Chapter 28 Aerin
AERIN
Aerin’s eyelids feel heavy and grainy, her muscles stiff and when she inhales her abdomen aches tremendously. But the blankets around her are plush and there is a very soft, very warm body next to her on the bed.
She lets her eyes blink open. The last thing she remembers is arguing with Malice, or rather pleading with him, to ensure Emrys’s safety in the city. She smiles when she sees the massive Wolf taking up a large portion of the bed she’s tucked into.
Glancing around, Aerin meets ice blue eyes.
Her blood-bond with Malice warms against her ribs.
The Dragon-Fae sits in a chair to her right, looking worse for wear, tired, dirty.
She wonders how long she’s been unconscious.
Movement draws her attention back to the bed, honey brown eyes blink at her and tears prick Aerin’s eyes.
“Em,” she rasps, struggling to sit up. Then, Malice is there, helping prop her up with pillows and handing her a glass of water.
“Don’t move too quickly, you’re still healing,” Malice chastises after she gulps down the water. He moves to take the empty glass away, and Aerin catches his wrist.
“Thank you, Malice.” He freezes, staring at her. Something Aerin can’t read flashes through his eyes before he pulls away.
“I will let the Viper’s know you are awake. The healer should re-evaluate you.” Malice goes to the door and quickly slips out—the bond immediately aching in his absence.
Aerin turns her attention back to the Wolf with honey brown eyes.
“Em,” Aerin whispers again. The giant Wolf stands. He is massive in this form, larger than Elara. His fur is pure white, thick, and healthy. He turns and gently lays closer, his body pressing against Aerin’s long legs, his head laying carefully over her lap.
Leaning over, Aerin kisses his head before burying her hands in his fur and stroking him.
She watches as the tension leaves his body, eyes drifting closed as she continues stroking his fur, soothing them both.
It doesn’t feel real, having Emrys here, inside the walls of Valtara, just as they daydreamed all those years ago.
Guilt pierces through Aerin again, catching her breath in her throat. She has so many questions for him, so much atonement to do.
Malice leads a small group into the room.
Vyx and Quinn enter right behind her brooding Dragon-Fae, followed by another Snake Shifter who carries a medicine bag.
Malice stands back, wings close to his body, arms crossed over his chest. The blood-bond writhes in her side, and Aerin rubs at it below the blankets.
She makes eye contact with him, unsure of what the feeling is.
Aerin opens her mouth to speak but is cut off by the small Corn Snake Shifter approaching her with a stethoscope.
“Good to see you awake, Rin,” Vyx says, one eyebrow raised. Both Vipers stand at the end of the bed; Quinn chews on her lip while Vyx has her arms crossed. The Corn Snake Shifter moves the cold stethoscope over Aerin’s heart, then to her back, listening to her lungs.
“How am I? How long was I out?” Aerin asks, the Corn Snake shifts the blankets.
Emrys doesn’t appear happy to move, but he lifts his head to make room for the timid Shifter.
She eyes the Wolf carefully before pulling up the loose t-shirt Aerin wears.
The gash across her torso is still angry looking, red, running from the left of her belly button diagonally across her torso, ending just under her right armpit.
Aerin can still feel the shred of Elara’s claws through her skin.
It hurt horribly, but she’d endure a hundred fights if it meant saving Emrys.
Emrys stares at her exposed skin, as if forcing himself to bear witness to the pain she suffered.
She wishes he wouldn’t feel guilty. Eventually, it will be nothing, not even a scar marring her skin.
The Corn Snake lays her hand over the wound, eliciting a low growl from Emrys.
“Hush, Pup, she’s doing her job,” Vyx snarls. Emrys whips around to direct the growl at the Viper before laying his head down in a huff over Aerin’s legs.
The Corn Snake Shifter stands tall, her nose in the air despite her short stature.
“Everything appears to be healing well. You may have a light scar for a few weeks, but beneath the skin everything will be back to functioning as normal in a day to two. Until then take it easy.”
“Thank you,” Malice answers, his deep timber sending a shiver down Aerin’s spine. The blood-bond writhes, an unending ache. Aerin wants to touch Malice, feel his skin under hers, reassure herself he’s fine, even when she can feel through the bond he is not.
“Great,” Vyx says, clapping her hands together. “I need the room. Everybody out.” The Corn Snake exits quickly but Malice and Emrys stay.
“I need to speak with Aerin first,” Malice snaps back, pushing off the wall to come to the end of the bed next to Vyx.
Emrys lets out a low growl, the hair on the back of his neck standing up.
Malice, of course, growls back. Deep and loud.
Vyx rolls her eyes and Quinn covers her ears.
“Enough!” Aerin snaps. It shuts the both of them up. She can’t deal with their posturing right now.
“Emrys, can you shift so I can actually speak to you?” Aerin asks with a huff. The Wolf chuffs, blowing warm air over her torso before giving a slight shake of his head. No, he won’t shift.
“Fine, then go lay outside the door.” Aerin snaps her fingers and points to the door. Emrys gives a light whine but gets off the bed. Standing, he is taller than the mattress at the shoulder. Emrys glares at Malice all the way to the door.
