Chapter 29
Waking up alone hit her harder than it had in over a month.
The faint gentle brush on her face barely roused her from sleep a few hours before but it wasn’t enough to fully wake her. It could even have been a dream, but she didn’t care to try and dissect her thoughts on it.
The thunder had stopped but the rain was still pouring outside, the sound of water falling from the top of the alcove drowning out most sounds around them.
She knew Kaden was out by the fire, along with everyone else but she didn’t want to get up. Too much was on her mind and she wasn’t sure she could face him after last night.
How was she supposed to act around him now? It wasn’t like they had slept together but what happened between them was intimate. At least to her it felt that way, their bodies pressed against one another while they broke open parts of them that were private.
Maybe to him it was just part of the job, doing whatever he could to make sure she made it to Bromel and not be a total basket case.
She held out her hand from under the blanket, summoning her trickle of power and watched the single flame dance on her palm.
It always fascinated her how something so beautiful could be so deadly. It mimicked her people, beautiful females who would protect the land while the men and children thrived in the small towns.
It was very opposite of the Fae culture, but it worked for her people. Now, she had no such people and had no idea where to start if she did survive this war.
The tent flap opened and she could see someone entering out of the corner of her eye. Not wanting to acknowledge who she thought it might be, she stayed laying on her side watching her flame dance in her hand.
“Let’s go.” Kaden’s voice cut through the noise around her and she glanced up at him.
His eyes were back to the cold maroon color she typically saw from him and his shoulders were tense. Sighing, she rolled onto her back and sat up, her flame extinguishing in her hand.
“Do what? There is a storm if you haven’t noticed.” she snapped back.
“It’s still warm out and some of us are going to the waterfall to clean up.”
She raised her brow towards him, confusion on her face and he let out a groan of frustration.
“Think of it as a large bath, I know how much you love them.” She could hardly see his face soften with the shadow hiding most of it as he spoke, but it made her drop her guard.
He did pay attention to her.
Slowly she pulled the blankets off of her and stood, her cotton clothes doing nothing to keep the cooler air from her. He was right, it was warm but not like under the blankets.
“I’ll get my boots on,” she said quietly and he stepped out of the tent silently.
It only took her a few minutes to put her boots on and tie her hair up out of her face. The rain would cause it to plaster across her cheek and it wasn’t going to be convenient hiking to the water.
She saw Finnley, Raine, and Kaden standing together, all looking at her like they were waiting for her impatiently. She sighed and walked to them, her eyes glancing at the water running off the alcove.
“Why don't we just stand under one of these to wash?” she said loud enough to be heard over the rain.
“Oh come on, you know you want to go to the waterfall.” Raine said with a smile and she knew her friend was right. “Plus, it's probably full of nasty bacteria.”
“Let’s go.” Finnley smiled and they all started up the same trail her and Kaden had ventured up before.
Kaden took the lead, with Finnley in the back and both girls in between. She knew it was just the order they were used to but she didn’t fight to be in the back where she would have preferred.
Her mind was foggy, sleep still heavy in her eyes but she knew she needed to get out of whatever funk she was in. She needed to focus, and found it to be harder these days.
They made it to the waterfall, Finnley and Raine immediately stripping to their undergarments and jumping into the water. She turned to see Kaden stripping his shirt off and she turned away, her cheek instantly heating.
“C’mon!” Raine yelled “The water is warm.”
Her eyes were on the woods, trying hard not to look back at Kaden who she could see much better in the daylight.
She let herself sneak a peak at him over her shoulder, his broad shoulders completely lean with muscles and she felt her insides start to warm.
Beauty was the first thing that came to mind as she stared at him, his muscles moving effortlessly under his skin as he continued to undress. She saw his lip curve into a smirk and she instantly realized he knew she was watching.
Quickly, she diverted her eyes and started to strip her own clothes down.
She tugged at the tie in her hair and felt it fall down her mostly bare back, just a chest wrap and underwear on with Mjolnir hanging down her chest. The breeze made her skin perk but she wasn’t going to complain if it meant she was outside in nature.
Splashing could be heard behind her and she spun to see Finnley and Raine taunting each other with water. Kaden was standing waist deep, looking away from her as if he was waiting for something, or maybe her.
She relished in the feeling of the water wrapping around her skin as she waded into the water with the rain pouring down. Kaden’s hand was extended out to her and she took it even though she didn’t need to.
The ground was soft and she had perfect balance, but the selfish part of her was going to take whatever kindness he would offer, especially since she could now handle his touch without going into a panic.
She felt a familiar sensation on her fingertips as her hand slid into his, his calloused hand wrapping around hers gently.
“Thank you,” she whispered and stepped closer to him, the water now around her ribs when standing next to him.
She could see Finnley and Raine across the water now, heading towards the water fall. A low giggle came from her chest, the look of happiness on Raine’s face making her feel a spark of warmth.
“Don’t worry, he’s a good guy.” Kaden said next to her, their hands still clasped together.
“I hope so, I don’t want to have to cut his balls off for hurting my only friend.” she chuckled.
“Only friend?” he questions, his eyebrow raising extra high.
“Are we friends?” she teased. “Cause you can be such a dick to me sometimes.”
She watched his face curve into a genuine smile, one she had only seen once before and she knew she was in trouble.
She tried to dive away from him, but his hand gripped her tighter and pulled her towards him. He picked her up and she let out a playful scream as he launched her upward before falling into the water.
The feeling of being fully submerged in natural water felt like an awakening in her body, the flow of nature pulsing around.
