28. Beautiful Blooming Briars
T he wagon rumbled down the dirt road in the pearly light of early dawn. In the bed of the open carriage, Adrian held Rose while she slept. As with every other night of their journey, Rose dreamed disturbing dreams. Nightmares. Sometimes they were memories of her slavehood, sometimes they were of being kidnapped.
Kidnapped. His Rose thought she’d been taken from her home when she was a child, stolen from loving parents, and forced into her shackles.
By a vampire.
On the other side of her, Larkin lifted his head. He’d taken his leopard form every night as if he knew the dreams would come and offered protection. As Rose began thrashing, he set his head on her, his amber eyes glowing, and purred.
Rose settled.
It was short-lived. She screamed, high and shrill, ear-splitting and bone-chilling, and began bucking.
Well, that was new .
Their entire team of horses, those pulling this carriage and the others carrying their luggage and guards, all spooked. It took several moments to calm them. It took longer for Rose, who remained twitching, her eyes rolling behind their lids, even with Larkin’s soothing presence and Adrian’s comfort.
“ NO! ” Her eyes snapped open, and she sat up, shoving him in the chest.
He went flying. The wind knocked out of him, he sailed through the near-dark for several long seconds before hitting the ground hard. He slid several feet before stopping.
Stunned, body aching, ears ringing, and chest tingling as he struggled to breathe, Adrian stared at the sky, at the wispy clouds obscuring the stars. Slowly, the wind filtered in, and the sounds of the drivers and footmen getting the horses settled again.
A familiar face appeared above him. “You alright, sir?”
“Fuck off, Timothy,” he croaked, coughing.
Timothy had the audacity to laugh, fucking laugh . His guards were normally stoic, impassive, tough. Rose’s influence was changing things. She sang through her waking hours, even with the headaches and tiredness she suffered from, and always had a ready smile. It was impossible to remain impervious to the cheer.
And it was making them all soft.
Sitting up, Adrian groaned at the throbbing ache of his body. “Bloody fucking hell.” Timothy offered his hand again and Adrian begrudgingly took it and let himself be assisted to his feet. The way his head spun and vision wavered was galling.
“Steady there, sir.” Timothy propped a shoulder under his arm and led him to the carriage.
“What the fuck did she do to me?”
“Sent you flying by the seat of your pants, sir. ”
Adrian scowled. “Thank you for that astute assessment, Timothy.”
“You’re welcome, Highness.” Timothy grinned. “Honestly, sir, it looked like magic.”
They reached the carriage, where Adrian leaned against the side, not ready to attempt the climb back up. Instead, he looked to where Rose petted Larkin, who stretched across her legs. Both sets of eyes met his.
“Are you alright, Prince Adrian?” Rose asked.
“Peachy.” To prove it, Adrian climbed up, containing his groan at the protest of his muscles. He settled himself back beside Rose in the blankets, where he’d remain until sunup. “Tell me what that was.”
Looking out over the dew-drenched grass, she remained silent. While he waited for her to respond, Timothy climbed back up beside the driver, and their entourage began moving again.
“Talk to me.” Gentle and slow, he reached out to rub her back. Her flinch hurt his heart, but he stopped. Sometimes, her memories got the better of her, and she retreated like this. Patience was not a virtue of Adrian’s, but during these times, he tried his best to give it. His Rose had much past trauma that would not heal overnight.
“You look like him,” she whispered.
“Like whom?”
There was fear in her eyes as she lifted them to his. “The vampire who took me.” She took a shaky breath and squeezed her hands together. “I fear he killed them all.”
She meant her family: her mother, father, and Leonidas.
“We can look up kidnappings in the law enforcement office when we get home. If you were from as prominent a family as you believe, there should be record there.”
“My parents were very high rank. Leonidas was a knight, my personal knight and best friend. Who, aside from high nobility, gives their child such protection? He swore to my mother on his life to take care of me. The castle we lived in reminds me of the Crimson Palace, not in build or design or even layout, but the vastness and number of staff.”
“I understand.” And he did, though he wasn’t sure he agreed. If she was from such a high-ranking family, he’d know. He knew all the elite socialites. He had no doubt, given her skills and what she’d remembered thus far, that her family was wealthy. But where they fit was a mystery. “Your parents were human?”
Rose reached up to touch her ear. “Elf, I think. I am almost certain of it. They are . . . beautiful.” Rose closed her eyes, and he knew she was picturing them. “Mother always wore these floaty dresses, not gowns like your mother, but dresses simpler in design, though they were very elegant. She had long blonde curls . . .” Her voice trailed off as she tilted her head to the side. “And purple eyes. Like amethysts. Father, he had curly red hair and a full beard, and blue eyes, like the ocean.”
“Ocean?”
