Chapter 27
RASHA
“What do you think?” he whispers at my back.
Shivering at his voice, I scoot to the side so he can lead me through the path, winding around massive pieces of the rocks that jut up from the cave floor.
Some almost touch the equally sharp rocks that form dagger-like structures coming down from the cave ceilings, and everywhere in between, the iridescent river flows.
“It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen,” I murmur, careful to step only where he steps.
“The water down here hasn’t been this active and full in years.” Shaw cups his hands under a ledge where the shining water is running like a stream in summer.
“We haven’t seen the Northern Lights in years, so maybe they are connected.” I hesitate to touch the water, wondering if there is magic held within the particles. “Just thinking out loud.”
“They are one in the same.” He beckons me closer.
“What do you mean?”
“The lights are a reflection of the Ivalo River flowing through the mountains. In the coldest months, the magic left by the gods casts the light into the sky, revealing the path to the Vanheim.”
Slowly shifting my gaze to him, I remember opening the shrine and how it felt to move between realms in limbo. The lights I saw the night he rescued me were the first in my lifetime.
“So here we could cross over?” I ask, and his lips part in an effortless breath like he could kiss me.
“You could, maybe. But I have the map to the reindeer because I need them to accept my penance when I cross over,” he reminds me. I shove down my strange need to touch the amulet.
We walk through the cave, letting the magnificence of the underground river guide us.
After a while, I understand the colors. Those near the inside of the mountain run pink, and the ones dripping down from the ceiling are yellow.
Under our feet, the slow, oozing water is blue, picking up the fragmented colors of the cave.
When the stream flows outside to the plants under the snow, the sheen is green.
Shaw is deep in thought, I can tell by how often he rubs his jaw and avoids looking at me.
His reservations are making me question if I should be here.
I could have stayed with Aslaug and let him get the ore.
Have I spent too many nights sleeping soundly next to him that I have forgotten what my purpose is?
The thought that maybe taking my virginity doesn’t interest him has crossed my mind more than once.
“Rasha?”
I start to answer, but my throat closes in trepidation.
“Do you want to swing the pickaxe? It’s very satisfying?” he asks, holding it out. A sweet smirk crosses my lips as I take the heavy tool. Dropping the bag from my shoulders, I motion for Shaw to step back, and he does.
“Where should I aim?”
“For the deepest vein, but don’t overthink it.” He gives the instruction, and I slam the pointy tip of the axe into the mountain. Everything shakes like I hit the center of a ceremonial drum.
“Again,” he calls from behind me, and I oblige.
The ceiling shakes as tiny drops of water sprinkle over us.
The rock bed vibrates. I don’t need him to ask me again as I wait for a pulse in the amulet.
I focus on that beautiful strength woven in our blood and aim for the crack in the cave wall. “You did it,” he exclaims.
My chest is heaving as I lower the axe and gaze at the cave floor. Plain shards of stone are everywhere, but the light coming from Shaw’s torch flickers over several shiny, misshaped pieces. We bend down to gather the precious ore, but his hand finds my cheek instead of the silver.
“I don’t know how to say this,” his voice cracks over the words while I sit on the cave floor.
“You never thought a girl could swing an axe like that?” I coo, propping my tired arms on my bent knees.
“That’s not what I was going to say.” He presses his lips together, and I give up. Leaning into his lap, I crash my lips into his. “Rasha,” he murmurs as I break away to find his hazel eyes searching mine.
“Save whatever you want to tell me for these fancy hot springs you keep promising.” I scoop up the remaining pieces of silver and gold. There’s a clear stone that fell from the opened vein in the mountain. He studies it with the torch and then slips it into the pocket against my breast.
Finding the ore seems to have brought us back into our usual rhythm, like I passed an invisible test. My unexpected, brave kiss might have helped us along as well.
I am still smiling to myself behind his back when he crosses a narrow stone bridge.
Skipping down a few uneven slabs of granite, I follow Shaw around bubbling purple and blue pools of water.
“These are the hot springs?” I balance my bag over my shoulder, waiting for him to say we are stopping, but he continues around the corner. Keeping up with him, I am suddenly hit with fresh, cold air, but we aren’t at the same place where we came in.
