Chapter 12
The trio stood at the counter of the servant’s kitchen, filling their bellies while they waited for Jai to return. After Everett had broken the news about the wedding, Jai had stalked off without so much as a word. After an hour, Jai’s freckled friend had returned to the stables, promising to come back first thing in the morning. When Baz and Enara’s flirting had become too much for her to stomach, Soren had waved them off to their room, saying, “You have thirty minutes before I come to bed, mid-tumble or not.”
“You don’t need to tell me twice,” Baz said as he nuzzled Enara’s neck, causing her to giggle.
His girlfriend raised a brow at him and smirked. “I love that you think you’ll last that long.”
“Why you?—”
Before he could finish his sentence, Enara had turned and run from the kitchen, leaving his jaw on the floor. He swiftly picked it up, giving Soren an impish grin, and ran after her.
Soren shook her head, and a smile spread across her lips, but her happiness was short-lived. Though she was delighted her friends had finally come together, she could not help but feel the absence of a certain man with snow-white hair.
Before her thoughts could linger, Jai sauntered into the room and stopped in surprise when he saw her. “Sorry, I thought you would all be asleep by now.”
“Baz and Enara needed some alone time, if you catch my meaning.”
“Ah,” he replied, leaning back against the counter. A smile played at his lips as he said, “So, they should only need five minutes, then?”
Soren burst out laughing. So the tracker’s got jokes. She unstoppered the bottle of whiskey that Everett had so graciously given them and made to pour him a drink, figuring it might take the edge off of Jai’s internal struggles.
The tracker gazed down at the glass, the amber liquid swirling menacingly as he twirled it around. Soren had poured him two fingers’ worth before proceeding to press the rest of the bottle to her lips, drinking deeply.
She tilted her head in question when he placed the glass back down without taking so much as a sip. “Not up to your standards, Your Highness?”
“I quit drinking a year ago,” he stated plainly, effectively shutting her up. “I went into a dark place for a while after leaving Adaryn, and it got me into some trouble. So, I decided to clean my act up.”
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have offered,” she said awkwardly and snatched his glass off the table, draining the liquid.
He chuckled at her, the corners of his lips turning upward. “I can stand to be around it, Soren; I just don’t drink it because I don’t know how to stop when I do.”
Soren contemplated this for a moment. She had the same problem when it came to alcohol, but she was not about to tell him that. Instead, she asked, “How are you feeling?”
“Not great,” he admitted. “I knew they were set to marry, but I hadn’t realized the date was so soon.”
“So, this duke … What’s his name? Is he so bad?” she asked tentatively.
Jai brushed a hand through his wavy brown locks and loosed a sigh. “Not at all. That’s the worst part. Duke Erick visited a few times a year when we were growing up. He is kind-hearted and always treated Adaryn and I with the utmost respect. I hear he has shown signs of being a great leader.” He hesitated before tacking on the last sentence, “There couldn’t be a more perfect match for her, for the crown.”
“I’m sorry,” Soren said empathetically and took a step closer to him, placing a comforting hand on his arm.
He blew out a breath and chuckled mildly. “It’s no fault of yours. It was my own stupidity that got me here. I thought I was protecting her.”
“You’re a good man,” Soren said, repeating the sentiment Enara had spoken to him previously. She stood in front of him now. Even slouched against the counter, he still stood a few inches above her.
“I am a coward,” he said, bowing his head in defeat.
Soren’s brow furrowed, and she pressed both palms to each side of his face, willing his eyes to meet hers. “We all make mistakes, Jai. Some worse than others. It’s how we learn from them, grow from them, that matters.”
It was the first time he had noticed the gold ring that encircled her irises, like two tiny halos gazing up at him. His hands met hers, and they felt so soft and small in his.
Soren looked at him expectantly, a whisper of a breath escaping her parted lips. If he were a worse man, he would let this play out, but it would not serve either of them well in the long run.
Gently, he removed her hands from his face and said, “You are something to behold, Soren, and I want you to know I understand the closeness you crave, but we cannot do this. As much as we may want to, I am not him and you are not her.”
As much as she wanted to lash out at the rejection, she knew he was right. It was her turn to bow her head, embarrassed for even entertaining the idea of kissing him. “I know.”
“Come here,” he said, pulling her into his arms.
Her body stiffened at the unexpected embrace, but her muscles quickly uncoiled, and she rested her ear against his chest. “I’m sorry.”
“So am I,” was his response as he rested his chin on top of her head.
Neither of them knew exactly what they were apologizing for, but in the early hours of the morning, they had found a comfort in each other that most others would not understand. A mutual mourning of two hearts breaking over lovers they could not have.
“Jai?” A soft alto voice drifted from the doorway, causing the tracker’s body to stiffen.
Soren turned to see a young brunette woman with tanned skin a few shades lighter than her own. The stranger’s gaze shot flames in her direction as she took in the sight of them. Her doe-like eyes narrowed to angry slits, her body wound so tight with anger it looked as though she would snap at any second.
It took Soren a moment to realize who this was, and she muttered, “Oh shit,” under her breath before moving to the other side of the room. She wished she could scurry into the mouse burrow she had noticed earlier in the stone wall.
She had just reached the other side of the kitchen when the woman stormed forward, stopping within a foot of Jai’s body, and punched him squarely in the jaw. To his credit, he took the hit without flinching and lifted a hand to rub his chin where the blow had landed before grabbing the girl’s wrist. He caught her mid-swing before she could strike him again. His grip was firm, and she growled, trying to pull her hand away. He let her go, holding his hands up in surrender. Then he spoke softly, as if to a wounded animal.
“Hello, Adaryn.”
* * *
“I knew it was you!”the woman screamed.
