Chapter 30
Elva
After days of resting, I was up long before the sun.
I crept from the makeshift bed, being careful not to wake Njall.
He’d been adamant last night that neither of us go anywhere alone.
I’d agreed, but only to silence him. Whether a sorcerer or something else, it had only gotten the better of me because of the storm.
On a clear day, like today, it wouldn’t happen again, no matter how paranoid Njall became.
I smirked as I slipped outside to tend to the horses, hoping to hasten our departure from this cursed place.
I also needed some space from my princely prisoner to breathe and figure out what he was up to.
He could have abandoned me and headed back home, and no one would ever have known, and yet he stayed.
Not only that, but he nursed my wound and took care of me.
The only men who’d ever taken care of me were Leifur, Sindri, and the old siren males.
After placing my trust in the wrong person, it almost destroyed me when I was younger.
The idea that anyone outside our kind could show us genuine care …
well, I wouldn’t have believed it, had it not been me receiving it.
Lost in thought, I watered and brushed both the horses, preparing them for the journey ahead.
I didn't know how long it would take us to sneak through the forest to Eldenwood, but we had to get there sooner rather than later. Half my cycle had already passed, and if I didn’t get around other men soon, I might end up having to sleep with Njall again.
Sleeping with him wouldn’t be terrible; if anything, it would likely be amazing, but it would complicate things.
Outside of Leifur, I’d never been with the same man more than once, and I wasn’t sure how that would sit with me.
But if I didn’t, it could get so much worse.
My siren might take over, and she was likely to hurt him.
Once I’d tended to the horses, I went back around the cabin.
When I opened the door, I froze at the entrance.
Njall was naked in the middle of the room, holding the clothes we’d brought from Tyndorf for him.
His gaze met mine as I stood in the doorway, staring.
I couldn’t help it. Despite his gruff nature, his body was impeccable.
It was chiseled like the statues that littered the Siren castle; from what I could only assume was physical training, possibly with a sword.
His cock was one of the finest specimens I’d ever seen, and as a siren, I’d seen many.
Heat flooded my core as I watched him step into his pants and pull them up.
It took everything in me not to whimper when he fastened them around his waist.
“You’ve been busy,” he said with a hint of amusement. As he slipped on his shirt, I quickly felt my cheeks. They were hot—I hadn’t been as smooth as I'd hoped.
“Someone had to get the horses ready.” I closed the door and crossed the room to gather the last of my things. But as I passed by Njall, his hand shot out and grabbed my arm, pulling me closer to him.
“I told you not to go outside alone.”
All my arousal vanished in that instant. I wrenched my arm from him and snarled. “I am not afraid of some little beast in the woods. Sirens are among the most feared creatures in Torian.”
“You should be afraid of whatever did that to you.” His fingers grazed my arm and entwined my wrist. He held it up to me, his thumb moving over the tiny pin-pricks. They’d healed, thanks to his care, but they'd leave a scar.
“Another reminder of what happens when I’m not careful enough around men.”
He tilted his head slightly, releasing my hand. “How do you know it was a male?”
“I just assume,” I said. “Every bad thing that’s happened to me has been at the hands of one.”
Njall's gaze softened, and he stepped closer. “Does that include the marks on your back and thighs?”
The question caught me off guard. No one—no man I’d lain with had ever asked me about them.
It had never occurred to me that any of them would notice.
But this human prince was looking at me with an intensity that made my blood run cold.
I felt a tug toward him, and I didn't like it. This wasn’t the first time I felt a draw to him.
I couldn’t tell if it was my siren or selkie side that sensed something in him, but I’d had enough.
Stepping back from him, I strengthened my resolve before replying in a husky voice.
“The moment I was finished with you, my body stopped being your concern.”
A small smirk spread across his lips, and I felt the urge to slap him. As if he’d read my mind, he simply shook his head. “Not a good idea.”
That made me even angrier, and before I could stop myself, my palm flew toward his face.
But it never made contact. Njall grabbed my wrist and, in two movements, slammed me into the wall separating the kitchen and living area.