There are too many places to look at first as I stand by Shaw on a wide ledge providing a view of the outside world.
We are nestled in the vast mountains, not at the very top, but nowhere near the bottom.
Below lie the valleys and frozen rivers that create the map of our land, the Beaivi Clan included.
“The pools were once used by the gods to replenish themselves.” Shaw stays in the shadows of the rocky, arched entrance while I peer over the side.
Turning back to him, I ask, “Do they still hold that power?”
“Do I look old?” His quick answer makes me laugh, and I walk back to drop my things by the collection of pools. Shaw follows me with determination.
“I’m going to take your clothes off,” he whispers, threading his arms around my stomach.
“I am more than capable,” I answer, knowing it’s fruitless.
“You are very capable of making pants that show off your ass, but I like stripping you.”
“Why?” My question dies in my throat as he pulls the laces open and slides his hands over my curves to loosen my pants.
“Because it makes you wet.” His fingers graze my clit. Yes, he is right. Of course, I am wet. “Then in your infinite creativity you made this perfect tie so I can unwrap your top.”
“I had you in mind.” I whimper when he opens the double-wrapped tunic to let my chest free. My head falls on his shoulder as he explores my body while his cock presses through his pants into my back. He lifts the chain off my neck and detaches the amulet, stowing it inside our pile of clothes.
“Get in the water for me?” He takes a step away.
I sit on the edge and ease myself into the hot water.
Swimming over to the other side, I drape my arms along the rocky wall and sink deep enough that the water is to my collarbones.
Shaw takes off his clothes, springing his large cock free, and stares at me.
“Shaw?” I ask when he doesn’t move.
“You are beautiful. I know you know, but you don’t see what I am seeing.”
“What do you see?” I ask. He splashes steamy water over the sides as he joins me in the pool and swims over to my spot.
“I see all of you. Your stubbornness and perseverance. Your intelligence and beauty. We’ve both been holding back, but I have run out of reasons not to worship you. I can no longer pretend this is anything less than extraordinary.”
He pulls me into a kiss. Wild and unrelenting. My arms are around him, stabilizing us. His hands find my legs, wrapping them around his body. Even in the hot water, my arousal is tangible. Guiding us back into the edge of the pool, he props me up on smooth rocks that form a shallow seat.
“I don’t want to hold back.” I am out of breath from kisses and desperately need more. The water around us flows against the muted colors of the caves, heightening every feeling I’ve ever had until I’m dying to be released.
“Sit up here for a moment.” He lifts me higher so my body is exposed to the cool air. Tiny, opalescent water drops catch the light, making my skin shimmer. “Can I use this to help you?” He shows me the chain dripping with water.
“How?” I ask.
He holds the last link I added two days ago and says, “Put your hands on your knees.”
My eyes flare up to his, knowing how this will look with my bigger breasts, but I’m so turned on I do it anyway. My nipples swing forward, and my cunt floods with sweet heat as he takes in my vulnerable position.
“When I’m done, you can tell me you want to stay like this or not. Either way, I’m making you come in this pool.” He meticulously fixes the links over me. Looping the chain around one breast in a triangle position, he threads the end behind my neck and does the same for the other side.
As I watch him wrap the chain around my ribs and twist it up my front, the notion isn’t lost that he made the links multiply right in front of me.
He pulls the chain tight, and the sensation of being held securely engulfs me, dowsing all my fiery nerves in a wave of stability.
With his free hand, he takes the ribbon from the end of my braid and ties the two ends of the chain together.
“Fucking beautiful,” he groans and flicks one of my pebbled nipples. “How do you feel?”
“Safe,” I murmur. He helps me slide halfway into the water where the heat makes me want to beg.
“What do you want, Rasha?”
“Can I taste you?” I feel bold, wearing his eternal life strapped against my chest.
“Mhmm.” He sits out of the water and pumps his cock for me. Moving to my knees, I feel the water lapping at my back, urging me on.
“Tell me if I’m horrible.” I wrap my hand around his base.
He runs his fingers over my nipples while he says, “My cock between those lips will never feel horrible.”
Sliding him past my lips, he feels huge in my mouth and my hands grip his hard thighs for leverage. My tongue explores every groove and twitch, relishing in how he tastes.