27. Chapter 27
T he soft, slow beat beneath my ear sent a shiver down my spine, and I smiled as I cuddled its reassuring rhythm. As consciousness slowly returned, memories of the previous day intruded on my peace: the freedom of wandering the forest, the argument and then the image of the olgoi erupting from the earth … When I saw Orm fall, his sword piercing the worm’s mouth, fear flooded my senses and I sprang up, screaming his name.
‘Orm!’
‘I’m here, Ani. Shh … it’s ok, you were just dreaming.’ Only then did I notice the muscular chest beneath my hands, the gentle stroking fingers easing the tight muscles of my back. ‘Deep breaths, Nivale.’ I looked around in confusion, but apart from the mystery of Orm’s presence in my bed, everything looked normal.
‘Shouldn’t you be elsewhere? In your own bed, perhaps?’ He slowly sat up, and my eyes dropped to the rugged chest I’d just been cuddling. When my gaze trailed lower, following a narrowing band of hair, I sighed with relief, seeing he at least wore silk trousers. Still, it didn’t explain why I was waking up splayed all over his chest again.
Orm noticed my wandering gaze and smiled. Then he stretched—the shameless man showcasing his muscles and letting the covers slide even lower, uncovering a sizeable bulge. ‘I should, but you were calling for me in your sleep, asking me not to die.’
‘And you couldn’t just wake me up?’
‘Oh, believe me, darling, I tried. But you pulled me onto the bed, calling me your Ursus, then went quiet after laying your head on my chest, so I stayed … I like it when you call me your bear.’
I just looked at him. His massive body took up far too much of the bed, and he wanted me to believe that I forced him to sleep with me? What a ridiculous excuse. I grabbed the pillow and smacked him upside the head with it. Orm jerked. His surprise lasted only a moment before he gave me a wounded, doe-eyed expression.
‘You like it, hmm? Then get the hell out of my bed, you overgrown bear, or learn to lie better.’ I continued my assault, and Orm roared with laughter. ‘I didn’t lie. You called me your Ursus and petted my chest. I’m considering asking Vahin to teach me how to purr.’ He laughed, ducking under the pillow I kept hitting him with.
‘Yeah, what else? I pulled you onto the bed? I would remember gaining the strength to lift a horse. Just admit it! You invited yourself, you bloody menace. Was the chaise lounge not good enough for you?’ I gasped when he ripped the pillow from my hands. The soft fabric tore, releasing a cloud of feathers into the air right before Orm flipped me onto my back, pinning my hands over my head.
‘Gods, you are a dream,’ he groaned when I fought before his body tensed and his lips descended on mine. Our little adventure in the forest had changed so much between us, the cold commander having become a passionate man.
Orm wasn’t gentle; I could taste his raw hunger when he nipped at my bottom lip, coaxing me to open my mouth, and I did. Damn, this feels so good . I’d clearly lost my mind when his tongue slid in, playing with mine.
‘Nivale,’ he moaned as our breath mingled. His hand dived into my tussled hair, crushing my lips to his. I shouldn’t be doing this , I thought, arching under him, feeling the thin fabric of my nightgown between us and my peaked nipples rubbing against his chest, creating shivers of pleasure that melted my resistance. I wanted this man. Imperfect as he was, he was mine , and my body knew it.
Orm’s kiss intensified, sensing my eagerness and his hips pressed against me, rocking gently. My moan was filled with desperate need as I felt his erection straining against the fabric of his trousers. His other hand slid between my thighs, and I cried out at the pleasure that threatened to overwhelm my senses.
Why does everything feel so intense? Was it because we almost died yesterday, or because Alaric had reversed the spell that had caged my emotions? Did it even matter? I was falling for Orm. It was bound to happen.
Even though I knew Alaric would likely become my Anchor, it was this delicious brute that drew me like a moth to a flame. It wasn’t wise, but it felt so right … I wasn’t exactly known for making the best decisions.
‘I love the way your magic slides over my skin,’ he breathed, stretching under the caress of my power. He was eager to take it; no, he was reaching for it. His wild magic surged, wrapping around us beyond my control, and I responded. Just like with Vahin, I wanted him, wanted this soul-deep rapport. Before I knew it, my lips had started whispering the Anchoring Oath, and only then did I realise how far I’d gone.
