16. Chapter 16

Chapter sixteen

Leena

I couldn’t stop shaking, recounting the events in my mind over and over—Casimir’s limp, bloody form thrown to the trees like a ragdoll. The angry fire in Bratan’s eyes. Why was he so protective of me? Was it truly due to some cosmic bond? It was as good an explanation as any, I guessed. There was no better one. It also explained why I couldn’t resist him, no matter how much I tried.

The last couple of days had been too much to take in. My brain was struggling to keep up, always springing from one thought to another. No matter what train of thought it led me on, though, it always drifted back to the violent occurrences of the night and the healing balm of Bratan’s touch.

But the pleasant memories were quickly replaced by the painful images of the night—Casimir’s knees digging into my thighs, the fear that bubbled like acid up my throat.

Was letting him go the right call? Up until now, penalty by death was clearcut to me, but the more I thought of Casimir’s devious nature and what he might go on to do, I wasn’t sure anymore. Hopefully tonight would set him straight.

It was the right call, I assured myself, though I couldn’t shake off the uneasy feeling gnawing at me. Curling up tight, I decided not to think about it. I didn’t have the mental or emotional capacity to wonder if I’d made the right choice. All I wanted was for sleep to take me away. Maybe I’d wake up to a better life free from despair and forced marriages, and Casimir almost getting his way with me.

Our front door creaked open. My face brushed against Bratan’s damp chest. Halfway home, I’d decided that I needed help after all and didn’t fight him carrying me. The rain had been dreadful, yet he moved like it was nothing and was already nearly dry. I peered up at him—at the man who’d saved me from Casimir’s horrendous attempt. I was acutely aware of his muscled arms, strong against my shoulders and back and beneath my legs where my scraped knees poked out from tattered silk.

I winced as he carried me up the stairs. Each slight bob of my body left me aching with pain. He looked down at me, frowning. “Are you badly hurt?”

A muffled groan escaped my lips as my body bounced at his next step. “Obviously.”

Fully expecting him to bite back some sort of retort, I was surprised to see his frown deepen. “I’ll walk more slowly then.” Surprise sparked through me, and he clutched me tighter and moved slowly up the stairs .

He gently placed me in the bed; the warmth and delicacy of the mattress were sweet relief to my aching body. “We should get you out of those rags,” he said. I wanted to protest, but I could tell by the concern in his eyes and the puckered space between his brows that this wasn’t an attempt to see me naked.

“Okay.” My voice was hoarse, but he didn’t seem to notice. I watched as he took off my shoes and pulled at the loose, dirty cloth that had once been the most magnificent and decadent dress I’d ever worn. It slid off with ease, and the cold sharpened against my skin. I reveled in the warmth of his hands as they brushed against my thighs. Once again, I couldn’t help the heat rising at my sudden vulnerability.

If he noticed, he didn’t say anything; he only took off my underskirt, slid the damp silk off my chilled body, and tossed it in the pile of my other soiled clothing. I very much noticed—and loved—the red that dusted his cheeks, but his expression didn’t change. I was only in my underthings, yet he didn’t do anything but pull the duvet to my shoulders and gently tuck it around me.

“You should get some rest. You can talk to Theodora about bathing in the morning. I’ll have her fetch you new clothes, too.” He glanced at the wardrobe across the room. “I’m not sure what’s stocked in there for you, but I imagine it isn’t anything practical for daytime activities.” His eyes roved to mine again. “I’ll take care of all that. You just focus on sleep.” He turned to leave when I did something that surprised even me .

I grabbed his hand, catching him by the fingers. He looked at me with wide eyes.

“Stay with me,” I said, and the surprise further showed on his face in the furrow of his brow and in the way his lips parted slightly. Without a word, he slipped beneath the covers and nestled in beside me. Even in my current state, it was hard not to giggle at how awkward he acted lying next to me. Like he didn’t know what to do with himself, and he was so much larger than me. To me, the bed was enormous, but when he lay in it, it looked like a bed made for a child.

I looked up at him, my near-naked body against his black, villainous suit that smelled of sweat, cloves, and something masculine. “Hold me,” I said, “until I fall asleep.”

His Adam’s apple bobbed, and then he nodded. “Okay.” His voice was quiet, and unlike the tone he usually spoke in. It was tentative. Nervous. I smiled and stroked a hand down the side of his face. He studied me, peering into my eyes. I knew I shouldn’t be like this with him after what I’d promised myself, but I couldn’t help it. What he’d said was true—there was something about our connection I couldn’t deny. Something strong. Passionate. And watching him protect me without a second thought made that feeling inflate beyond measure.

