A Beautiful Knight (The Cursed Kingdom #2)

Chapter 25

Chapter Twenty-Five

L iam woke with a start. He sat up and looked around the unfamiliar surroundings. He was in a strange bed, in a room he’d never been in. When he started to sit up, his body reminded him of the day before. The entire region from his face to his abdomen protested any movements.

When Niall became free, perhaps he could fight for a living. The man was powerful when furious.

Moving slowly, Liam sat up and swung his legs to the side of the bed. He wore a sleeveless shirt and pants made of thin fabric. He assumed it was what people wore to sleep during the present time. Admittedly the clothing was comfortable.

After relieving himself, he searched for something to wear. The only thing that he found was a robe of sorts that had been left folded over a chair.

Knocks sounded and Liam shrugged on the robe.

“Liam, are you awake?” John called softly. The sound of the man’s voice made his stomach jump.

“I am,” he replied, watching as the door opened and John entered with a tray. He stopped short at seeing him standing.

“You should wait for the doctor who will be coming later this morning before being up and about.”

John was careful around him. He wouldn’t describe it as timid, but more as if he measured every movement. Although he’d not been with anyone sexually in centuries, Liam was a passionate man. Already there was a palpable attraction between them. Hopefully soon, the physical aspect of their relationship would blossom past kissing.

“Help me to the bed,” Liam said, a subtle edge to his voice as he watched John closely.

“Yes, of course.” John set the tray down and moved toward him. “Let me take your arm. You’re bruised—I don’t want to cause you more pain.”

But before John could reach him, Liam gripped his shoulders, his intense gaze locking onto John’s. “Tell me,” he murmured, voice low, “are you uncertain about me?”

“Uncertain?” John hesitated, his eyes searching Liam’s face. “Well…yes. A bit. I’m not quite sure what to make of you,” he admitted, his tone caught between caution and curiosity. “You’re…a hard man to read.”

Tension thickened the air between them, each unspoken question pulling them closer to a truth

John appealed to every part of him. He was slender but built perfectly, with a trim waist and well-formed backside.

“I am very attracted to you,” Liam said allowing his gaze to linger on John’s lips. “You are not indifferent to me.”

John’s lips curved. “No, I am not indifferent to you. I am also practical and know that at the moment you have broken bones and, well, other than kiss you, anything else could cause you pain.”

Not waiting for Liam to say anything else, John cupped his face and kissed him. The kiss was not at all what he’d expected. Not gentle or uncertain, but hard, passionate and promising.

Liam parted his lips to allow the intrusion of John’s tongue. He inhaled sharply and it hurt, but the pain seemed to evaporate when John broke the kiss and trailed his tongue to the side of his neck and nipped his ear. “I want you so much,” John whispered.

It was all he could do not to lose it then and there. Instead, Liam clung to John’s shoulders, his body taut with want.

John broke the kiss and Liam stared at the handsome man’s lips. Those lips had been on his.

“What do you want right now?” John asked, his eyes darkening. “My lips on you?”

Brain addled, he could only nod, doing his best to let out shallow breaths at the friction of fabric against his skin when John pushed his pants down past his knees.

“Sit on the bed,” John said taking his hand.

Liam allowed himself to be guided, the fog in his head threatening to take over at the idea that for the first time in so long, he was being kissed, touched. He was so hard it was almost painful.

When John dropped to his knees, Liam almost whimpered with anticipation.

“I have been dreaming of this.” John met his eyes as he took him into his mouth. The heat and wetness of John’s mouth as he took him deep made Liam groan low in his throat. It was a sensation like nothing he remembered. He peered down not wanting to miss a second of the erotic moment.

Liam kept his breathing shallow and constant, enjoying the view as he slid in and out from between John’s lips.

“I am surprised you lingered so long before coming downstairs,” Tristan said when Liam entered the front room later that morning after seeing the doctor.

Gavin looked up and met his gaze. Liam’s steps faltered. It was so different seeing Gavin now. Easier.

The men watched him closely. He knew they worried about his injuries. However, they also knew him better than he knew himself and would not offer help as it would annoy him.

“We are considering trying to summon Padriag and Niall ourselves, although we are not Magics we do come from that realm,” Gavin said.

When Liam didn’t reply, Gavin met his gaze and then spoke to Tristan. “We will continue this later?”