‘No. Please stop. Let me go,’ I panicked. Orm growled—actually growled , like a feral bear—before instantly releasing my hands and backing away from me.
I saw the veins straining on his neck, fists clenching on the fabric as he fought with himself. There was magic dancing in his eyes, a dark inferno of primal power he fought to tame.
I cursed under my breath, shocked at what had just happened. The connection between us was so much deeper than I initially thought possible. As if the fates were staring me in the eyes, weaving the thread of destiny that linked us together.
And when I dared look at Orm, I saw a wild, ancient force gazing at me through the yellow glare of his eyes.
I felt a frisson of fear run down my spine, unsure if Orm could cage the power my careless touch had unleashed. ‘Orm, I’m so—’ I started, realising what I’d done, but he raised his hand, stopping me.
‘I’m not losing control, but be mindful of what you do next,’ Orm warned me when I reached out, wondering how to repair the damage I’d accidentally caused, and he backed away. ‘Don’t. If you touch me now, I don’t know if I will be able to stop. The need to be with you is so … overwhelming. Just give me a moment, Nivale.’
‘I didn’t mean to cause you trouble,’ I said remorsefully, but even as I spoke, I felt a perverse pleasure in knowing I had such an effect on him.
‘I know, but you must … you had to suspect how I feel about you. Anchoring someone who’s not a mage makes no sense. Alaric explained it to me yesterday, but I can’t help it. After yesterday, I can’t think of anything else. I want it so fucking much that it hurts. I keep coming here because seeing you sleep … I’m not explaining this right. You give meaning to my life, to this constant fight. My sacrifice is worth it if it brings just one smile to your lips. I didn’t lie to you. You called my name, and I came. I will always come to you. I can’t stay away,’
Orm’s words carried so much hope, such desperation, that I was speechless. I don’t know what he saw in my expression, but suddenly, he was pacing, a caged animal filled with frustration on the edge of violence. I studied the muscles of Orm’s chest bulging under the strain he was under before he halted in front of me.
‘Please say something. Am I making this up? If so, tell me you don’t want this. Tell me it’s just my imagination because I’m going insane. I felt your desire; there is something between us, I’m sure of it. It is not just your magic. The way we fight together, the way you challenge me, make me laugh … I may never have Alaric’s magic synergy, but in everything else, we are one.’
He ran a hand through his messy hair before hitting his chest as if trying to push his wildness back inside. ‘I wish you knew how much I crave you. I wouldn’t kiss you otherwise. I wouldn’t come here and impose myself on you like some wild animal. If this connection is all in my head, tell me to get the fuck away, and I will leave you. I swear I will leave you to Alaric and his magic; I’ll never touch you again.’
Orm stopped, his fist so tight I swear I heard his knuckles creak. He looked towards the door, on the verge of bolting. He was waiting for my answer, holding himself back and letting me choose. I looked at him, this mountain of a man, lost in a passion that burned brighter than dragon fire.
I wished I could say yes, but yes to what? Just becoming my lover was no longer an option. Not after my power had almost forced me to Anchor him. I couldn’t go through with it in this state, when my emotions were still a chaotic mess. I knew they would get worse before they got better. If they got better.
Orm was already unhinged by the touch of my magic, and I couldn’t subject him to further strain. Having a dragon and his rider experience the pain of a broken bond could have devastating consequences. I didn’t even know how I would take it myself. ‘It’s complicated … I can’t right now. The spell …’
‘That godsdamned spell!’ I flinched at Orm’s curse. I couldn’t take my eyes off his bulging muscles, shocked by the power that he fought against. ‘Could you please listen to me? I can’t make this decision now; it’s too early. Alaric just—’ I tried again, but he startled me with a dark, menacing laugh.
‘Alaric. I should have known. It will always be Alaric,’ he said through clenched teeth, and I felt my own temper flaring. ‘Yes, but this isn’t about Alaric.’
‘If it isn’t, then choose me, be mine . Take all of my soul if you wish …’
‘I’m trying to tell you I can’t right now—’ I started, and he growled. Whatever my power had done to him, Orm’s wild magic was now in control. I could see yellow flames overwhelm his pupils. There was no point talking to him until he calmed down.