The only ocean he knew of was the Citrine Sea off the coast of the elf lands, named for the golden sand. No one had been there in many years, not since the elves had cut ties to Neigera and retreated behind their Mists. To hear such a comparison was almost unbelievable since no one knew what the ocean looked like in reality. All they had were depictions, artistic renderings, and paintings, which was probably where Rose got it from.
It was said some tried to make the journey to the southeast and through those Mists, to the kingdom of Constalaysia, the land of the elves, but none ever returned. It was unknown if they were lost on the journey or made it and simply decided not to come back.
From what Adrian had learned during history lessons, elves were a mighty race, proud and superior, thinking themselves above everyone else because of the magic they carried. There had been many fights between the Neigeran monarchy and the ruling elfin Luminis family, who tried to press their ways upon the vampires. Wars broke out several times because of the elves’ arrogance, not to mention the trade and land disputes.
Adrian thought his kingdom was better off with the elves gone because there had been little fighting since. Aside from the occasional squabble among the races—like now with the wolves—things were peaceful.
Rose had moments of peace as well, and he liked to think he helped her. She was much changed since coming to him. No longer emaciated, she’d gained healthy weight. Her figure remained thin and willowy but had filled out. More of that inner fire he adored shone through in the pink of her eyes, and her curls fell about her shoulders in a riot. Though her scars would always remain, her skin glowed.
Like her name, she was blooming. Exquisite. Breathtaking. And he got a little more lost in her every day.
His eyes caught on her pointy ears. He ran a finger down the length of one, enjoying her shiver. She said her ears were sensitive, and he’d discovered the truth of that.
They were especially susceptible to his tongue.
But while her long ears did prove she had elfin blood, he couldn’t see her being nobility. For one thing, Constalaysia was unreachable; there was no way for anyone to get there, let alone back with a kidnapped child. For two, he was sure that if someone of importance had been kidnapped and there was even a chance of them coming to Neigera, his family would know. It would have been in the papers. In addition, memories could be faulty, and with Rose not remembering for so long, he didn’t think they should rely on what she was recalling now.
Not only that, but elves were inherently magical. All were born with power in their blood. Though not familiar with elfish magic, history, or lore, he knew that those highest in rank were the most gifted, and the young were taught from an early age to hone their talents.
If Rose were really from an important noble elfin family, wouldn’t she have such magic? He’d always found her enchanting and for a time he’d thought her a witch or sorceress, but that was his attraction to her. He was charmed continually by the grace with which she lived her life, her deep love and enjoyment of nature and the beauty of their world, as well as her respect for all living things. Her strong-willed nature, by contrast, roused his. Her inner fire lit his.
However, none of that was magic but a reflection of his deep affection for her.
“What did you do to me?” When she met his eyes, slightly confused by his question, he elaborated, “When you woke, you shoved me, but it was more than that. You sent me flying.”
“I don’t know.” She looked down at her hands. “It was reflex. Your eyes . . . they are so much like the ones in my dream that I lashed out. I don’t know what I did or how, but I’m sorry if I hurt you.”
The answer wasn’t nearly satisfying, but he let it go. “My ass is going to hurt for a week.”
Rose leaned her head on his shoulder. “I am forgiven?”
“Yes.” He kissed her forehead. “You should try to sleep more before the sun rises fully.”
“I can’t go back to sleep.” She stroked Larkin beside her, softly snoring with the excitement past. An ear twitched and he shifted, letting out a sigh. “You should tell me more about the wolves.”
With her curled into his chest, he began rubbing her temple in soothing circles and said, “The wolves are stinky, disgusting, disrespectful mutts who don’t show the least concern for civility.”
“I thought they lived in tight-knit packs and were fiercely loyal. ”
“To each other, yes. They are loyal only to other wolves, and sometimes fight with rival packs just as much as us.”
“Why don’t you try harder for peace?”
Adrian scoffed. “Wolves and vampires have always been enemies.”
“That doesn’t mean an understanding cannot be reached. Just because there has always been fighting does not mean it must always be so. Be the bigger male.” Drowsily, she burrowed further against his chest. He ran his fingers through her tangled curls, stopping when she winced.
“You will understand more when we arrive, love.”
“Love?” She quickly looked up.
“Is that not an acceptable term of endearment?”
“Of course. Silly of me to think you were speaking of your heart.”
He almost winced. “You know I care for you a great deal, Rose.”
She patted his chest. “I care for you a great deal as well, my Prince.”
Adrian frowned down at her, wondering if she was being sarcastic.
Shoving his discomfort aside, he returned to rubbing her temple. As she drifted back into slumber, he reminded himself that she was there even though she hadn’t wanted to come. From the beginning of their relationship, she’d tried maintaining distance.
That fight, the push and pull, remained as enticing as ever. He did not think that would ever change.
But he would tumble her defenses until she was fully his.