A Whisper in the Woods (Fated Folktales #1)

12. Chapter 12

Chapter twelve

Leena

I walked through the woods until a cluster of cottages spilled color through the trees, revealing a hidden edge of town I hadn’t seen upon my arrival. It should have been relieving, but I couldn’t stop thinking about Bratan. I really didn’t want to, but I couldn’t help it. I tried not to let it bother me that I’d somehow wounded my new partner because even though he was a vile monster, I was not. Guilt was a natural, human response that he seemed incapable of feeling, but I felt it, regardless of whether or not he deserved it.

The stretch of cottages looked like a cluster of pastel candies; there were so many of them, but there was no one in sight. I was starting to lose hope when I spotted a female fae with light blue skin stoking a fire beside one of the houses.

“Excuse me?” I said.

The fae turned. Her lashes were a dark green that matched the irises in her otherwise black eyes. Her hair was the same deep blue hue of her skin, save for the yellow smattering of freckles across the bridge of her nose .

She gasped, dropping the metal object in her small hand before bowing and falling to her knees. “Your Majesty. I apologize for not addressing you sooner. I didn’t see you there.”

The display was disconcerting. I wasn’t any more special than anyone else, and I firmly believed that no one deserved to be waited upon by any other being, no matter who they were or who they were married to.

“It’s all right. There’s no need to bow.”

The female didn’t budge from her lowered stance. “I am beneath you, Your Majesty. I will serve you and accept any punishment you see fit.”

“Punishment? There’s no need for punishment, and please, you don’t need to bow.”

“I must—”

“I command you not to.” I felt a twinge of guilt saying it, but I was hoping my “command” was used in a way that justified it. Hesitantly, the woman straightened, still bowing. “What’s your name?”

She tentatively met my gaze. “Judith.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Judith.” I smiled, but she didn’t return it with one of her own. She simply bowed her head again. When she remained silent, I continued. “Do you, by chance, know where I’m staying tonight?”

This caught Judith’s attention. “The home you share with His Majesty, my queen.”

I tried not to grimace. I was afraid of that. The last thing I wanted was to deal with Bratan again tonight. “Could you take me there?” I continued smiling, pushing out the thoughts of my new groom. Whatever palace I’d be sharing with him should be large enough for me to easily avoid him, so long as I didn’t have to share a room with him.

“Of course, Your Majesty.” Judith dipped her head again and started into the woods. I followed, torn between wanting to see Bratan to push through the awkwardness and wanting to never see him again. I was so wrapped up in my thoughts that I accidentally bumped into the fae when she came to a halt. It seemed like only seconds—maybe a minute or two—since we’d left, but when I looked around, there was a two-story building behind her.

It wasn’t huge, but it was bigger than any of the other homes in this realm or any cottages I was used to seeing. It was surrounded by trees, tucked away like a hidden fortress, though there weren’t any guards or butlers. Surely, this wasn’t the palace I was sharing with Bratan. It couldn’t be.

“I’m so sorry, Your Majesty.” Judith fell to her knees in another deep bow. I was starting to worry about what my new husband had done to make his subjects so frightened and ready for punishment.

“Please, Judith. Don’t worry about it.” I offered the young female my hand, and to my surprise, she took it. My eyes returned to the house. “This is the palace?”

“Palace, Your Majesty?” Judith’s small face pinched in confusion.

“Yes, where a king lives. ”

“Oh. No, he used to live elsewhere. This house was created and furnished for the two of you to live in just this morning.”

I blinked. “What? How is that possible?”

She seemed just as confused as I was. “What do you mean? We all worked together, and with our individual abilities and His Majesty lending some of his magic, it didn’t take long at all.”

“I see…” Apparently, I had a lot to learn, but it was hard wrapping my head around any of it. It took our village weeks to move somewhere new, and our huts were not nearly as well constructed as this house.

“Is it to your liking?” Judith asked, her eyes edged with worry.

I placed a hand on her shoulder. “Yes, it’s wonderful.” Judith audibly sighed, her shoulders dropping with relief. My eyes returned to the house; I couldn’t remember the last time I saw a house made of stone. It was large for a regular person’s house but much too small for a king or forest deity. It was two stories with five windows and a flat roof made of some sort of dark material. Onyx, maybe? The door was made of thick, dark mahogany, which surprised me. I would have thought they’d make a more secure door for their king, especially since there were no guards. Then again, he was a powerful deity, and considering Judith’s behavior toward me, no one would likely dare trespass upon the Leshy’s territory.

