Chapter 33 Rhianelle
The Noctrals are too rattled to continue the journey and we have to set camp. Aelfric runs his hand over one of them, inspecting the fur and horn. The knight has a way around the mystical horse, both creatures of speed and servants to Tavarra the Traveler.
“Some of them are injured,” Aelfric says, soothing them with a soft whistling sound. “Are you done with your prayers?”
“Almost,” I say, finishing the final send-off to Kattagan. Rainer doesn’t like it when he sees me doing it for the souls of the enemies.
Garrett joins us, whittling wood with his knife. I smile at the memory of the adorable, handcrafted sculptures in his room. There’s a flash of sadness in his face when our eyes meet.
“Is something wrong?” I ask him.
“You almost died today. I feel like I have failed you in every way a knight can,” he says.
“That’s not true—”
“Don’t give her the new task of comforting us. Just do a better job from now on,” Aelfric cuts in. I notice he seems to be a little on edge.
I follow his dark gaze to the male stationed at the edge of the camp, ostracized from the rest of us.
Svenn is so heavenly and beautiful under the soft evening light.
Heat rises to my cheeks when he removes his tunic and starts polishing the Grimsbane armor he found in the forest with it.
I marvel silently at the perfect contour, at every ridge of taut muscle lining his body. A warrior, bred and honed for battle.
My heart does that thing again where it tries to grow wings to get to Svenn. I tell it not to be a fool. I was such a pathetic mess in the forest.
I bit him. It wasn’t even one of those sensual, love bites. I chewed on his neck like a wild raccoon. Embarrassment lights up my cheeks again.
I shift my gaze only to find Garrett looking at me with a sly smile playing on his lips.
“What?” I ask.
“Nothing,” he says, chuckling to himself. “I think the Nightwalker is allergic to clothes or something. Lucky you, though.”
“He is not allergic…And why lucky me?” I quickly say, flustered from his jest. I survived Kheirall’s taunts only to suffer ones from Garrett now.
“It’s her husband. Leave her be.” Darstan grunts.
Heavens above. Not him too.
“Hey, I like the guy. Aelfric is the one with an issue,” Garrett says with a hint of a smile.
I turn to look at my oldest friend immediately.
“You freed the Nightwalker from his prison,” Aelfric says, crossing his muscled arms. “Yet I can’t sense an ounce of gratitude from him.”
I’d rather stay there.
I wish I could tell my knights the truth. Svenn doesn’t wish to be freed. It was never a fair bargain. He’s stuck with me now.
“Careful little kitten,” Garrett says to me, his brows furrowing. “He seems like a different beast from the first time we met him.”
Leave it to him to realize something has changed between Svenn and me. My knights are staring at the vampire with distrust. We are all reminded of his brute strength and might yet again after the attack.
Svenn killed a rampaging orc with such lethal precision. He didn’t even blink as he crushed the creature’s skull with his bare hands. It was effortless and easy.
A monster among monsters.
I should fear the cold-blooded killer as much as they do. But I can’t forget the pain that went through me when I saw the arrows jutting out from his back.
“I should check up on him,” I say, leaving the safety of my knights to go to Svenn.
It does worry me knowing that I carry the Rhunhraefn. I remember the way he tried to destroy the boulder bearing the mark of it. I have the horrible luck of being that stone now. But the vampire can’t hate me that much if he saved my life. My heart pounds harder with every approaching step.
Something sharp stabs my guts the moment I glimpse him from up close.
His back is riddled with thin lashes of scars.
They’re barely visible because the injuries seem to have healed over and over.
Each shred reminds me of the suffering he endured from Lilith and the other curse bearers.
They don’t take away his perfection. Not even a little.
“Svenn?” I call to him, wrestling against the fear in my chest.
The gauntlet falls from his hand at the sound of my voice.
Perhaps it isn’t wise to sneak up behind a vampire. I quickly pick up the fallen piece from the ground.
“Here you go,” I say, handing it back to him.
I don’t miss the way he flinches from my sudden movement. The witches have left brutal scars more than the ones on his body. Some can never be mended, not even with time.
He lowers his gaze to me, his near-celestial beauty splintering my heart. I immediately look away before some stupid instinct to bite him or lick him rises once again.
I can’t bear the thought of Svenn wandering through the cold forest alone tonight.
“I came to tell you that you’re welcome in my—in our tent.” I invite, my cheeks instantly warming. I kick the dirt on the ground to make it sound casual.
