in his calmness until I was finally able to breathe. Finally, I pulled back, and when I saw the concern in his deep brown eyes, I wanted to bury myself right back in his chest.
"Talk to me?" he asked as he gently cupped my face.