I combed my fingers through his hair, then brushed my lips against his. “Good night, Bratan.”

He swallowed. “Good night, Leena.”

I gave him another smile before turning around to lie on my side. He immediately wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into him, and I fell asleep in the curve of his body, feeling warmer and safer than I ever had in my entire life.

***

Bratan

Her body was warm against me. I stroked her bare arm as she fell asleep, nuzzling my face in her hair and breathing in her sweet, citrus scent. She smelled of so many things—oranges, dewy grass, and fresh apples. Beautiful and hopelessly sunny. Not knowing when I’d feel this closeness again, I held her tighter. I hadn’t felt warmth from someone in centuries, and it had never felt like this.

As I felt the rhythm of her breaths change, those feelings intensified until I was reminded of what that disgusting sack of flesh had done to her. I could feel the throbbing pain in her bones, but I couldn’t do much about it, no matter how deeply I wanted to. All I could do was lessen the aches and intensify the effects of the power flooding her newly immortalized body. I tried my best, moving my hand over the curve of her hip, pushing my power into her muscles and bones until I was sure some sort of healing power had transferred to her, lessening the pain in one way or another .

Sliding my hand back around her waist, I pulled her in tight and rested my lips against the top of her head. The intensity of my warring feelings took hold, as they’d done in the forest.

It was time.

My hand slid away; I lifted the locks of hair cascading down her back and pressed a kiss against the nape of her neck. Then, carefully, I crawled out of bed, wrapped a cowl around my neck, and walked out the door.

I didn’t bother being quiet as soon as the door shut behind me. My focus was on one thing and one thing only, and as I walked there, as I thought of that piece of shit human who’d put his hands on Leena, the furious fire inside of me raged. By the time I left my realm and got to the humans’ village, that anger was a blazing wildfire. It quickly took over every part of me as I searched.

I stormed through the village, not caring who saw or heard me. Most of the villagers were in their homes, likely asleep in the cold slumber of night. But that bastard had to be awake; it hadn’t been that long since he’d scrambled away, and I doubt he’d be able to sleep tonight.

I’d find him. No matter how long it took or how many houses I had to break into. I would find him.

There were only a few huts with orange lights still flickering through their windows due to the time of night. I kicked each door open, one by one, until I burst through the door of a seemingly empty house. My boots crunched against broken glass from the window my power decimated on my way in. The house was more of a large room—an open living space with two closed doors fixed against the back wall. A small clatter sounded behind one of them as if someone had accidentally knocked something over.

The power and rage burning my nerves seeped out of my body in black mist as I moved toward the room. Blood boiling, my powers rose to the surface. I erupted through the door, blowing it off its hinges. It flipped forward and crashed against the adjacent wall, snapping into countless shards of wood.

A yelp squawked in the opposite corner. There he was. Swollen and bloody, but alive.

I walked to him slowly, stalking him, my shadows skittering across the floor and climbing the walls. They skated to the redhead like moving charcoal along the polished wood. I bore my eyes into the insignificant human, baring my teeth as I moved my hand, guiding the shadows to clutch the man’s throat.

They sprung into silent action, coiling around his skinny neck. He gasped until no more air could enter his shriveling lungs. I took another slow step forward, this time forming a satisfied smile as I looked down at the pale creature. The man squirmed violently, kicking out in every direction. His hands tried and failed to grasp the shadows, but of course, his fingers moved through them like smoke, so all he did was scratch his already bloodied neck.

“You’re pathetic,” I said. My voice was surprisingly calm, but when the man’s bulging eyes met mine, that rage burned brighter, and I grabbed him by the tattered shirt and lifted him off his feet. “My wife may wish to spare your life, but I want to see you die.” The man kicked in the air as my true form took shape. My rapidly growing body broke through the ceiling. Splintered wood and loose thatches of hay rolled off my shoulders. I leaned in. “And I want it to be by my hands.”

The shadows slithered away, releasing Casimir’s throat, but just as the man gasped for air, I took my claw and pierced him in the gut.

Gasps and cries from villagers who’d gathered sounded in the distance, but that didn’t stop the smile that stretched across my face as I watched the life slip out of this monster’s eyes.

The pale man mouthed something, floundering until he finally sputtered out, “G-go to hell.”

My smile widened. “I’ll see you there.” I opened a claw and finished the job.

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