Something in the pile of metal suddenly catches my eye.
I pause at the two red gleams underneath the hauberk.
Curled around the rusting armor is a long snake.
Its shadowy head turns to me as it hisses to strike.
Fear spawns in my heart, paralyzing every muscle and bone in my body.
I am so thoroughly terrified I can’t move.
Svenn is instantly at my side, his strong arm slipping around my waist. “What’s wrong?”
My heart is thumping so brutally against my chest it’s starting to hurt. I take several stuttering breaths and point at the serpent. His gaze follows the direction immediately.
But there is no trace of the animal. It’s as if it was never there.
I thought Svenn would dismiss what I saw but his hand coasts on my lower back, pulling me to him. “Stay close to me.”
He easily lifts me into his arms. I loop my hands around his neck as he kicks each piece to search for the cause of my panic.
“Is it a bug?” he asks, his perfect eyebrow arching.
I chew the inside of my cheeks. “A snake.”
But nothing horrifying comes jumping out from the pile of metal. I don’t mind if a spider suddenly crawls out because this is embarrassing. I think I’m drowning again like that time. The air stops flowing into my lungs.
“Whatever it is, it’s gone now,” he whispers to me. “Calm down, Nel.”
My pulse is still drumbeating in my ear. He presses me firmly against him, his hand brushing on my arm in soothing strokes.
“I did see something.” My voice is barely a whisper as I descend into a cold dark place.
“I believe you, little fawn,” he says into my ear. “Now breathe.”
Those words bring me back to the surface. I force myself to inhale slowly, taking comfort in the steady rise and fall of his chest.
“Come back to me.” The sound of his voice guides me like a lighthouse. It helps that his scent and touch are anchoring me. All the worries of the world simply melt as I nestle into the safety of his embrace. I like it here. I’m going to build a home and live here forever.
“Rhianelle.”
“Hmm?”
“How long do you plan on staying in my arms?” he says softly.
I jerk my head instantly.
“It’s—it’s the stupid Arawynn bond,” I mutter, cowering with shame. Svenn says he’s just as affected but I’m the only one who seems to be unable to control it. Maybe his hatred for the curse is enough to keep him away.
“Would you like to bite me again?” he offers.
My stupid head almost nods.
“No,” I say firmly. It sounds convincing enough.
An amused sort of smile dances on his lips.
Svenn sets me on a tree stump with a softness that startles me for a moment. He hates me so much I half expect him to toss me into the forest for his night creatures to devour.
Maybe if I stay with him long enough, we can finally talk about the curse, the bond, and everything else. I pull my knees to my chest as I watch him work on the armor. His determination to salvage it is admirable. The intricate scales seem to have lost their luster with rust and time.
“We can get new ones once we reach Aelfheim,” I mutter quietly when I see him struggling to refine the old relic.
His lips almost curve into a smile over the comment.
Svenn starts wearing the plates, his powerful muscles shifting with the movement. I’m fixated on everything he does. I imagine running my hand over that beautifully sculpted body and that coal-black hair.
I’m openly ogling the vampire’s half-naked form.
And he’s letting me.
“Will you help me?” he suddenly asks.
The request startles me, sending a flush of heat up my spine. I try not to sound excited when I say, “Yes!”
He lowers to his knee, bracing his arms on either side of me. My fingers toil with the leather latches silently.
“This thing has bad luck attached to it,” I exhale, trying hard to concentrate on my new task. His broad body is so close to mine that I can almost feel his warmth seeping into me. I know he can hear the rapid beating of my heart.
Svenn pulls back, his fearsome stature paired with the armor makes him look every bit like a conquering king. Despite his intimidating presence, I am drawn to him like a moth to a flame.
I sneak a peek at his face and realize my earlier assumption was way off. I thought the demented Arawynn bond was only messing with me but it’s in full effect over him right now.
Fire flares in his eyes, burning like hot coals into my skin. I swallow down a whimper and he hones in on the small movement. He leans over, planting his lips on the column of my throat. Goosebumps erupt on my skin over the kiss. His hand drifts to my dress, sliding the top piece slowly.
“Do you still hate the armor?” he asks, his hot breath tickling the soft skin of my neck.
I can’t gather enough strength to reply to him. His hungry gaze continues raking down the length of my body. He looks as if he would take me right here and now, spectators be damned.
“I’ll toss it away for you,” he grunts, his voice strained.
I shake my head. “Don’t. It looks good on you.”
My brain always picks the best time to be honest.