4. Chapter Four
Chapter Four
Eldrake
We set up camp in the woods just outside her village, Fen casting a shadow ward to cloak us from sight.
The magic wove a veil around us, blending our camp seamlessly into the surrounding forest. Anyone who passed would see nothing but darkness and shadow.
I leaned casually against an old oak, gazing toward the inn.
Describing it as ramshackle would be putting it kindly. The place looked as though a stiff wind might blow it over. “Ramshackle Inn,” I muttered under my breath, smirking at the thought. Maybe she should call it that instead.
My eyes fixed on the window, and there she was.
Firelight caught her in its glow, outlining every curve, every careless motion as though the world itself wanted me to see her.
She moved about, unaware, yet I could not look away.
To anyone else she might have seemed ordinary—a fleeting shadow behind glass—but not to me.
In that moment she was inevitable, a truth written into the marrow of my bones.
The Rift in her was undeniable, its presence pulsing faintly even from this distance. It brushed against mine like a breeze through silk—subtle, but impossible to ignore. It danced on the edges of my senses, a beacon I could feel through the cool night air.
Well, there’s no doubt that’s who we’re looking for.
How her father had managed to keep her hidden here for so long was a mystery. To tuck someone so powerful away in a place like this—forgotten and out of reach—it was almost ingenious. Almost.
I glanced back toward the others at camp, the faint flicker of Fen’s ward shimmering as she fine-tuned it. Felix set up our tents, his usual silence hanging heavy. The two of them had settled into an easy rhythm, but I couldn’t shake the sense that this mission wasn’t going to go so smoothly.
Now, standing in the shadow of the pines, the quiet intensity of her Rift brushing against my awareness, I understood why the commander had insisted on her importance. I understood why he’d sent me. But as I watched her, her patterns were as ordinary as the inn itself. A flicker of doubt stirred.
Did she even know what she was?
I watched her weave among the guests she served, her smile lighting up the space like the only flicker of warmth in the otherwise dreary town.
It was clear she loved her work—or at least she was trying to convince someone—maybe herself—that she did.
But there was something in her eyes, something elusive and haunting. Sadness, perhaps?
The light from the hearth shimmered off her hair, catching the copper tones in its soft waves. My gaze drifted lower, taking in her frame. She was curvaceous, her figure full and natural. There was an undeniable allure to her, one I hadn’t expected.
I clenched my jaw, shifting my weight against the tree. I told myself I wouldn’t use charm as a weapon. But the longer I watched her, the more that line began to blur. She was beautiful, yes, but more than that— she was captivating.
I shook my head. No. I am a Captain who has spent my whole life training to be respected; I will not use my cock to manipulate a woman.
I will simply tell her the truth, she will respect the mission and come willingly.
Besides, I wasn’t blind. I’d noticed the way Fen’s eyes lingered on me during quiet moments, the subtle flirtations she thought went unnoticed.
Since she and Felix had been assigned to my task force years ago, I’d learned two things: Fen was as sharp as the blades she wielded, and she didn’t take kindly to rivals—real or perceived. And I wasn’t stupid enough to piss off a blade dancer. Nor get tangled up with one.
Boisterous laughter broke through my thoughts, pulling my attention back to the inn.
Through the window, I saw her—the small gathering inside hanging on her every word, their faces lighting up before erupting into laughter again.
She had a natural charisma, the kind that drew people in, making them want to be a part of her world.
Then, a breeze swept through the trees, carrying with it a smell that hit me like a punch to the gut. Whatever the hell she was cooking, it smelled divine. Sweet, savory, earthy—it was enough to make my stomach twist in envy. It smelled incredible.
Fuck sleeping in the woods. If she was the key to everything- we need to be closer. And, I’m hungry.