Page 68 of The Barbaric Fae's Soul

Damn, he was beautiful.

His hair was messy and wild, those dark circles under his eyes were darker and thicker, and there were random streaks of bloody mud on his face, arms, and chest. But those blue eyes were still bright, and there was a strength in the set of his shoulders that made me feel at ease.

That made me feelsafe.

The sun was rising through the trees, so hours must’ve passed while I healed. I didn’t feel any more pain, luckily. The rays of sunshine bounced off of the gorgeous man beside me, but he didn’t notice them.

He was only looking at me.

“Do you think I’m okay?” I asked him quietly.

“If you’re awake, you’re probably healed.” He slid a mud-drenched hand over my abdomen, slowly and carefully. “Do you feel any pain?”

“No.”

“Then we should wash you off, so we can see if there’s any remaining damage.”

Despite his words, he made no move to pick me up or anything.

My lips curved upward, just a little, as he stared at me. His forehead was creased, his hands still moving over my abdomen slowly, like he was trying to check for wounds despite the many, many layers of mud covering me.

I asked, “You’re worried about me?”

“Like you wouldn’t believe,” he admitted, carefully slipping his hand into mine. The drying mud on my fingers cracked at the contact, and the wet mud on his softened mine.

His eyes lifted to the klynna, and he studied it for a moment before he looked back at me. I realized it might react if he picked me up, and turned my head slowly. The mud on my neck did the same dry cracking thing it had done on my hands, but I ignored it as I met the klynna’s eyes.

Even without looking at each other, I could feel the bond thrumming through both of us. But when our eyes met, that connection swelled and thickened.

The klynna’s emotions rolled through my mind.

Worry for my safety.

Desire to return home, to his mate.

Fear of what the connection may mean.

Certainty that the goddess had intended us to connect, despite the difference between us.

The pure strength of his feelings still surprised me.

“Aev is mine,” I whispered to the creature, tightening my grip on the unseelie’s hand. “Please don’t hurt him.”

The klynna blinked slowly, and I felt its agreement before I looked up at Aev. His lips were tilted upward, his gaze soft. “I’m yours, am I?”

“You are.” I bit my lip, and his small smile stretched upward. “Right?”

“Yes, Thorns. Always.” His lips brushed my forehead, even though I could feel the dried mud on it. The fact that he didn’t mind the mess spoke volumes.

He carefully slipped his arms beneath me, picking me up slowly. It took him a minute to pry me out of the mud, but then there was a soft suctioning noise, and I was free.

My face met his chest as I leaned against him, inhaling the scent of his sweat and worry, mixed with mud. He held me close, and moved slowly away from the klynna.

Heavy, ground-shaking footsteps told me that the creature was following us.

“We’ll need to let everyone know not to hurt the klynnas,” I said quietly, my lips brushing Aev’s chest as I spoke.

“The others haven’t come back since you were hurt,” he told me, running a hand calmingly over the back of my leg. “I think your new friend is keeping them at bay somehow.”

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