Chapter 19 #2
She wondered what could possibly help, and he frustratingly refused to elaborate until they reached the final landing.
“Turn around.”
Fern blinked slowly, trying to think about anything other than how winded she was from the climb and how high she must be.
“What will you do?”
He put his hands on her shoulders and lowered his face to meet hers. “Just trust me.”
She didn’t have a chance to answer before he turned her around himself, and she heard the rustling of fabric.
“Ah, you mean to push me down the stairs. A broken neck is a quick mercy, thank you.”
He chuckled. “And deprive myself of the prettiest clan jester we’ve ever seen?”
Then from over her head, he lowered a wide strip of soft, thick fabric. She panicked and grabbed his wrists. “What—”
“If you cannot see how high you are, you can trick yourself into believing you’re still on the ground.”
“So you do plan for me to trip and plummet to my death!”
He wrapped the fabric and tied it in a knot. Snug and secure.
And dark.
“Not if I’m out there with you.”
She almost stumbled, but Eidan steadied her easily. “You’ll sleep outside?” she asked, not quite believing his words. “With me?”
Of course she couldn’t see his face, couldn’t see if he was serious or not. He simply took her hand and started moving up again.
“I’ve spent many nights outside, and heights don’t frighten me. This is no great hardship.”
“But—”
“But nothing, Fern. It is the least I can do.”
The door at the top creaked open, and she was instantly hit with a gust of cool wind, the shock stealing her breath until Eidan pulled her forward.
She had to admit, his plan wasn’t as horrible as she’d first thought. While she knew exactly where she was, it was easy to pretend she was merely in an open square. That one wrong move wouldn’t kill her.
“Sit here,” he commanded, and she slowly lowered into a crouch, feeling around and gasping when her hand brushed against something soft.
“A bedroll?”
He grunted. “Just because I’ve slept outside doesn’t mean I enjoy sleeping on stone. Lie down, there’s enough room for the both of us.”
She did as instructed, suddenly too excited by the prospect of proper bedding to even want to sleep. Turning her face into the fabric, she breathed in deeply and let out a happy sigh.
“It smells like you.”
The sound of his boots thudded before he lay down beside her, bringing her into the warmth of his body. “My apologies, I must not have aired it out enough since my last journey.”
“No, I mean that’s a good thing,” she replied, comfort already seeping into her voice.
His hand rested on her abdomen, his breath in her hair. “It will smell even better after a few days of you lying with me.”
Her wolf very much agreed on that, the thought of their scents mingling wagging her tail.
But instead it made Fern confused, thinking back to earlier. “Harland said something to me today.”
His hand tensed. “I saw him bothering you, and reminded him that you are not to be approached. If he tries again, let me know.”
“Well, that’s just it. He said he’s never known the Ashpaw to attract such… interest from the Clan before.”
Eidan didn’t answer, and Fern worried she may have pushed him too far. Alphas weren’t to be questioned, after all.
“I’m sorry, forget I said anything…”
“No, Fern, I’m just thinking.” He paused for a moment, his breath warm in her hair. “He’s right, unfortunately. I don’t think I’ve ever spared any of the Ashpaws as much as a second glance for most of my life.”
He gave his next exhale some weight, and then continued.
“You’d already caught my eye before all of this, if it doesn’t bother you to hear it.
But then Darion… the way he fixates on correcting your so-called poor behavior seems to have drawn a similar fixation from me.
Although I feel only the need to protect, not punish.
To counteract his harsh reprimands with softness. ”
It was difficult to hear such words when she could not see his face—her back was to his chest anyway, but even if she turned around, the eye cover was still in place. And she needed it, or her fear would take over, and she would forget what they’d been talking about.
“Is that all you feel the need to do?” she asked, addressing the arousal pressed into her back. But there was no flirtation or seduction in the question, and Eidan answered respectfully.
“I have eyes and a nose, Fern, and you are pleasing to both. But I’m sure my father will see me mated to the daughter of some other clan’s alpha soon enough, and I will never take a Naravekh, even if our union is barren.”
Fern was saddened to hear that. Not that she’d ever thought Eidan would consider her for his Naravekh anyway, tainted by her Ashpaw status as she was, but because hearing this made him even more respectable in her eyes.
He would not force a Solvekh to bear his children, only to then be cast out once his mate had put up with her enough.
“Do your uncles have mates?” she asked, changing the subject. For imagining some other woman in her place beside Eidan made her feel poorly, knowing it could never be her. “I haven’t seen them with any women.”
“Aye, they do, back at their homes. Their estates are spread far from the castle, but several of the courtship rituals require their participation, so they’re staying here for now. Their mates will come for the ceremony.”
“I see,” she replied, the last word turning into a yawn.
She snuggled further back into him, and a low vibration smoothed out the remaining apprehension of her current location.
While she was up high, Eidan’s trick had allowed her to think otherwise, and with the bedroll and his warm, strong body behind her, she was finally comfortable and safe.
“Good night, Alpha.”
He chuckled, his lips pressing the top of her head. “Good night, she-wolf.”