14. Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fourteen
Sweat coated my cheeks, and I mentally thanked Nyx for getting the human’s sweat resistant makeup for tonight’s look. Otherwise, I knew anyone who happened upon me in this state would run from the rabid site.
The ripped hem of my dress dragged against the dirty ground as I jumped onto the wooden poles that were placed there for balance and hopped to another, twirling around with a sword in hand.
The moon was still high in the star-scattered sky, lighting the obstacles in my path. Flipping over the last pole, I rolled over the dirt and popped up with my sword raised in a defensive position.
Metal clanged around the arena as my sword collided with another. My eyes widened and I froze as I took in the black sword pressed against mine. I knew that sword. My gaze rolled past the tight grip on the hilt all the way up to Rune’s eyes.
“Rune, what are you—”
He withdrew his sword and whirled it around, the blade aimed straight for my head.
I blocked it and all words stuck in my throat.
Was he here to kill me?
My eyes darted to the exit, wondering if I could get there fast enough.
“You wanted a fight, so we’re fighting.” He came at me again and I stepped to the right, avoiding his attack.
“How did you—”
“The look in your eyes and the fact that you’ve been pushing yourself toward exhaustion for the last thirty minutes.” He stepped closer, his face completely unreadable just before swiping his blade at me.
“I didn’t ask you for help. We’re supposed to be staying away from each other, remember?
” I lashed out, teeth bared, as I went on the offense.
Dropping low, I swung my leg out to take him down, but he was ready.
He spun around, sword coming down, and I rolled away, sword ready as he swung again.
He was much bigger than me, but that meant I needed to add more speed to my attacks.
“My words angered you. Good. Hating me is good,” he stated with a sneer.
I hopped onto the pole and aimed the tip of my blade toward his shoulder. Having the high ground should have helped but he swatted my sword away like a bug.
“I didn’t say that.” The interaction with him was only part of the problem. But I wasn’t giving him the satisfaction of admitting it.
Our swords clashed, our faces close enough to feel his breath against my cheek as he spoke. “You didn’t like Tor’s lips on yours then?”
Jumping back, I snarled and twirled the hilt of my sword in my hand.
“What the fuck do you want, Rune?”
I waited in case of attack, but he saw the drop in my shoulders. I was losing the fight inside. He accomplished exhausting me how I wanted and I hated that he knew what I needed.
“I want to know if you liked kissing Tor.” His gaze burned into mine, waiting.
Our breaths slowed as did time.
I dodged the question with another. “How do you even know about that?”
“Because I can smell him all over you. The mixed scents on your breath. It’s everywhere and I can’t escape it.” He snarled, the timber in his voice went low as he stretched his neck, then eyed the moon. His jaw tightened.
I dropped my sword. The clattering of the metal hitting the ground echoed around the silent area. He wouldn’t attack me without a weapon. This training session was over. I’d had enough.
“I can’t do, whatever this is.”
Defeated, I whirled around and took a step toward the exit.
A hand wrapped around mine and I gasped. Power shot up my arm and I nearly crumpled. Rune caught me and held me close.
“Sapphira.”
Vibrations in the ground rolled through me and I felt everything around us.
Each step inside the palace, every shift in the earth.
There was something else weaving into my core, and it was powerful.
Like an ancient strength running rampant in my muscles, my bones, and my blood.
Forging me into something whole and new.
Steady like the earth with something more waiting beneath the surface.
Then it was gone and I was very aware I stood against Rune’s body, one hand holding me steady, the other pushing the hair away from my face.
“Was that…your earth? It’s so...” Words weren’t coming as I tried to adjust to the new power settling inside me.
“Overwhelming,” he said as the pads of his fingers ran over my eyebrow, observing me react to his touch. “Tell me. Please,” he pleaded softly, his gaze slowly lowering to my lips then back to my eyes.
“If I say it, I damn us both.”
“Then let me burn.”
It was my turn to look at his mouth longingly.
“I liked his kiss,” I admit, “but it wasn’t the lips I wanted.”
Rune’s chest rumbled, and that sound lured me closer. His lips parted, and I wanted to breathe him in. His scent, his sounds. They were intoxicating.
But then he let me go, his body tense, and expression hardening by the second.
“Goodnight, Sapphira.”
He didn’t wait for me to say anything, let alone goodbye.
Truthfully, what was there to say? We were playing a losing game from the beginning. We just didn’t know it.
I wanted Rune, and he wanted me. His harsh words, his snarls, only proved it now. He was pushing me toward his brother anyway. Whether it was his sense of duty or something more. He willingly wanted to fight this pull between us otherwise I’d be locked against his lips right now.
I let him walk away and felt his every step all the way toward his room at the end of the palace hall near the forest.
Rune wanted to fight this, so I would too.
Tomorrow.
Tonight, I’d return to my chambers, allow myself to think about Rune’s icy gaze on my lips, and how his warm hands felt touching me. His power flooded my sense and before I could break something valuable or, hell, cause the palace to sink, I marched back to my room and locked the door.
I wanted no one to bother me while I allowed the sensations to run wild while I thought of Rune’s strong hands. His power tangled with mine.
“Heart Tree help me,” I said as I lifted my dress, and closed my eyes, damning my heart as images of Rune’s smile and stupid growl fueled my fingers toward a forbidden bliss.