28. Twenty-Eight
The crackle of the nearly extinguished fire stirs me from sleep. My body aches from the trauma of last night”s fight, but it”s then I remember what happened afterward with Atlas. My eyes pop open when I realize we”re still sprawled on the bearskin rug, tangled together underneath a quilt. Just like when we spent the night together on the boat headed for Tronovia, my head is tucked against his chest listening to the steady beating of his heart. This time it”s different though. Before, I was still uncertain about him and his intentions. Now, I know he”s deserving of not only my trust, but my affection as well.
Light streaks through the window, illuminating the humble cabin. I take a moment to scan the room and smile, because it reminds me so much of Atlas. Rough around the edges but warm and inviting once you get inside. There”s an undeniable sense of home here. Maybe being intertwined with Atlas has something to do with me feeling that way.
I pull back slightly in hopes I don”t disturb him. He has one arm wrapped around me, holding me close, and his other arm is tucked under his head. My gaze drops from his worry-free face to his scarred chest. I never took the time to count how many small notches mar him, but then again, I didn”t have the opportunity to really take notice before. In my head, I silently count until I reach thirty-two. Thirty-two scars. All given to him by Vesper.
I hate that bitch.
I feel the rage bubbling within my chest, and I”d like nothing more than to slice her head clean off her shoulders for everything she put Atlas through all those years ago. But even if I take her head, I won”t kill her. She”ll just attach to another host. That”s what Soul Eaters do.
Either way, one day, Atlas will have his justice. I”ll make sure of it.
A faint moan escapes his lips, and it triggers memories of our encounter last night. Twisting just enough to look down at him, I realize I failed to rebutton the shirt I”m wearing before falling asleep and my breasts are still exposed. My nipples harden when flashes of last night replay in my mind. His mouth on mine, his tongue circling my nipple, his fingers curved inside me, shattering all my fears and insecurities.
I want him. Now.
I roll on top of him and leave a trail of kisses from his neck down his abdominals and make a point to kiss every single scar on his chest.
”I don”t know what turns me on more.” He finally chimes in when my fingers slip down to the waistband of his trousers. ”Seeing you on top of me or feeling you on top of me.”
”Why can”t it be both?”
He returns my flirty smile with one of his own. His hands brush up my legs and grip my thighs. ”I could die today and be a happy man.”
”There”s no way you”re leaving me when I finally get to have you the way I want to.” I slowly grind against him and enjoy when his length hardens beneath me.
”Woman,” he groans. ”You are going to be the death of me.”
”I”m going to take every single inch of you,” I promise, garnering his undivided, hazy-eyed attention.
”Is that so?” His eyes shift from green to violet and for some reason, it sends a wave of excitement to pool in my lower belly.
”Every. Single. Inch.”
He props himself up on his elbows and flashes me that wicked grin I”ve come to adore. His shadows slip around my arms and wrench them behind my back, leaving me at his mercy. The motion causes the flaps of the button up shirt he lent me to fall open, allowing him easy access to my breasts. He teasingly drags his tongue around one of my pebbled nipples and when he sucks, he draws a gasp from me.
”If you don”t fuck me, I”ll scream,” I challenge, and his eyes flick up to meet mine.
”If I fuck you, Strenlys, I guarantee you”ll scream.”
My breathing is fragmented, my heart racing, and I ache to feel his touch again. ”Atlas,” I plead.
Voices outside suddenly approach the cabin and when boots thud against the creaky front porch, Atlas” shadows vanish, allowing me the chance to roll off of him and rebutton my shirt. A key slips into the lock and I barely manage to fasten the last button before the latch clicks and the door flies open. Four frozen, albeit it smiling, faces stampede inside, so deep in conversation they don”t immediately notice us on the floor. It”s not until Nyx stops dead in his tracks, mouth agape and says, ”Well, what do we have here?” that everyone finally spots us.
Nyx crosses his arms over his puffed-up chest. ”It looks like you all had a good night,” he teases, and I feel my cheeks heat.
Atlas sits up exposing his half-naked body, and it does us zero favors that all I”m wearing is one of his shirts.
”A very good night,” Nyx amends his earlier statement and I chuck a small pillow at him.
”I fell through the ice last night fighting the Ongok. Atlas was trying to keep me warm.”