Soren took the opportunity to try to slink her way out the door but was stopped by the next words that flew from the girl’s mouth.
“And after everything, you come here with some whore!”
Jai responded calmy, “We are just friends, Adaryn. Her heart is with someone else.”
Adaryn scoffed. “You expect me to believe that? You were embracing her but a moment ago!”
“That was not as it looked. Let her go, and I will explain.” He waved Soren off, and she left gladly, not wanting to be caught in the middle of a lovers’ quarrel.
She ignored the shouts coming from the kitchen as she walked down the corridor to their sleeping quarters and hesitated at the door. She had guessed that only twenty minutes had passed but shrugged and entered, anyway.
She covered a laugh with her hand as she entered.
Baz was out cold, snoring away, and Enara lifted her head lazily as she walked in, clearly on the verge of sleep.
“I know that look, Soren, and yes, it was short but rather enjoyable, thank you for asking.”
Soren pinched her lips together and tugged off her boots, tucking them into the far corner, then untied her vest.
“Jai’s back,” she whispered.
“Is he okay?” Enara asked.
“He is with Adaryn.”
“Oh?”
“She walked in on us hugging.”
“Oh … So, that’s a no to him being okay?”
“A big no.”
* * *
“You left!”Adaryn’s voice was shrill as she laid into him. “Without a single word, you left! No explanation! No goodbye! For two years, I have hated you! I mourned the loss of you! And now you waltz back in here as though it is your rightful place, and all you have to say is hello?” She beat her hands on his chest until she was sobbing uncontrollably in his arms.
“Would you rather I say good day, instead?”
“You are an idiot.”
“Yes, but I’m your idiot,” he said, brushing away a loose hair that had glued itself to her tear-stained cheek.
She looked up at him with those big, round eyes that he knew so well, and he placed a single kiss on the soft flesh of her heart-shaped lips.
She returned the kiss momentarily before pushing at his chest to look him in the eyes. “I still hate you.”
He gave her the side smirk that she loved, and she reached her hand up through his shaggy hair and pulled him down for another kiss. It was like the last two years had left them starving. They devoured each other with such fervor that it left them both breathless.
Adaryn sighed between kisses, fumbling with the clip of the belt that held up Jai’s black trousers. He pulled her hands away, mumbling against her lips, “Not yet.”
Before she could complain, he lifted her and turned one-hundred-eighty degrees, planting her firmly on the counter. He slid her closer, hoisting her skirts up and parting her legs, taking a moment to admire what lay before him. Her head lolled back as he worshiped her, and her back arched painfully as she climaxed against his mouth.
“I missed you,” she breathed between shudders as he resurfaced.
“I promise, I’ll make it up to you,” he replied, kissing her neck.
“Show me.”
And he did.
He made quick work of his belt, tossing it on the counter beside her before releasing himself from the confines of his trousers. Adaryn reached her legs forward, pulling him to her impatiently. Not wanting to keep her waiting, he thrust into her in one swift motion.
“Jai.”
The sound of her voice calling his name that way nearly caused him to finish right then and there, but he slowed his movements to calm himself. He would not disappoint her today. He pumped in and out of her achingly slow until she couldn’t take it anymore.
Their chests were pressed together, and their breathing was loud and labored.
“If you do not stop teasing me, I will have you sent to the dungeons, and I’ll have my way with you there,” she growled, giving his ear a sharp tug with her teeth.
“As you wish, My Lady.” He kissed the soft space between her breasts as he laid her back down on the counter. Then he hoisted her legs onto his shoulders, kissing the arch of each foot before burying himself back into her. He pumped faster now, and a thin sheen of sweat formed underneath his clothes. Adaryn was biting her hand to keep from crying out, and by the trembling of her legs, he knew she was going to come soon. He picked up his already feverish pace, willing his hips to move faster.
“I’m so close,” she whimpered.
He leaned forward, pressing Adaryn’s knees to her chest, kissing her hard. She moaned into his mouth as she climaxed, her body coiling, as taut as a bowstring. She tightened around him as he spilled into her, and their tongues danced until he stopped pulsing.
They stayed like this momentarily, foreheads pressed together, limbs locked and breaths ragged. Adaryn broke first.
“Um … we should probably …” She paused midsentence.
“Yeah,” Jai replied, slowly removing himself from her. He grabbed a couple cloths from a nearby cupboard and used one to clean himself and Adaryn off. Then he scrubbed his hands in the sink and used the other to clean the counter. He tossed the rags in the wicker laundry hamper just as Mrs. Ferndale waltzed into the kitchen to start baking the morning breads.
She startled when she noticed the two of them, having expected the kitchen to be empty. Then she lifted her brows and crossed her arms, taking in the sight before her.
“Anyway, I should get back to my room before my lady’s maids report me missing to Father,” Adaryn said, briskly brushing past Jai.
“Yeah, I should try to get some rest. It’s been a long night of travel,” he said as she rounded the stout woman and left the room.
“Mrs. Fern”—he nodded—“nice to see you again.” It was no use playing dumb. This woman had washed his soiled diaper rags—nothing was getting past her.
“Jai,” she said with reverence. He knew by her tone that he was about to get one of her lectures. Something that had occurred all too often for his liking in his childhood. “Don’t you go and do anything stupid now, you hear? You have put that poor girl through enough as it is.”
His tail sat firmly between his legs. “I know.”
Her face softened, and she pulled him in for a quick hug, patting his back. She had been like a second mother to him growing up. “I’ve missed you, dear. Now, run along and get some sleep. You look like hell.”
Jai couldn’t help but laugh. “I missed you, too, Mrs. Fern.” He gave her another quick squeeze then headed for the door.
“Oh, and Jai?” she called from behind him.
“Yeah?”
“Your trousers are still undone.”