13. Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Thirteen
Valda
I t was a gamble to run off from my captors in an attempt to find somewhere I could leave my body safely come sunset. But I had no idea how risky it truly was. Storms over the ocean are a lot more violent than the rain that continuously pelts Castle Schwerin.
Thankfully, Konrad appears to think that my fainting spell was a consequence of the extreme elements. Less thankfully, he appears to be panicking over the state of my corpse in his ignorance.
I stare at my torn chemise mournfully. Obviously, I was going to have to cast it away the moment I returned to my full wardrobe. But it is still an unfortunate fate for a garment I wasn’t through with yet. May it rest in peace.
At least Konrad didn’t think to remove my gloves, or else he would have put himself in mortal danger. Especially considering how close we lie.
Konrad shifts in his position next to the body he disrobed in more of a gentlemanly fashion than I thought possible. It was a strange thing to witness, wondering what sensations I would have experienced if I were still occupying my body. But being able to watch the determination on his face despite the redness of his ears without being detected was entertaining.
Now, I really wish I know what I would feel if I were in my body with Konrad’s arms around me.
But that’s not to say that I wouldn’t enjoy it all the more for being forbidden.
It isn’t just my standard thirst that has me anticipating Konrad finally falling asleep. I’m curious to know a bit more about the enigma that is Konrad of Schwerin— mercenary and loving father.
I glance at the little brat who looks well on her way through dreamland. She has no way of knowing I’m sticking my tongue out at her. If I were a different sort of estrie, I’d drink from her; she’d certainly deserve it.
But I don’t drink children, and Konrad would prefer I fed from him. Not that it matters what Konrad does or doesn’t want. I want to know his memories anyway, not hers.
Finally, Konrad’s eyes drift shut, his breathing evens out, and his grip on my body loosens.
Crouching beside him, it doesn’t take me any time at all to sync my spirt fangs to the thrumming of magic in his blood. Then I puncture him as my fangs become physical.
I once again see the stables from the last dream. This time, though, it’s broad daylight rather than late at night. More notably, the stature and stride I see through now belong to a grown man confidently returning home rather than a scared pup fleeing from danger.
The same elf man from before looks up from tending a horse and grins in my direction. “Konrad!” Dropping a shovel, he charges at me with open arms. “Home so soon!”
Strong arms wrap around the man, holding him tight. Konrad is a head and shoulders taller than him now since kinfolk males tend to be shorter than mortals.
“Soon? He’s been gone too long!” Another elf appears, this one tall and willowy, her white hair flowing free behind her.
“It was just one job,” Konrad says. “The Guild gave me some time off, though, before my next one.”
“Konrad’s here?” a squeaky voice pipes up, and a familiar brunette pops up, though she’s tinier than she is now. “Konrad!”
Eloise comes running and springs up, throwing her arms around Konrad’s neck.
At least three more kinfolk appear and join the greeting. Two are clearly brothers, and the other is a kinwoman with Eloise’s hair and a pointed face.
I smile. This scene is a far cry from the first memory I saw in Konrad’s mind.
This memory is joy itself.
I ’ve never awakened to the sensation of being held before. It has always been imperative to ensure that no one I couldn’t trust was near me when sunset came. Considering my father’s many enemies, that meant I could trust no one outside his castle.
Yet here I am, tangled up with one of his enemies— one of my enemies. Even though I have had a guard posted outside of my castle bedroom for as long as I can remember, I’ve never felt safer awakening than in this moment .
My back is pressed against Konrad’s chest, his heart beating steadily into my shoulder. We’re so close I feel like I still have a heart.
Konrad’s breath is slow with sleep, but rhythmically blows against my neck. His hand, that was splayed across my stomach, has slipped against my hip, and his legs are entwined with mine.
A smirk spreads across my face. He’s going to be mortified when he awakens.
Just to speed up that process a little, I snuggle a little closer to him.
Konrad makes a sniffing sound and stirs.
I twist my head so I’m looking right at him as his eyes drift open. He blinks at me in confusion while I continue to grin. Then his eyes whirl in confusion and he twists away from me.
Unfortunately for him, the blanket is tucked tightly around both of us. He disengages his limbs from me with surprising swiftness. But it does him no good, because when he rolls onto his back, the blanket drags me onto him.
“I have to ask,” I say as I twist around to situate myself more comfortably on top of him, “do you provide this level of service to all your abductees?”
“I assure you that is not the case.” Konrad does his best to keep his voice cool, but his red-tipped ears betray his fluster. “Normally, I throw them in a burlap sack and call it a day.”
“Is that so?” My hands are splayed over his chest, my hair hanging down like a curtain around our faces, isolating us in this moment. “And why do I get the special treatment? Because I’m pretty?” I bat my eyelashes and purse my lips.
Konrad’s gaze predictably drops to my mouth. Men are so easy to manipulate like that.
Then Konrad tears his gaze back up to mine, a boyish grin stretching across his face. “A pretty ransom, to be sure. If I can only tolerate your company a little longer. ”
Tolerate ? “Why is it always about the money with you? You seemed to tolerate me just fine when—”
Before I can respond, bird feet tangle with my hair. I roll off Konrad and bat at the fowl fiend until it flaps back to the waiting shoulder of its mistress.
Eloise sits cross-legged, glaring at us. She looks downright villainous with her little minion on her shoulder.
She also looks completely different with her hair unbraided and flowing down to her waist, glowing in the nasty sunlight filtering in but mercifully not quite reaching us in the back of this cave. Her pointed ears are on full display now, and there is no disguising that she is an elfling.
Konrad groans, untangles himself from the blanket, and sits up. “How are you doing, pup?” His gaze falls on her ears, and he glances between Eloise and me nervously, as though I’d somehow tolerate a werw?lfe abductor and not a pint-sized elfling.
“Considering I’m marooned on a deserted island and was almost orphaned a second time in a storm, fairly well.” Eloise ducks her head to one side, her sharp gaze on me. “Surprisingly enough, so is she .”
I sit up and offer her an imperial wave. “I apologize if my fainting spell frightened you, but it was nothing a little cuddle couldn’t resolve.” I wink at Konrad, distracting him from further questions as both ears turn completely crimson.
Eloise just narrows her eyes. Then she turns back to her father. “The storm has passed, but there’s a lot of damage. Our dinghy, for example. We’ll have to make a raft or something now if we ever want to escape.”
I purse my lips, considering this. My plot will never come to fruition unless we leave this island. But time isn’t exactly an issue for an estrie, and I find I don’t mind adventuring on this desert island a little longer. Especially with a roguish werw?lfe and a capricious little elfling.
As long as I’m still on this island, I can pretend to be a carefree captive and not the monster that will destroy their little family.
Konrad frowns at Eloise as he pushes away the blanket. “I didn’t want you to explore without me.”
“You seemed perfectly content where you were.” Eloise pushes herself to her feet. “Also, we have company.”
“What?” Konrad crawls to the mouth of the cave.
Eloise nods. “The storm caused a shipwreck. Those pirates are here.”