17. Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Seventeen
Konrad
W armth and the scent of bleeding heart fills my senses. I smile sadly as I’m lured out of my dream.
Pleasant comfort brims my soul, and I wish I could go back into the dream. It was something about Valda and me in a waterfall and being a lot more pleasant toward each other than usual. A lot more pleasant.
But in the back of my mind, I know I have responsibilities, so I peel my eyes open.
Valda is lying beside me, propped up by her elbow as she studies me.
My mind crashes through a dozen scenarios as it tries to recall how we came to bein this predicament when I’m pretty sure the waterfall was a dream.
Oh— Three Heavens— did my face betray any expressions while I dreamed of kissing her?
“Good morning,” she murmurs, her tone low and sultry, like we truly did share that moment in the waterfall and not a blanket in a cave .
“G-good morning.” Clearing my throat, I sit up and gather the stray strands of hair to tie back again. Anything to do with my hands except reach for Valda like in my dream.
As if the little vixen can sense my thoughts, she stretches dramatically, twisting her torso so I can see that lovely, pale skin.
I quickly avert my eyes, my fingers uselessly gathering my hair.
Eloise is carefully sorting berries and leaves onto four platters without a care in the world while I feel myself crumbling.
Good. That is as it should be. I just never imagined it would be a woman making me crumble and not the overwhelming weights of guilt and grief.
My gaze drops back to Eloise’s work. Wait, four laden plates . . . Does that mean one is for Sir Pigeon?
I’ll have to be careful to get only my plate in the future. I’m not eating off the same dish that a bird has.
Suddenly, cool fingers push my hands away from my hair. They pull off my leather band before gathering all my hair in one handful.
“Valda?” I whisper, as if that could be a question. Who else could have gotten behind me in this cave? Who else has a touch that is so alarmingly cool yet tempting at the same time?
“You seemed to be struggling.” Valda combs her fingers through my hair, and my spine relaxes. Then she takes the comb to it. Mayhap I was too hasty to roll my eyes about her bringing it . . .
A few strokes later, she wraps the leather band back in place, all my hair in place. Unfortunately, that also leads to her releasing her hold on me. Physically, that is. I’m beginning to fear she’ll never release the emotional chokehold she has on me.
“Th-thank you,” I say.
“Don’t mention it. Even though you owe me after stealing my favorite ribbon.”
I wince. “I’m sorry about that.”
“My father better have received it safely, or else I’m going to be quite cross with you.” Valda crawls past me, and I see that she’s pulled on her coral dress again. However, she hasn’t redone her ties, which I know she’s perfectly capable of since I didn’t assist her with them previously. That means her back is still on display. Intentionally.
Little vixen.
“Let me return the favor,” I say quickly, taking ahold of her ties.
Surprisingly, she doesn’t push me away and stills beneath my touch.
My fingers have become even clumsier than when they were working with my hair, and I graze against her skin more than a few times. Each incident is accidental, but I don’t regret a single one.
Her back is definitely as silky as the dream. I wonder if her kiss still tastes the same . . .
I clear my throat twice. What am I even thinking? I did not abduct Lady Valda of Schwerin to kiss her routinely. I may be a lot of things, including a disgraced mercenary— but a rake is not one of them.
Taking my plate from Eloise, I devour it, careful not to glance at Valda at all. Not even when she offers her comb to Eloise.
“Your hair is radiant,” Valda says.
Eloise’s eyes widen at the surprise compliment. “You really think so?”
“Of course I do. And I also know that leaving it down leads to many tangles. Thankfully, I brought this comb.” She turns to raise her eyebrows at me.
And I realize that I’ve been caught staring despite my best intentions. I quickly look away. “I fully condone not wasting anything.” I glance down at my empty plate .
My stomach still feels as empty as when I began breaking my fast, though. I’m going to have to catch more meat— and soon. “Eloise and I are going to hunt again.”
Eloise sighs and tosses a flatter berry at Sir Pigeon. “Shouldn’t we be focused on finding a way off this island?”
“Survive first. Escape second.”
“In that case, I saw a couple of bird nests by the waterfall.”
I do my best to avoid flushing at the word ‘waterfall.’ “What kinds of birds?”
“I don’t know. I’m not a bird expert. I know it wasn’t that kind, though.” She points at Sir Pigeon.
Eloise frowns and points at Sir Pigeon also, like there could be any confusion over what bird he is. “His breed is in his name.”
“Pardon me for not remembering a silly animal’s name.” Valda climbs out of the cave.
My daughter glares after her and sticks out her tongue.
Sighing, I crawl out, too. Then the three of us hike to the waterfall. Thankfully, if the pirates have discovered this yet, they aren’t using it.
Eloise climbs up ahead, and I crane my head to ensure she’s not walking into danger.
Valda slows beside me, and I turn to follow her gaze to the waterfall.
My dream from last night immediately floods my memory of the dream I wish could just forget. And, of course, my ears warm.
As if she can sense my embarrassment, Valda glances back at me. She looks at my ears and a slow smirk stretches across her too tempting lips.
This woman is going to be the death of me.
“Come see this!” Eloise calls .
I tear my gaze away from Eloise to where Valda stands atop the hill, shielding her eyes from the sun as she stares down at the beach. Her cloak billows dramatically behind her.
Focusing on her instead of unnecessary distractions, I climb the hill and come to stand beside her.
Eloise points. “Look— their raft is just about finished.”
I peer down and see that they have a contraption big enough for all of them to sit on— or the three of us to be quite comfortable on. They are in the middle of attaching torn sails to its mast.
“We should steal it.”
Startling, I turn to find Valda standing beside me. How did she sneak up on me? With my wolf-aided senses, that is nearly impossible.
“I hate to say this,” Eloise begins, “but I agree with the vixen.”
I glare at her. “First of all, don’t call her that. Second of all, who taught you that word?”
“Baldy.” She runs her fingers through her hair. “Though I liked not having to hide.”
“Oh, Eloise—”
Valda is unconcerned as she leans forward. “Just let the chickpea wear her hair how she likes, Konrad, and focus on the issue at hand. How many men did you hire?”
“A dozen.”
“I only see four.”
Frowning, I turn from Eloise and look back over the cliff. “Mayhap they’re still in those little canvas tents of theirs or out on the ship.” But even as I speak, I sniff the air.
I smell fear. And it isn’t Eloise’s or Valda’s.
Drawing on my hearing, I focus on our surroundings.
A twig snaps to the east .
I move between Eloise and the twig snapping. The breeze isn’t blowing from the east. Still, I smell the fear, sweat, and adrenaline of unwashed men.
Sir Pigeon squawks in alarm.
“Valda,” I whisper, “take Eloise and—”
With a great cry, eight men burst out from behind bushes and trees and charge us, sabers and oars in hand.
“Kill him before he can devour us all!” yells one of the Klepper twins.
I glance behind me just long enough to see Valda and Eloise tugging each other away. Then I turn back to the men. “Oh, gentlemen— you’re already too late.”