16. Chapter Two
Chapter Two
A s Emeris flew back to the dragon’s nest, I bid her farewell. I made my way through the rugged forest terrain; my thigh-high leather boots protected my legs against the overgrowth. I trekked my way back to my village down the small mountainside pass I had made for myself.
The walk back was a sizable distance, considering our island.
Out of the many smaller ones surrounding us, ours was the largest. I saw the smoke rising from the campfires and small flute chimneys as the night’s dinner was prepared.
The aromas of sweet bread and meats filled the air.
Some of my people greeted me as I walked by them.
Elise waved as she walked hand in hand down the center of our village with her daughter and her mate.
Ravi held his daughter’s other hand. Every other step, they swung her in between them.
Her feet kicked up the dirt, and her laughter warmed my heart.
I gave them a quick smile and nod, but my head barely noted any other greetings as I walked to my cottage home where Baron should be waiting.
We made all of our homes from the trees.
They were built in rows to accommodate our narrow passageways between cottages, huts, and small shops.
My nerves racked through me as I approached my home.
I took a deep breath, tried to calm my racing heart before opening the door, knowing I had to share my secret with him.
The door creaked open, and the aroma of fish already cooked and prepared for dinner filled our home.
Baron was shirtless, wearing nothing but his trousers.
His rippling, muscled figure almost distracted me from what I had come to talk to him about as he turned to peer at me.
His long dirty-blond hair fell over his shoulders as his gray eyes met mine.
He greeted me with his rugged-faced grin.
He stepped toward me, wrapping his powerful arms around me, pulling me into his embrace.
“How was your hunt, my dear?” His deep voice vibrated across my neck as he placed small, gentle kisses along my collarbone, making my breath hitch in my throat.
I ran my hands up his bare chest, cupping his face.
Bringing his eyes back to mine almost made me choke on a sob, and he noticed as I pulled away from him.
“Shay, what’s wrong?” His voice filled with loving concern made my heart clench harder against my ribs. I had been keeping secrets from the man I loved with everything in me, my husband, my mate. How could I have let it go so far when he had given me everything?
Baron cupped my cheek, bringing my eyes back to his, growing more unsettled.
“Shay—talk to me.”
“There is something I need to tell you.” My voice came out weak.
“What is it?” he questioned again.
“I’m scared—” My voice cracked as he pulled me back to him again, holding me against his warm chest. Hearing the faint beat of his heart sent warmth through our connection, calming me.
“Whatever it is, we can face it together,” he whispered in my ear.
“I’ve been lying to you—to everyone,” I said, pulling away from his hold.
“About what?” he retorted.
“I never slew the dragon.” My voice went quiet.
“That’s what you’re so worked up about? We can always go together—”
I cut him off before he could finish. “Baron—I don’t want to slay the dragons. I won’t. The day our people sent me to kill a dragon, instead of killing it—I befriended her.” I stumbled over the end of my claim, observing him as understanding showed in his features.
“Her?” His brow furrowed.
“Emeris.”
“You named a dragon like it’s some pet?!” He dragged his hand through his hair, his voice wavering.
“Baron, please, now is not the time.” I tried to get to the point. “Today, while I was riding, I saw something far worse than the dragons; a fleet of warships are heading this way. It’s Ember. It looks like they’ve started the war.”
“Riding…?” He ran a hand down his face, taking in everything I’d said.
“I have been dragon-riding since the night they sent me to kill Emeris.”
He moved over to the small wooden bench, pulling it from under the table before taking a seat in disbelief. His brow pulled in as his mind reflected over what had been happening without him knowing.
“You’ve been lying to me this whole time…” He looked up at me, his head shaking. “Why?”
“Because you’re Baron the Dragon Slayer. I didn’t think you’d take the truth very well.”
“Shay, I am your mate—your husband—before any other titles. Just because I have killed more than one dragon in my life doesn’t change that.
” I could feel the black clouds growing bigger in my chest, taking up my space to breathe.