Tristan nodded, seeming to understand Liam needed a moment.

“Come outside with me.” Gavin said, walking from the room at a normal stride that meant Liam had to walk faster than his bruised body allowed.

Once outside, Liam took a lungful of air. His ribs protested, but he didn’t care. Both he and Gavin looked up at the sky. It was so different from the purplish hues of the alter-world. Although a bit cloudy, the blue sky was so beautiful it made Liam blink back tears.

“I never thought to be here again. So familiar and yet so very different,” Gavin said. “Every morning I wake expecting to be back there and that this was just a dream.”

They walked down a slight hill, their pace purposely slow and without a destination in mind. When they came to a fence surrounding where the horses were kept, Liam placed his hands on it and bowed his head.

“Are you in pain?” Gavin asked.

“No.” Liam squeezed his eyes shut in a futile effort to keep tears at bay. He didn’t want to break down. A knight always kept his emotions in check. He was about to lose control, and it wasn’t to his liking.

“I need to be alone.” The attempt to keep his voice steady failed.

“Not right now. You are hurting. I do not know what happened when you left. Liam, we are forced to face incredible obstacles to become free.”

Liam whirled to Gavin, no longer caring that the tears flowed down his face. “I lost my honor. I betrayed a friend to gain my freedom. I am no better than Meliot.

“What happened had to happen. You said Paddy is alive and well.”

“It could have been a trick. Meliot could have made me see an outcome that was not to be true. Padriag could have been dead.”

Gavin’s expression turned hard, his lips twisting with anger. “The wizard is not aware of what the enchantress gifted us with. You trusted in your power. You saved yourself and Padriag from further suffering. I am sure Padriag has forgiven you. He trusted you. Now you must forgive yourself.”

Upon becoming a knight in the king’s court, Liam had given his word, swore to be honorable above all things. To protect and to remain above reproach. He was a failure in every way. From his attraction to men, to the constant battles with Gavin and then finally the betrayal of a man who was like a brother to him.

“I am no longer an honorable man.”

Gavin looked at him for a long time. “I disagree. You would give your life for every one of us. You love freely despite what others would condemn you for. Even when we fought constantly, I never doubted that you would protect me from harm during the many useless quests we faced.”

The golden knight placed a hand on Liam’s shoulder. “I have and will always admire you.”

Liam collapsed against Gavin and sobbed. Every ounce of pain and shame washing through his battered body and spirit. Strength emanated from Gavin when his arms surrounded Liam. A soothing warmth surrounded him, and he reveled in it. The sensation was like that when Niall healed them. Moments later Liam took a deep breath.

Tristan came up placing hands on both their shoulders. “This was not something I would have ever pictured. You two being kind to one another. I am glad to see it.”

Liam turned away and wiped his face. “Do not expect to see it again. He is still the most irritating person I know.”

“Have you given thought to where you wish to live?” Tristan asked Liam, joining them at the fence.

“When going to Edinburgh with Edith, I began the process of installing the gold I saved for each of you into what is called a bank. It is a place that holds coffers.”

He shook his head. “The way purchases and sales are done now is very strange, but I am slowly coming to understand it.”

Unsure what it all meant, Liam gave Tristan a confused look. “What do you mean gold for each of us?”

Tristan gave Liam a curious look. “The bruises from your face are gone.”

Startled, Liam reached up to his face realizing the pain from his midsection was gone as well and he was breathing without pain. He gave Gavin a grateful look. “It seems my wounds are healed.”

Gavin looked to each of them. “Was it me?”

“Seems it was,” Tristan said with a grin.

Liam closed his eyes and willed himself a short distance away.

The three men strolled along a path lined with trees and grazing horses as Tristan explained the intricacies of banking. Not only would each of them be well established financially, but, as it turned out, they would be incredibly wealthy—the gold bars he’d hidden were worth a fortune.

On their way back, Liam looked toward the house. “I wish to travel to England once all is sorted. Return to live there. I will have to discuss it with John, but I expect he will not have any objections.”

Tristan laughed. Then at Liam’s confused expression, he explained. “Do not assume that you will be as convincing with your partners as you were when you first lived here. There are no hierarchies in this society. He does not have to do as you say based on your knighthood.”

Liam grunted.

These were most confusing times indeed.