Chapter 21
THALRIC
Asoft sound pulls me from sleep—a quiet, muffled whimper.
It’s Aurora.
She’s pressed against my chest, her face buried in the hollow of my shoulder, her breath uneven. Her eyes are closed as a single tear slips from her lashes, trailing down her cheek.
She must be dreaming.
I exhale slowly, my chest tightening as she curls closer, clinging to me like she’s afraid I’ll disappear. A soft, broken murmur escapes her lips. “Please, don’t leave me.”
The words shatter something inside me. Unable to help myself I smooth the damp strands of hair from her forehead, careful of my claws against her petal-soft skin. “I’m here,” I whisper. “I’ll never leave you, my Auri.”
She sighs, her body relaxing against mine as if those words alone are enough to pull her from whatever nightmare had stolen her peace.
I should be relieved. Should be grateful that she’s no longer crying. But I feel like I’m drowning.
Because it’s the truth. I will never leave her. But not in the way she wants. Even though every instinct inside me insists that she is mine, I cannot truly claim her. I cannot hold her like this beyond this journey. I must be her protector, nothing more.
But gods, how I wish things were different.
Running my fingers lightly through her hair, I commit every detail of her to memory. The way her rich chocolate strands feel like silk against my skin, the way her lashes cast delicate shadows across her cheeks, the faint curve of her parted lips as she breathes deeply in sleep.
My heart clenches, for I know I will not have many more nights like this.
Holding her, I struggle to ignore the dull ache in my chest, the agony of knowing she cannot be mine.
As the first light of dawn stretches across the sky, I slowly untangle myself from her warmth, careful not to wake her.
She stirs slightly, frowning when I shift away, but she doesn’t wake.
I tuck the furs tightly around her smaller form, shielding her from the morning chill, lingering for a second longer than I should.
When I slip from the tent, the crisp morning air greets me. Fighting back a yawn, I stretch, rolling my shoulders and flexing my talons against the earth. Dark Elf magic is powerful. The pain from my injuries is gone. When I unfurl my wings, I note the torn membrane is already healed.
Movement catches my eye. Across the way, I can see Auren through the open flap of his tent. Quietly, he tucks the furs around his sleeping wife, brushing a stray curl from her face before pressing a soft, lingering kiss to her forehead.
I shake my head. He is a patient male; I’ll give him that.
A slow grin spreads across his face as he straightens and walks over to me, whispering, “Shall we make breakfast for our mates?”
“Mates?” I arch a brow as I pointedly glance at his sleeping human bride. “You seem awfully confident in that word.”
Auren chuckles, clearly not bothered in the slightest. “Come, my friend. Let’s prepare breakfast before they wake up and Vivienne finds new reasons to scold me.”
I huff a laugh but follow him as he makes a campfire.
He is generous with his supplies, preparing a spread of cooked meats, cheese, bread, and fruit. “Thank you,” I tell him. “We appreciate all you have done for us.”
Auren lifts a brow, tearing a piece of bread. “I must thank you as well.” His grin turns smug. “Vivienne insisted I sleep in the tent with her last night.”
I blink, surprised.
Auren gestures over his shoulder, where his wife still sleeps soundly, curled into the blankets. “She even rolled into me in her sleep. Snuggled, actually.” He sighs like a lovesick fool. “She trusts me to protect her now.”
I don’t know what surprises me more: the fact that she voluntarily allowed him near her or the look of pure adoration on his face as he gazes at her.
Auren turns back to me, a faint smile cresting his lips. “She’ll love me soon. I’m quite confident of it.”
I shake my head slowly. “You’re a glutton for punishment, my friend.”
Auren grins. “No, I’m just persistent.”
I believe him.
“Which way are you traveling?” he asks. “We’re headed east. Perhaps we could travel together for a while.”
Auren is a Dark Elf and their magic is powerful. He could help me keep Auri safe. As much as I wish we could travel with them, it’s not feasible. “We’re going west.”
Auren nods and hands me a leather satchel filled with a small pouch of gold coins, along with extra food and supplies. “For your journey,” he says. “I hope it’s enough.”
I nod, gripping the pouch. It’s far more than I expected. “Thank you. I appreciate it.”
He claps a hand on my shoulder, then moves to wake Vivienne, who immediately begins launching a series of complaints about their situation, demanding they find a proper inn to stay at this evening because she refuses to sleep on the ground like an animal for another night.
“Of course, mellime,” Auren says soothingly. “We’ll find one today.”
I shake my head to myself. Auren is truly a patient male.
Behind me, Aurora steps out of the tent, stretching with a sleepy yawn. She freezes mid-stretch when she hears Vivienne listing off a series of demands to her husband.
Aurora bites her lip, trying to hold back laughter as she takes a seat beside me. “He must truly be in love,” she whispers, grinning.
I bite back a laugh as well.
After breakfast, we bid farewell to Auren and Vivienne.
Auren smiles. “Safe journey, my friend.”
“To you as well,” I reply.
Despite Vivienne’s fiery temper, I’m sorry to see them go. Auren was obviously a skilled soldier and his Elf magic would have been great to have at our side for our travels.
“We’ll stick to the forest,” I tell Aurora. “It shouldn’t be more than a couple day’s journey from here to the capital.”
She nods, and my chest tightens as she walks closer, slipping easily to my side.
I send a silent prayer to the gods, asking for their protection on our journey.