The guilt of lying to him for so long slowly piled up.
My head drooped from my shoulders. Baron was the only fae I knew that had faced over one dragon in his lifetime and won while trying to protect one of the meat traders who traveled to our island.
No traders, meat or any other, had come since Ember attacked Heavensreach, and I doubted they would.
Ember had taken control of as much as they could after that dark day.
Trade to smaller consumers being one, it seemed.
They staked a claim with their destructive ways, letting the world know they were waging a war.
Soon all the trade markets would be run by their soldiers.
The Emperor would slowly infect the land with his rules, his men.
Eventually, he’d be monitoring everything and everyone, gaining control over what he could, inch by inch, and destroying anyone who denied him.
I felt Baron’s rough fingers grip my chin, pulling my face back up to look at him as he stood in front of me.
“Hey, all we can do is focus on what’s coming.
Ember has chosen war. We should count your riding as a blessing for warning us before they’ve reached our shores.
” He walked away, grabbed his shirt, and pulled it over his head, slowly strapping his leathered armor back on as he spoke.
“Besides, if this dragon is our ally, as you say, then we should be grateful. Going against Fire Fae soldiers being fae with no bending is no simple task; maybe this Emeris will help us evacuate if things go amiss.” The understanding and maturity of the man I had been blessed to be mated to would never cease to amaze me.
I placed my hand over his chest plate, pulling his attention back to me.
His face leaned into mine as one of his hands slid up my back, grasping the hair at the nape of my neck.
He pulled me into a passionate kiss. A tear escaped from the emotions clawing at my chest, and he used his other hand to wipe it away before pulling me back again.
“Later.” He released a heavy breath, giving me a wink, and I smiled.
“Thank you,” I said before he grabbed his sword, sheathing it at his side and walking toward the door of our small cottage-like home. I followed his lead as he stepped back outside, bracing himself as he prepared to warn our people of the war. He walked toward the forest, and I caught up with him.
“Where are you going? Shouldn’t we talk to our people first?”
“I think we should go talk to your dragon pet. Our people trust us to protect them. I need to be sure that your friend isn’t a threat.”
“If people approached you with blades drawn, you wouldn’t be friendly either.
Don’t blame their destructive nature on them.
They are creatures trying to protect themselves, just as we are.
” I paused for a moment, letting him take everything in.
“We are more like Emeris than you think.” He said nothing, but the expression he gave me was all I needed to see.
He understood, even if he didn’t believe it for himself yet.
“Lead the way to Emeris, my dear.” He held his hand out in front of him, gesturing for me to go ahead. We followed my forest trail, and he noted the small path I had carved for myself.
“How did I not notice?” he questioned under his breath.
“Notice what?” I asked, glancing back at him over my shoulder.
“You’d leave for hours at a time in the day to go hunt when I’ve seen you shoot a bird down within seconds of being out in the forest. You’re excellent at setting snares, and you’ve always been one to do things promptly, and yet I still never questioned you about being gone for too long.”
“Love can be blinding.”
“I should have paid better attention to my wife.”
I stopped dead in my tracks and turned around on the trail to face him. “Don’t.” I placed my hand against his chest, stopping him.
“What?” he responded, looking at his feet.
“Blame yourself for my lies. You couldn’t have known. I did my best to cover them because it scared me. I didn’t want you to see me differently.” Turning away, we walked onward, almost to the craggy cliff where I always met Emeris.
“How did you think I would see you?”
“As a lying, no-good wife.” Saying it aloud sent a pang through my chest.
“You went into the forest to slay a dragon and tamed one instead. You’re the bravest warrior I’ve ever met, and I’m grateful to call you mine.
Nothing will ever change that, love.” My heart rate quickened as flutters floated from my gut to my chest, easing any pain that had rooted there before his kind words.
The cliff came into view, and I paused. Turning around, I ran into his hard chest, and he wrapped an arm around my waist.
“Are you sure you’re ready for this?” I questioned as my eyes danced over his face.