The heat of his body set mine on fire, as he pinned me there, holding my wrist above my head.
His green eyes sparkled as his gaze dropped to my lips. He leaned in close, his lips grazing my neck before teasing my ear. “Do you ever do what you’re told?” His voice rumbled low, and it sent a shiver of pleasure right to my core.
Stupid siren cycle. I swallowed hard, and he stared into my eyes again for an uncomfortably long time before I got the nerve to reply. “I do. But only when I think the other person is right.”
He laughed—a deep, genuine sound that caught me completely off guard. When he finally released me, I was left breathless and annoyed.
“Then I will have to prove you wrong more often,” he said with a smirk.
“I'm still waiting for the first time.” I grabbed my bag to load the last items on the horses.
Leaving the cabin brought both relief and absolute terror.
While I was thrilled we were finally back on the move and heading to find my brothers, it was here that I first imagined that I'd have a home of my own one day. As we retraced our path through the forest, a feeling of heaviness came over me, one I hadn’t noticed when we arrived.
Unsure if it stemmed from my anxiety or from the forest itself, I lost myself in thoughts of what my brothers and I would do with a cabin like this. Then, a sharp pain shot up my leg.
Njall was holding out a stick. “What was that for?” I snapped, rubbing my thigh.
“I was talking to you, and you were daydreaming.”
“I was not daydreaming,” I grumbled as I ripped the stick from his hand and threw it on the ground. My horse jostled under me. “Easy girl,” I whispered as I patted our old girl, and she steadied.
“Then what were you doing?”
“Trying to find the correct path back so we can figure out where my brothers went. Obviously.”
“Well, pardon me, m’lady.”
I rolled my eyes and went back to watching the trail, hoping to see some evidence of my brothers having come through.
Getting back on track was a lot harder than I’d expected.
The canopy on this side of the Bloot River was only marginally thinner, and it still blocked out the sun, so it was difficult to determine our direction of travel.
Njall's attempts to lighten the mood were grating on my nerves.
“I don’t need you to condescend to me,” I growled. “I can get us out of here if you’d just leave me alone so I can concentrate.”
“I never said you couldn’t.”
I opened my mouth to strike back, but closed it when I realized he hadn’t attacked me. Anytime Njall said something that wasn’t nasty, I felt conflicted. “So what, you trust me now?”
“To get us out of here? Completely. To not slit my throat while I sleep? ... Mostly.”
I wanted to bite back at that, but really, I couldn’t since it was something I would do if necessary. Instead, I let myself chuckle.
Njall dramatically feigned offense, throwing his hands across his chest and forehead. “My word, m’lady. You’d dare to end the life of a prince while he slept? I thought you were braver than that.”
“Bravery doesn’t mean you have to do everything the hard way.”
A branch snapped behind us, and Njall straightened instantly. I stiffened; he'd been faster than me. Did he always have those reflexes? How did I not notice? Oh, right—he was starved.
I choked up on the reins, ready to dash off in an instant if needed. The trees waved their branches as a gust of wind moved through the clearing. We stood stone still, but I heard nothing beyond my pounding heart.
Njall broke the silence with a sigh. “It would seem we’re both jumpy,” he said.
I dropped my reins and rubbed the back of my neck, avoiding his gaze. I could feel him watching me with a focus I could hardly stomach. Kicking my horse forward, I called over my shoulder, “Maybe you’re jumpy, but I’m fine.”
Njall caught up to me in the blink of an eye and pointed to the edge of the clearing. “Do you think one of us could climb that tree to see where we are going?”
I followed his slim finger and found the tree he was referring to. It was as if two trees had grown so close together that over time they'd merged, their branches intertwining. Admittedly, I was no expert in climbing trees, but this one looked easy to manage. “That might work.”
“Great. Hold Acorn.” Njall tossed me the reins and was off his horse before I could summon a protest. He gave me a boyish grin as he scurried toward the tree.
“Are you … excited?” I asked, feeling completely out of sorts.
Njall hoisted himself onto the first branch that was large enough to hold his weight. “I used to climb trees for fun with my siblings, and it’s been years since I had an excuse to do it.”