He wouldn’t hear anything except an enthusiastic ‘yes’ followed by an immediate Anchor bond. We both needed time. I clenched my own fist, looking the beast in the eye. ‘Oh, for fuck’s sake. If you’re too stubborn to listen, then leave.’
He looked at me with such pain and disbelief, then seemed to crumble into himself, one hand pressing against his heart. The yellow fire flared, and for a moment, I thought he would pounce, but Orm grabbed the bedpost, using its strength to force the magic back. When the eerie light in his eyes dimmed, then faded completely, I was once again looking at the stone-carved face of the lord commander.
He placed a trembling hand on his chest and bowed slightly. ‘As you wish, my lady. I’m sorry for the misunderstanding.’ I blinked as he spoke, his voice cracking and drained of emotion. When he turned to leave, I reached out, stopping when I saw him flinch.
I knew he thought I’d rejected him, but nothing could be further from the truth. As soon as Alaric’s spell wore off, I was going to drag that man to my bed and Anchor the hell out of him.
I was still struggling to contain my frustration when I walked into the workshop much later.
It amazed me how much the place reflected Alaric’s personality. The space was deep in the bowels of the fortress, with only one window on the northern side. It had little to no natural light but had candles and torches stuck on every wall or shelf to light specific areas, giving it a cosy feel. How he had managed it with stone benches carved from the mountain itself, I didn’t know. There were even heavy oak shelves filled with vials and ingredients so rare, and often so toxic, that they made my eyes water.
There were few items of decadence, but next to the workshop’s small fireplace, its mantle carved with intricate designs, was an oversized chaise lounge and a table where servants left snacks and drinks. It was kept filled under Orm’s order because Alaric, lost in his work, often forgot the simple necessities of life.
Usually, I enjoyed coming here. The atmosphere reminded me of the university workshops, but today, even this space felt suffocating. Yet when I approached Alaric, I was glad I came. He looked like he hadn’t slept at all, his chin resting on his forearm while he sat at his workbench with a bloodied quill in his hands.
‘What happened to you?’ I asked, placing my hand on his shoulder. He flinched as if awakened from a deep sleep, and the look he gave me in answer chilled the blood in my veins.
‘An old foe reminded me of his presence.’ Bitter laughter escaped his lips as he straightened. Only then did I notice he was lying inside a warding glyph drawn with his own blood.
‘Who is it? Does Orm know?’
‘No, he doesn’t. He can’t help, anyway. The Lich King tried to impose his will on me. Don’t worry, though, Ani—I’m difficult to break. Just give me a moment, then we’ll start working. Hah, it was a long night.’
I reached for him, simultaneously confused and worried by his words. ‘I don’t care about magic right now. How can you say the Lich King trying to reach you like that is no big deal?’
‘Because it’s happened before and will probably happen again.’ He took my hand and pressed it to his forehead. The relief I saw in his features made me pause. I stepped closer and hesitantly embraced him. The earlier spat with Orm felt childish now, and I focused entirely on my tormented fae, determined to find the truth in all this.
‘Is this helping?’ I asked. In the back of my mind, hidden deep in memory, I remembered Arno’s words. A conduit mage’s presence could regulate the flow of the aether in others, either smoothing or disrupting it, affecting nearby spells. The way Alaric reacted to me brought the memory back to the surface, and I suspected I may have disrupted whatever connection he had with the immortal Lich.
‘Yes,’ he answered quietly, wrapping his arms around me, ‘It helps a lot.’
‘Tell me what’s going on. Don’t keep me in the dark when I know you’re struggling.’ Alaric pulled away, looking at me with a strange sadness before he reached up and unbuttoned his kaftan collar.
I’d never seen him undressed. All his shirts and kaftans were always tied up to his neck. Only on rare occasions had I seen a hint of his chest, and the view was unexpected. The skin was smooth, with a silk sheen covered with strange silver markings. I didn’t recognise the symbols, but I still remembered the strange glow I’d seen the other night.
That must have been what was glowing , I thought, reaching towards them before I stopped, my hand hovering over his skin.
Magic tingled on my fingertips, awakened by my proximity to the symbols, but something felt wrong with the beautiful script. I let my fingers travel along the marks, noticing their otherworldly metallic feel, so contrasting with the warmth of his skin. ‘They’re causing me the pain you witnessed,’ he explained in a low, husky voice.