”And did he do a good job warming you up?” Nyx”s eyebrows bounce playfully.
”You what!?” Eris elbows Nyx out of her way to reach me. She crouches in front of me and slips her hands around my face, forcing me to meet her gaze. ”Are you alright? Are you hurt? Finn! Finn, come check – ”
”I”m fine,” I say gently, planting my hands on top of hers. ”I”m more than fine.”
As if something clicks in her head, her eyes widen, but I give her one shake of my head, hoping she won”t ask any questions in front of everyone.
”Well.” She nods and clears her throat, ”I”m glad you”re ok.”
”Atlas could use your help, Finn.” I try to divert the conversation from me.
Finn eyes his brother and Atlas admits, ”I think I have a couple of bruised ribs, nothing too serious.”
With a nod, Finn begins looking through his leather satchel for whatever elixir will help manage Atlas” pain and speed his recovery.
”What about you?” I address the group as a whole. ”Are you all ok? No injuries?”
Nyx tosses his thumb toward Ronan, who sinks into the couch behind Atlas, a white sling around his left arm. ”This idiot thought it”d be a good idea to climb into a tree, so confident the Ongok couldn”t follow.”
”How was I supposed to know they are expert climbers?” Ronan huffs.
”It”s common knowledge,” Nyx quips back. ”Even I know that and that”s saying something.”
I stand to my feet, only to realize just how much of my legs are exposed. Atlas” line of sight travels up my bare legs until he reaches my face. From this angle, he can see straight up the shirt and my heart lurches when I see his fingers twitch, as if he”s trying so hard to keep his hands to himself. I”m puddy in that man”s hands. I purge all the lustful thoughts swimming in my head and walk into the kitchen to put some distance between us.
”Is your arm broken?” I ask as I fill the kettle with water.
”Finn patched me up,” is Ronan”s response.
”Broken in two places.” Nyx flashes two fingers. ”Thanks to Finn, his arm will be better in no time.” He follows me into the kitchen and asks, ”You alright, Kitarni?”
”I”m fine,” I say a little too quickly to come off as natural.
”Good.” The baiting in his voice doesn”t go unnoticed.
I square my shoulders to his. ”Out with it. What does that ”good” mean?”
”What do you mean?” He feigns confusion, though there”s nothing but mischief in those hazel eyes. ”I”m glad you”re fine.”
I narrow my eyes. ”If there”s something you”d like to say, Nyx Harland, then say it.”
He pushes up from the wall he”s leaning against and saunters back toward the living room, but as he passes me, he whispers, ”It definitely doesn”t smell like sex in here.”
Shit.
I whip around, but there”s nothing I can say in response. My eyes find Atlas but he”s already watching me, still sitting on the floor with his back up against the couch, his legs stretched out in front of him while Finn plops a few tablets into his awaiting palm. The way he”s looking at me has me ready to say to hell with it and straddle him in front of everyone just to feel his lips against mine again, but instead, I grab the quilt we were using off the rug, wrap it around myself, and sit in one of the armchairs.
For the next hour, we swap stories from our run-ins last night. Ronan nearly lit the forest on fire when he used his magic, and even though he managed to dispatch an Ongok on his own, the fact that he fell out of a tree forcing Nyx to protect him, is something the youngest Harland brother swears he will never let his cousin live down. Eris and Finn managed to kill the two teams that chased after them with more teamwork than Nyx and Ronan. I am curious if Finn used his magic at all, but when I observe him, I don”t see any heaviness or guilt weighing him down, so I can assume the answer is no, he didn”t use his affinity. Eris, on the other hand, used her water creatures to combat the hellhounds while she and Finn took on the Ongok. I”m mesmerized by their accounts and nearly forget that Atlas and I also have a story to tell.
Eris once again grimaces when I mention how I fell through the ice, but the men seem proud I held my own on the river.
”You could have died,” Finn states plainly, as if that thought is sobering to him.
It”s the same thing Atlas whispered to me last night, propelling me to dare a glance in his direction. This time he isn”t looking my way, he”s lost in his own thoughts, probably reliving that horrific moment.
”I could have,” I admit, which seems to snap Atlas out of his stupor. ”But if I hadn”t done something, Atlas might not be here, and that”s not something I could live with.”