“Malice, out!” Aerin snaps at him as well. Her head hurts too much for this. Despite the rest, she’s still injured and magically depleted.
The blood-bond snaps with a sharp pain in her ribs, but Malice says nothing as he stalks to the door, shutting it hard behind him.
Aerin sighs, sinking back into her pillows. Quinn comes around the bed and wraps her in her arms.
“I’m so glad you’re okay,” she whispers into Aerin’s ear. Aerin gives her arm a squeeze and gets a watery smile in return.
Aerin’s eyes drift to Vyx’s no-nonsense expression, giving the Viper her full attention.
“Your guts were practically falling out when that Dragon-Fae landed on our roof. It was a challenge for the healer, but she’s seen worse. You’ll be fine in a few days. We managed to wipe all the footage of you, the Dragon-Fae, and the Wolf in his Fae form.”
“It doesn’t seem like the Royal Guard caught onto anything because I’d imagine your father would be at our door by now if they had.
As soon as the Wolf was through the doors, he shifted out of the Fae form.
About gave the Boas a heart attack. The Wolf and the Dragon-Fae kept growling at each other, which was really fucking annoying by the way, so good luck with that.
You’ve only been out for a few hours; it’s early afternoon. ”
Aerin exhales, relieved.
“Thank you,” Aerin says to Vyx, then again to Quinn, “Thank you,” squeezing her friend’s arm. “We’ll be making that trip this weekend, as planned.”
“You’re sure? You’ll still be healing.” Quinn’s green eyes evaluate Aerin with worry. Fae heal remarkably fast, quicker the more powerful they are. Aerin is certain the “few days” the healer gave her was an exaggeration. Other than being a bit drained, in body and magic, she feels fine.
“I’ll have two growl-y bodyguards. Don’t worry, Quinnie,” Aerin jokes. “Plus, I can already tell Emrys is going to have a hard time with this adjustment. The sooner I have a reason to be walking around with a Wolf by my side, the better.”
“Does Khortland know we’re coming?” Vyx asks.
Aerin swallows, an uncomfortable chuckle leaving her throat. “No, figured I’d surprise everyone with that.”
“Oh good,” Vyx says sarcastically. “Just make sure I’m far away when those two find out.” She throws her thumb towards the door.
“Yeah, yeah.” Aerin laughs. “It will be fine. Will you let them in? I’m ready to go home.” Aerin sits up further, and Quinn helps her swing her legs around the side of the bed.
Malice and Emrys are at her side as soon as the door opens.
[Will you slow down? It won’t kill you to take it easy. Gods I should have—]
Aerin slams down the wall in her head, shutting out Malice’s rant. He flinches but immediately steps back and straightens, tightens the way he always does: wings, fists, and teeth. The blood-bond burns. Aerin does her best to ignore the pain, and the brooding Dragon-Fae, as she gets to her feet.
“Emrys, I need you back in a Fae form to go home,” Aerin tells him, hardly having to tilt her head down to look at him. A low whine leaves his throat before he shakes his head. The head shake continues as his Fae form takes shape, standing before her on two unsteady legs.
Emrys stands as a male Fae. He’s so pale Aerin can make out the blue of his veins under his skin.
In contrast, his hair is raven black and shaggy, about the same length as his fur.
He is so tall Aerin has to crane her neck to see him fully.
Where Malice is broad shoulders and even broader wings, Emrys is thin with long lean limbs.
Aerin reaches up to cup his cheek and Emrys bends slightly to meet her.
She strokes her thumb over his sharp cheek bone.
His face, too, is long and narrow. Handsome in how other he looks.
There is no resemblance to any Fae Aerin has ever seen.
Leaning into Aerin’s hand, Emrys closes his eyes as if soaking up the moment. When his eyes open, Aerin is met with the only similarity to his Wolf form: honey brown eyes that swim with emotion. Aerin tucks a piece of black hair behind his pointed ear.
“You are not as you were before,” Aerin speaks softly, though she knows the others in the room can hear her.
“Does that disappoint you?” Emrys asks back, his eyes tracking across her face. His voice is smooth, like a caress.
Aerin thinks about it, knowing the bulky blonde she shared all those days in the grove with was a figment of Elara’s desire. A shape she made Emrys into to fulfill her own fantasies. This form is Emrys. For the first time since Aerin’s known him.
“No,” Aerin says decidedly. “No, not in the slightest.” She wraps her arms around his neck and pulls him flush against her.
At first Emrys is stiff and unsure, then Aerin is wrapped in his arms, lifted off her feet and held to his chest. Emrys smells like pine and sunshine to Aerin’s delicate nose. She wants to bury herself in the smell.
Instead, she leans back, still held in the air, and says, “Let’s go home.”
Emrys nods and sets her gently back onto her feet.
“I will not be able to protect you well in this form,” he informs her.
Aerin takes his hand and gently squeezes it. “That’s fine, Em. That’s what we have the big scary Dragon-Fae for; isn’t that right, Malice?” Aerin looks over her shoulder at the still brooding male.
“I would never let you come to harm by choice,” Malice grits out through his teeth. Aerin rubs her forehead, deciding to let the snide remark go. She will deal with Malice and the throbbing blood-bond when they are back home safe and sound.