‘What are they? I know little about the dark fae. Is it some kind of family custom?’ I asked, moving my hand higher and laying it on his collarbone. ‘No, they are not, and I wish it were possible to get rid of them. If it would make any difference, I’d burn them from my skin with a red-hot poker,’ Alaric said so vehemently that I gasped.
He placed his hand over mine, and I realised I’d been staring at the marks. His statement piqued my curiosity, and I took a better look. They were strange; with his torso fully exposed, I saw how unnatural they looked. It was almost as if someone had used molten silver as ink, the edges scarred and damaged. ‘You can touch them again, Ani,’ he whispered. ‘I can see how curious you are.’
‘But you told me they were painful.’
‘Yes, but I’m a man who likes pain, remember?’ I could see the tension written all over his body. My breath hitched when I looked at his golden eyes, crimson creeping in at the edges. I knew I shouldn’t do it, but my curiosity got the better of me, so I let my fingers trail over the thin silver lines.
‘Is it a spell?’
Ari closed his eyes, and a small moan escaped his lips.
‘Yes, a spell of sorts. This is the reason you heard me that night and found me like this today. This is my curse, a link that my mother’s power forged with the Lich King’s magic.’ He was so bitter that I removed my hand instead of sliding it lower, where the longest line slid down his stomach.
‘Curse? Your mother cursed you?’ I asked, struggling to comprehend how she could do that.
‘I did it to myself, but the will behind each letter of this curse was my mother’s. They are the symbol of the promise I made when her spirit possessed my body and a testament to the love she had for her misbegotten son,’ he snarled.
Alaric tensed again when I scraped my nail over the silver symbols. It didn’t feel like skin at all, but at the sudden intake of breath, I knew he could feel every touch. ‘I need more than cryptic explanations.’ I said, rolling my eyes.
Alaric grasped my hand and pressed it harder to the mark. The swirling crimson that had ghosted his pupils now threatened to overwhelm them. ‘Don’t stop. I told you they cause me pain, but not when you touch them … they are silent when you are around me. You have brought me relief after centuries of agony. So please, please don’t stop.’
‘I won’t, but we have to tell Orm. Knowing the Lich King can reach you … it’s dangerous, and not only for you. Is there a way to remove the curse?’ I questioned, placing both palms on his chest. Orm’s remark some time ago that Alaric seemed happier in my company finally made sense.
‘We?’ he asked, and when I looked up, I saw the first smile ghost his lips since my arrival at his workshop.
‘What? You didn’t think I’d leave you to face this alone, did you? Orm knows people in the capital. I know university mages are a bunch of arrogant pricks—well, most of them—but they know their craft, and if he can’t force them to cooperate, I will. So, tell me, my beautiful fae, how can I help?’
‘I’ve tried, Annika. I’ve spent hundreds of years searching for a solution. It is an unbreakable oath carved in blood and necromancy. It will only vanish when its conditions are fulfilled. When I find my sister Rowena … And she’s with the Lich King.’
‘So that’s why you wanted to go to the Barren Lands … but Orm is right. It’s a suicide mission, even if the Barrier would let you pass.’
‘It will. If it’s faded enough to let an olgoi worm pass, it will let me through, too. I know it is dangerous, but I may be forced to try it, anyway.’
‘No, I refuse to accept that. I’m not losing you. There must be another way. Hell, I’ll go to the capital myself if I have to, but we’ll find a way to remove it. Also, you should have told me earlier that my touch helps you. I just remembered Arno saying something about conduits disrupting the flow of the aether.’
He looked at me with such disbelief that I had to chuckle.
‘What are you trying to say?’ Alaric asked cautiously.
‘That you can touch me? When things get too much, even for a sucker for pain like yourself, just come to me, and I will hold you, touch your marks, no questions asked,’ I said, and he took my hand, placing a long, soft kiss on my palm. ‘You’ll be the death of me.’
‘Well, I hope not. I don’t want to grieve for someone else with my old grief coming back around for a second time—which reminds me: I have a request. Speed up your reversal spell. I’m tired of waiting. And if I have to help you with this curse as well as the Lich King, I’ll be needing more than just one Anchor.’
‘It’s dangerous, sweetheart,’ he said, but I placed my finger on his lips.
‘Just do it, I can handle it.’ I just hoped I wouldn’t live to regret the words.