My stomach lurched at the thought of sharing the home with Bratan for even one night, let alone for eternity, if that really was what the mole had said. I really hoped it wasn’t the case, but hoping the Leshy and his bride wouldn’t be immortal or at least live for centuries was a lost cause.

I looked back at Judith. “Thank you.”

“Of course, Your Majesty. Your husband wanted it to be perfect for you. He’s been quite flustered about getting married.” The fae giggled. “It’s been endearing to see.”

“What?” The Leshy was flustered to get married? Considering how he’d acted to me so far, I found it hard to believe. “Are you sure we’re talking about the same person?”

“No one could confuse him with another, Your Majesty.”

“I suppose that’s the truth. He’s a brute, no doubt.”

“Oh no, My Lady, he has always protected us. We are very grateful to him.”

My eyebrows shot up. “Isn’t he bad to you?”

“Never. He’s a little rough around the edges, but he has a good heart.”

Again, hard to believe.

“I guess I’ve only seen his rough edges.”

“You’ll see his true self soon, I’m sure of it.”

The true softness of the Leshy? I doubted there was such a thing. Still, this young woman was a greater authority on my new husband than I was by far. Maybe I’d misjudged him.

“Thank you again, Judith. I hope you have a lovely evening.”

“Of course, Your Majesty. You as well.” She bowed and went back the way we’d come .

With my stomach still twisting, I swallowed my nerves and entered the building. To my surprise, it was dark. No one appeared to be home, and I couldn’t see a thing. It was like walking into a shadow. The floorboards creaked as I crossed the threshold and closed the door. For such a thin wooden partition, it made an impressive slam as it shut, and I swore I heard a chain jingle and then slide once it had.

I looked around, but all I saw was black. I was shrouded in complete darkness. Blinking didn’t help either; my eyes couldn’t adjust to this depth of darkness.

“Hello?” I called out, walking slowly with my hands splayed out to avoid bumping into anything. “Is anyone here?”

No answer.

My heart started to race.

I swore someone locked the door. Someone had to be in here.

A floorboard creaked behind me. I spun around, my breath catching, fear pricking my skin.

“Hello?” I wasn’t sure why, but tears burned in my eyes. “I-I have powers. I can hurt you.” I backed up, taking one step at a time until my lower back hit what felt like the flat edge of a table. My fingers curled around it as if holding onto it would keep me frozen in place and unable to be abducted. “I-I can hurt you! I’m warning you!” A tear slid down my face.

Light flashed, momentarily blinding me. My eyes squeezed shut, and I heard his voice before I saw him .

“If I were indeed someone who came to hurt you, you’d already be dead.”

I had to blink a few times before the room came into view, as did he, arms crossed in his dark attire, face held in that same scowl he’d worn when he’d left me in the forest.

“Charming as always,” I said flatly.

His expression didn’t change as he walked to a wall on one side of a simple staircase. Everything about the house was simple. Around me appeared to be a small kitchen, complete with a stove, sink with washing basin, a small counter, and dishes hanging on the back wall. Against my lower back and still curled in my fingers was the edge of a long table that stretched into the kitchen. I turned my attention back to Bratan; I didn’t want to let my guard down around him, especially now that we were alone in an enclosed space.

Despite everything, I had to admit that the adjoining parlor he stood in was cozy, and although it was simple, every piece of furniture appeared carefully crafted with rare materials. Straight across from where I stood was a fireplace carved from marble and flecks of silver. I’d only seen fragments and scraps of such materials before.

In front of the fireplace was a thick rug woven from the finest sheep’s wool. Looking around, I noticed that that was the only animal product in his home, at least that I could see. It was understandable, though, since he was the protector of these woods, and I knew from growing up around animals that taking wool from sheep was a blessing to the creature. Anything made of leather or other animal skin probably wouldn’t be found here, though I couldn’t help wondering what the slick couch was made of. It had the appearance of leather, at least upon first glance, but there was something off about it. Maybe I shouldn’t ask.

My gaze finally landed on the staircase, passing over Bratan in the most nonchalant way I could muster. Apparently, it didn’t matter because as soon as my eyes landed on him for a fraction of a second, he snapped his fingers, and a fire roared to life within the marble alcove. The garnet flames crackled, and Bratan moved his hand around the living area until plants appeared in decorative patterns along the walls, falling like vines on the outer side of the marble fireplace.