She let herself sink down into the body of water, her eyes opening after a few seconds and she could see Kaden diving after her.
His eyes met hers, ones that held no hate or anger and if she didn’t know better, maybe even adoration.
Her power flickered, a new crack breaking in the wall and she let it release under the water. A pulse of white fire moved around her, a wave pushing out and lighting up her surroundings.
She was near the bottom, her toe touching the soft mud just before she charged up towards Kaden with an outstretched hand. She was glowing, her fire engulfing her entire body like a protective shell until her fingers clasped Kaden’s.
A spark ignited between them, one that extinguished her fire as if her body knew she was safe. He pulled her to him, his massive body carrying them upward until they both gasped for breath above the surface.
She wrapped herself into him, her legs locked around his waist and arms around his neck as he found ground for him to stand on again. Some of his long hair stuck to his face, hers doing the same and they locked eyes only inches apart.
A hum went through her body, one she had never felt before in her life and it made her fully relax in his hold. One of his arms kept around her, the other pulling from the water and pushing some of her hair out of her face tentatively, almost as if he was waiting for her objection.
She closed her eyes and her breath caught when his finger traced down her scar. Her heart beat faster and she found herself trying to concentrate on her breathing as her chest tightened.
“Beautiful.”
His voice was so faint that she almost thought she imagined it until she opened her eyes and saw him staring back at her. His eyes were intense, a flame of his own flickering in them.
She felt water trickle down her face from the rain, a droplet falling from her lips and she watched Kaden’s eyes glance down at them.
Her mind told her to pull away and throw her wall back up against any feeling she might have for him. Her heart however, was fighting her mind in the possibility of this becoming something and she shuttered a breath when his eyes met hers again.
“Hey!” Raine’s voice made them both jump.
Whatever moment they were having instantly dissolved at the sound of the voice across the water.
“Come look behind the waterfall!” Raine yelled again as she waved for them to join, Finnley already crawling on the rocks next to the falling water.
“We uh, should probably join them,” she said in a shaky voice.
“Well that would require you to let go of me,” he whispered, a hint of playfulness in his tone.
“And if I decided not to?”
“Then I would make sure you never regret it.”
His voice changed, a deep tone coming from his chest and she knew it was something he really meant.
Her throat went dry at his confession, she pushed a small strand of his hair from his face, returning the favor he did for her and fought the urge to throw her emotional wall back up.
She didn’t want to get hurt again, Silas’s betrayal still felt fresh, but in a way it was almost like Kaden was healing it slowly.
He cared for her, he fought for her, and he never crossed a line she placed between them. She still didn’t know anything about him other than what he shared last night, but it didn’t bother her as much as it did with Silas.
It was like her body knew he was safe, but she had no idea why.
“Hurry up!” Finnley yelled behind them and Kaden groaned in annoyance.
She released him first, her legs unwrapping around him and she started to swim towards the waterfall, Kaden keeping pace next to her.
“About time.” Raine teased.
She stuck her tongue out at the blonde waiting on the edge of the rocks, both giggling in response.
She reached the rocks and started to pull herself up, Raine holding her hand out for assistance. Once up on her feet, she saw Kaden effortlessly stand up next to her, a cocky grin on his face.
“Don’t make me push you back in,” she growled and started to follow Raine towards Finnley waiting a little ways up the rocks.
Once they were all together, they started down the path towards the roar of the water falling from the mountain, the rocks slippery in spots under her feet.
They only had a few yards to go but it felt longer with how slow they had to go. She felt like a youngling out exploring centuries ago with a pack of friends.
If she really thought about it, part of that was true.
She could feel the spray from the waterfall hit her and looked up to see they were only a few feet away from a small cave behind it. Finnley climbed the small rock first, then helped Raine up.
Kaden pushed gently around her and climbed the rock ahead, his hand extending down to help her up. She gave him a playful glare and reached for his hand, jerking as he pulled her up faster than she anticipated.
He placed a hand on her hip to let her steady, her skin feeling like it was on fire from his touch. She distracted herself by looking around the small cave, her eyes stopping on the wall of water feet from them.
“It’s beautiful!” Raine yelled, the roar of the water making it hard to hear.
“Yes, it is.” she yelled back.
Kaden stayed behind her, his hand still holding her and she casually leaned back into him. The cold air from the cave was starting to cool her skin, and she knew his bare skin would be warm.
She tried not to read into whatever was happening between them, and decided to just live in the moment. The warmth from his skin radiating behind her was welcoming, and as she leaned against him, his head lightly leaned against hers in response.
“Reminds me of home,” she said loud enough for him to hear, her head tilting back slightly against his chest.
“You will see it again someday.” His lips next to her ear and she instantly tensed, her insides roaring with heat.
He let go of her hand and wrapped his arms around her, one across her chest and the other around her stomach.
She felt herself shiver from the cold and realized he was trying to keep her as warm as possible.
It was easy when he was so much larger than her and could wrap himself around her with little effort.
“We should probably head back!” He yelled towards Raine and Finnley, who were trying to reach out and touch the water.
Finnley just nodded and walked towards them with Raine in tow.
“I’m sure the others would like to come clean up as well.” Kaden added, his arms not moving around her.
“It’s getting cold too.” Raine shouted, her own hand rubbing her arm to get warmth.
They started back towards the water and to their clothes they had left on the bank. The rain soaked them by now and would have to change at camp to get into something dry.
She didn’t complain when she pulled the damp clothes over her already wet body and they all started back to camp. She also didn’t complain when Kaden offered his hand and she didn’t let go of him the entire way back to camp.