Chapter 25
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
ALINA
Iwoke up alone in the small bed. Tynan was already gone, and for a moment, I felt sad that he had not stayed with me.
Suddenly, memories from last night returned all at once, and blood rushed to my cheeks.
He let me do what I wanted. I was too direct, too forward.
I thought I was in full control, but, with just a few words Tynan reversed our roles.
Yet again, I felt like a school girl who was trying to play an adult.
I groaned and hid my face in the blanket.
Moments later, I sat up, staring out the window.
It had rained all night, and it seemed like the gloomy weather had come to stay.
The soft rumble of rain soothed my nerves and spread warmth in my chest. On mornings like these, all I wanted was to stay in bed, lounging in my nightgown with a book, and eat a late breakfast.
I could not remember when I allowed myself to forget about everything and do absolutely nothing all day.
Like when I was still a child, under the protection of my older brother.
Hadeon had barely come of age when he had to take charge of our family estate, and take care of me and our delusional stepmother.
I could not remember how soon I started helping him with his daily duties.
At first, I was shadowing him everywhere he went.
Then I started learning from the servants about the day to day issues in the castle.
I was still quite young when I started settling minor disputes between the villagers.
I was only fifteen when I organized my first winter solstice and I never looked back since.
My days were filled with duties, and at first, I thought I was doing all that to take some of the burden off my brother.
He worked day and night, trying to learn how to become a better lord.
Some days I never even saw him. He was out in the fields with the farmers, or helping rebuild the broken bridge, he worked on securing the roads for the merchants, and spent endless hours doing paperwork.
Soon enough, I realized that I enjoyed helping him.
I sighed, thinking about my old life, and wondered if Hadeon was still searching for me. Deep down, I knew he would never stop looking.
What would he say if he saw me now? Would he be mad if he knew that I married a man he had never met? Would he like Tynan? Would Tynan like him?
I bit down on my lip. Hadeon was always so protective of me. Probably because he had to assume the role of a father when he himself was no more than a child.
Suddenly the door opened and Tynan walked in.
His hair was damp, and his black flying suit looked impeccable on his tall, striking form.
He looked around the room then his eyes landed on me.
A lazy smile formed on his lips and his face immediately softened.
I could still remember when we first met, I meditated on the fact that he never smiled.
He had a perpetual frown on his face, no matter what was happening around him.
I was oblivious, in those early days, that he had a smile that made your heart stop.
“I knew you were awake.” He closed the door behind him.
“Is everything alright?” I threw the blanket off me and slowly got up.
“I would say so.” His eyes followed me while I swept my hair up.
“Is there something we should be worried about?” I walked to the basin and splashed my face with chilly water.
Tynan followed me, handing me a towel.
“No. Everything’s fine.”
“Where did you go?”
“I had to make sure the night was quiet. There are many warriors trapped in a tavern with nearly unlimited supplies of alcohol.”
He stretched in the chair while I cleaned up and brushed my hair.
"Was it an uneventful night, or no?” I pulled on my flying suit.
“For the most part. Minor injuries, some broken furniture.” He smirked, seeing my eyes widen.
“Seriously?”
“That’s to be expected.”
I picked up my boots and sat on the bed.
Tynan immediately approached and kneeled in front of me, loosening the laces on my boots.
He lowered his head. In the dim light, his hair appeared almost black as some slid toward his cheekbones.
His flying suit stretched against his powerful thighs, and his strong arms flexed as he did something so tender as helping me to dress.
“I want to devour you, on my knees, buried under your skirts. Until you can’t come any more.”
What would it feel like to let him do what he wanted? Even with all the embarrassment I felt thinking about the act, I could not help being a little curious.
My mind immediately went into an uncontrollable frenzy. It probably translated well enough on my face, because Tynan looked up and stilled.
“Is something wrong?”
“No, of course not.”
I attempted to take the boot from him, but he wrapped his fingers around my ankle. My face burned unbearably hot as he slid it on over my foot. The way he stayed on his knees between my parted legs made me feel all sorts of things, but thank the gods, he did not seem to notice.
“Also, the first knight to Lord Hubert came to see us this morning. We already had a conversation, but he also wants to give his regards to you.” Tynan added, finishing lacing my boots.
“Who?”
“Lord Hubert Rutherford.”
“Rutherford’s father?”
“Yes.”
Every ounce of blood drained from my face. That was a rough reminder that our mission was of a serious, and deeply, unpleasant nature. Tynan was, in fact, the new leader of the white clan. His victory meant that Hubert’s son would never return home.
While in the capital, I learned that Rutherford had already surrendered his role to his son.
The elders of our clan told us the old lord also had a daughter, Augusta, who may have a claim to the position.
The previous leader of the white clan could not just resume control.
Hubert was in a tough spot before we came to Alsaard, but with our arrival, things could get far more complicated for him.
“I see.”
“We’re going to be escorted to Alsaard.”
“When?”
“Whenever you’re ready.”
“I better hurry up then,” I sighed.
“Not before you get something to eat.” Tynan straightened.
I watched him walk to the door, and for a moment, he disappeared, then I heard his low confident voice. I assumed he was speaking to May. Then he returned and extended his hand, helping me to get on my feet.
“The hard part starts now,” he said.
Our eyes locked.