“What are you doing?” I asked, tearing my eyes from the magnificent weaving of vines.

He was still scowling, even when his dark eyes shifted to mine. “Don’t you want this place warm while you reside here?”

“While I reside here?” I didn’t comment on his interior decorating since he seemed to purposely evade it. “Won’t you be here too?”

The muscles in his jaw tightened. “I haven’t decided yet.”

“Why not?” I asked, irritation rising. Part of me didn’t want to ask because, now that I was thinking sensibly, I could care less if I hurt him, but the bigger part of me was terrified that I was going to screw this up .

His eyes narrowed on me. “You’re extremely aggravating, Leena. I’m not sure how much time I want to spend around you.”

“Likewise,” I snapped. The blood pounded in my ears, and I was more confident than ever that I hadn’t misjudged him. He crept closer, his eyes boring into mine, darkening in a way that made my flesh go hot. I wasn’t sure if he wanted to hurt me or do something else entirely. The way he leaned in made me think the latter, but he did nothing more than study my gaze.

“You’re going to be a pain in my ass, aren’t you?”

“If you continue being one in mine, then yes.”

He smiled. A wicked, sultry smile that caught me off guard. “Good.”

“What?”

He wrapped his arms around my waist and pressed me against him. His forehead fell against mine, and I could hardly breathe. The world around us fell into a blur. I couldn’t even hear the crackles of the fire. “Will you forever be bent on being my foe, Leena?” The words rumbled from his throat. His breath was hot on my skin. I involuntarily lifted my head to meet his eyes, but I could hardly breathe and was reeling from the jarring shift and what was transpiring. His fingers grazed my lips. “Well?” The words were deep and slow, calculated with a precise sensuality. I could somehow feel them hot against me .

“Y-yes,” I replied, but it was an unconvincing, broken whisper. “I am your foe,” I tried again. It was a little stronger but still quiet. There was no way I’d convinced him of anything, nor could I. Not when I turned to liquid when he held me in his arms and spoke to me in such a sultry caress.

“So you wouldn’t like it if I did this?” He tugged at the top of my dress; my corset was missing from when he’d healed me in the clearing. His fingers pulled at my sleeve, pushing it lower until it was off my shoulder. My breathing quickened, and something warm pooled through my legs. “Or this?” He pressed his lips against my shoulder, and I let out a whimper. He smiled against my collarbone.

How was I supposed to resist him when he did things like this? I had to get away. I had to stay away from him at all costs. He was an evil monster, and what would it say about me if I let him take my body when he’d already taken my freedom?

“You…you’re my enemy,” I said shakily, pushing away from him. I was dizzy and warm. I could barely see or think straight as I backed away.

To my dismay, he stood at his full height and moved closer, each step slow and precise.

“Is that so?” He towered over me, his shadow engulfing me as he bent over me and peered into my eyes.

“Yes,” I rasped, pushing past him. “I’m going to bed now.” I was only one step up the staircase when I felt his fingers trail between my shoulder blades. A shiver of excitement sizzled through me, continuing as his hands wrapped partially around my neck, the tips of his fingers grazing my throat.

“Are you going to kill me, Leena?” His lips pressed against my ear before trailing beneath it. The tightness in my shoulders eased, the muscles loosening as I nearly fell against him. His hands moved up my arms, slow at first, but then he grabbed my sleeves, pulling me in and gripping me in a way that made me weak. And when he kissed the crook of my neck, my composure finally crumbled.

I let out a sound and fell into him, my back relying on his chest to keep me upright. He softly bit my neck, and my legs trembled. I lifted my hand to his face, eyes still closed and back still against him. All I had to do was touch him, and he was unleashed.

Tearing the sleeves clean off my dress, he turned me to face him. His eyes were feral, which lit something primal in my core. He grabbed me with a snarl and kissed me, sucking on my lower lip and sliding his tongue into my mouth. I grabbed his face, hungry for every part of him. He grabbed my hips and lifted me up, my legs wrapping around his waist as if we knew the other’s desires without speaking a word.

That’s exactly how it felt, too.

Like he knew my body with just his hands.