We spend the rest of the morning eating breakfast, showering, and repacking. Thankfully, Eris and Finn stumbled upon the horses Atlas let loose, and were able to retrieve all of our supplies, including my clothes. At least I won”t be crossing the lake to the Frost Kingdom in nothing but Atlas” shirt and socks.
Once I”m dressed and ready to go, I slip my coat on and step outside onto the front porch. The sun has risen and it”s a little warmer out, but I still tug a blanket around my shoulders to fight the chill as I stare across the lake at the City of Elowen. The castle sparkles and when I squint my eyes, I can just make out all the ships sailing in and out of the bustling harbor.
Part of me is terrified for what I might find there, but the other half of me, the hopeful side, is excited to receive some answers as to why I have Frost Elf features.
”Beautiful view.” Atlas startles me when he comes out with two mugs of hot coffee.
”It is,” I agree.
”What”s your favorite part?” He joins me at the railing and hands me a cup.
”All of it. The lake, the castle, the cabin.” I blush thinking of his fingers curled inside of me and clear my throat. ”If I had to pick, I”d say the snow might be my favorite.”
He takes a long sip of his beverage, eyeing me curiously, as if he knows exactly what memory flashed in my mind. ”Is this the first time you”re seeing snow?”
I nod. ”Yes.” I yank the blanket tighter around my shoulders. ”I thought Bava was the most beautiful city I”d ever seen, but then I saw Tronovia and I changed my mind. Now, I think this view might be the most stunning yet.”
Atlas roots his elbows to the wooden banister and stares across the lake. ”Compared to seeing Midori all your life, I suppose anything new is exciting.”
Silently, I tap my fingers against my warm mug. ”I”ve never seen Midori,” I admit sadly.
”What do you mean?” His eyes meet mine in bewilderment. ”You”ve lived there your entire life.”
”I mean…” I clear my throat, ready to open up to him. ”I”ve never left the Golden Palace before. Not even to walk in my own city.”
He stands up straight, towering over me. ”Never?”
I shake my head and break eye contact. The pained and angry look on his face has me stifling tears pricking at my eyes. ”I was forbidden from going into the city. At first, I thought my parents were protecting me from potential threats, but now I”m beginning to wonder if they kept me locked away because they were trying to keep our people safe from me.”
I can feel his gaze pinned to my profile and his silence provokes my heart to thunder inside my chest.
”I suppose I shouldn”t complain,” I continue, breaking the silence by putting on a brave face, refusing to let one single tear streak down my cheek. ”I had an easy life in the palace.”
”All this time” – his voice draws my line of sight – ”you”ve been a prisoner in your own home.”
I shrug, feeling my walls begging to skyrocket back into place. ”I can”t change it, so why complain?”
Atlas snatches my hand in his. ”Name a place,” he whispers. ”Anywhere in Dalerin. Anywhere you”ve always wanted to go, and I swear I”ll take you.”
”Atlas – ”
”You deserve more than an easy life behind gilded bars. You deserve to live, and more importantly, you deserve to be free.” He takes a step closer, eating the little distance between us. ”So, name a place, Shaye.”
Most of my childhood, I craved adventure and wanted to see the world. I”d given up on that dream long ago, but here, on the creaky wooden porch of a humble cabin in the middle of nowhere, Atlas is offering it up to me on a silver platter.
”Dalerin,” I say.
He cocks his head to the side, confusion clear in his eyes. ”That”s all Six Kingdoms.”
”Yes,” I nod. ”And I wish to see all of them with you.”
His face softens and a smile plays at the corners of his lips. Slowly, he slips his hand along my jawline and whispers, ”As you wish.”
The urge to press my mouth against his vanishes the second a frowning Ronan shuffles outside, Nyx following close behind him with a pack slung over his back. I step away from Atlas, and he drops his hand from my face. I”m not sure where Atlas and I stand at this point, but until I figure that out, I want to keep whatever is going on between us private. Without voicing that out loud, he seems to understand, but that longing look in his eyes – the one that sets my soul on fire – is all I need to know that if it was up to him, he wouldn”t care who knew about us.
”Ferry will be leaving in ten minutes,” Nyx says as he and Ronan descend the porch steps and stomp down the path toward the docks.
”Come on,” Atlas jerks his head toward the cabin. ”I”ll carry your bag.”