I threaded my fingers in his hair, pushing so hard into him that he fell against a wall. We kissed and touched as his back slid down the tan surface. The moment he hit the ground, he pushed me onto my back. I caught myself by the elbows and watched as he crawled over my body, eyes vicious and starving, a growl rolling from his throat.

His breath was hot as he guided his tongue up my neck and into my mouth. I could only kiss him back once before my head fell back. I ached when he touched me, and I went limp as he kissed my throat, melting from the fire between us. My arms lay at my sides while his fingers trailed down my chest. My back arched. He pulled my dress lower. He hooked a finger around the string holding the top section of my bodice together and untied it with one snap, and then, with no effort at all, he ripped it off, kissing me while he did it. Fire ignited in my veins, pulsing up my legs. He licked up my throat and bit my chin before grabbing my face and pulling me back into a feverish kiss.

The surge of desire bursting through my blood forced the strength out of me. I pulled at his shirt until I ripped it off his body. Our hands moved quickly, mine clawing up his back and his moving down my arms until our fingers laced together. His mouth let go of mine, and I stared at him breathlessly while he lifted himself up on his knees, one on either side of my waist. His fingers traced loops up my stomach, playing with the remaining material of my dress, and then he looked into my eyes as he ripped it in half. My teeth buzzed as I pounced on him, kissing him viciously but still yielding to his touch.

We kissed and bit and clawed at each other in a foggy mess of passion until he opened his eyes to drink in my naked body, which only made me ache for him more. He prowled over me until his lips brushed mine.

“Are you sure you don’t want anything to do with me?” He leaned back, and that mischievous gleam sparked in his eyes.

He must have been loving the feat, but I couldn’t care less. “I want you to do anything you want with me.”

A look of pure desire replaced the wickedness in his eyes, and excitement surged through me. “Ah,” he said, placing a finger on my lips. He trailed his fingertip slowly over my bottom lip until I bit it, licking it as he let out a low, sultry laugh. “Oh, little dove. I don’t know if you could handle all the things I want to do to you.”

“Try me,” I breathed. Something ferocious escaped his lips before he took my mouth in his. We kissed in ravenous fury as I pushed thought after thought of what was right and what was wrong out of my head.

“Are you ready to be mine in every way?” he teased. And then it hit me. If I did this, if I gave him this last part of myself, there would be nothing left of me to have as my own. If I could, I needed to keep this part of myself as long as I could. Now that we were wed and I had added strength and possibly immortality, I had more pull.

What would it say about me if I gave myself to a monster so easily?

“No.” The word caused a fissure in the moment, cracking the tension and heat between us like an ax .

He blinked down at me. “What?” The unguarded expression was almost endearing. I had to slide away before getting caught up in him overrode my senses again. I wasn’t sure I had the strength to snap out of it again.

“I-I can’t. I need to sleep,” I said. He stared at me, confused and nearly frozen by the sudden halt on things. “Today has been too much. I’m in no shape to do anything rash.” Spotting a blanket from the corner of my eye, I plotted a swift exit. My heart rate was slowing back to normal, and my head had screwed itself back on. The complete state of nakedness I found myself beneath my new husband was both too much and not enough—I needed to cover myself while I still felt some embarrassment and before I lost my head again.

I slipped from beneath him and snatched the blanket from the nearby couch. Wrapping it around myself, I weighed my options. I could go upstairs to sleep in the bed, but that was asking for trouble. My eyes landed on the thick rug in front of the fireplace.

That would have to do.

I padded over to it without a word, and I could feel Bratan’s eyes follow me in my wrapped cocoon as the plush rug embraced my feet. It was softer than any bed I’d ever slept on, so it would be more than adequate for tonight. I’d figure out a long-term solution in the morning.

“Good night,” I said, curling up on the soft carpet.

“We have a bed.”

“I don’t need it. ”

“Why not?”

Because I can’t think straight when you’re near me , I wanted to say, but instead, I said, “I need to be alone tonight.”

“You can have the bed, and I’ll sleep down here.”

“No thanks,” I said, restraining myself from adding I don’t trust you .

“But—"

“Good night.” My clipped words cracked with the fire. The radiating heat of the embers made me a little too hot, but I couldn’t turn around. Not until Bratan left. But I didn’t hear him move, nor did he speak. Fortunately, the exhaustion of the day hit me like a sudden lashing, and I fell asleep, waiting for the sound of his footsteps to start and fade away.