Chapter 39 #2
He tugged his hands through his hair. “That’s where I’m stuck. But a little farther down, it says ‘seven stars combine to pierce the night, fire flashes with love’s pure light.’ I think the seven stars and light in those lines may refer to that Starfire you mentioned.”
Perhaps love’s pure light referred to the mating bond? I looked sideways at Griff. Could that be one of the three? But what were the other two?
Finn devolved into some long explanation about word choice in prophecies and completely lost me. I knew he’d get to the point eventually, but I could tell we had some time.
“So, picking up where we left off,” I started, “I’m just curious—what did you have in mind before we were dragged in here?”
“You do realize we’re in the middle of a technical discussion about the prophecy and your role in it, right?”
I ignored that. “Because I know what I had in mind. I was going to strip everything off and climb into my tub for a nice, long soak. The tub is rather small, but if you wanted to join me, I suppose you could have sat on the edge of the tub, and I would have been in the water between your knees and—”
He shifted, the chair squeaking loudly. “Will you stop that?” he bit out.
“Am I distracting you?”
“You’re always distracting me. I live with you distracting me.”
I smirked inwardly, carefully keeping an innocent expression on my face. “Then you should be used to it.”
I’d learned to read Griff’s moods through how he said my nickname—respectful when he was serious, teasing when playful, clipped when I’d pushed him too far.
That last one was probably my favorite, watching his mask crack to reveal the real Griff underneath, even if I’d frustrated the hell out of him to get there.
When he was truly past the breaking point, that was when he used my name.
I continued with my description, watching him attempt to keep his composure from the corner of my eye. “So I would be on my knees before you, and I lower my head to wrap my lips—”
“Lexa,” he snapped.
I grinned. There it was.
Freya’s eyes were bouncing back and forth between us, and she let out a squeal when I made accidental eye contact.
“That’s what you get for messing with me, Princess. Better do something about that,” Griff told me.
I was already out of my chair, hauling Freya into the hallway. Finn looked up, distracted.
As I slammed the door behind us, Finn asked Griff, “What’s that about?”
“It’s Freya. Who can tell?”
Freya was bouncing on the balls of her feet when I turned back to her. “You got laid!”
I sighed heavily. How could everyone tell?
She grinned impishly. “It’s written all over your face. He looks like he knows what he’s doing. Tell me he knows what he’s doing.”
I was lost in memories for a moment.
“Oh!” she squealed. “He does! I love mating bonds. You are mates, right?” she asked suspiciously.
I supposed my face confirmed that as well because she squealed again, clasping her hands.
“Then why haven’t you told anyone?” Her head cocked to the side, as though listening to something. “Oh shit,” she breathed. “Finn.”
This was not a conversation for a hallway, not that I was doing a lot of speaking. I grabbed her arm and pulled her into the nearest empty room.
“I think Finn is in love with me,” I admitted softly.
“Ooh. That’s awkward.” I gave her a look, and she giggled slightly before sobering. “You have to tell him, Lexie. He’ll hate it if he’s the last to know.”
I knew she was right. But I didn’t want to hurt him. And everything was still so new. I sat heavily and rubbed my temples.
“What is it?” Her voice was soft with concern.
“I just feel like I have too many balls in the air and I can’t juggle all of them.”
Between Griff and Finn, digging through Violet’s memories, the Veil getting worse, my people being killed, it was too much. I felt Freya’s cooling touch as she chased away the headache.
There was a brief knock on the door before it opened. I was unsurprised by the ocean scent that preceded him.
“Are you okay?” The worry in his voice drifted through the bond.
I made a muffled sound and flapped my hand in his general direction.
“Princess?”
“I’m fine. I’m just kind of done with the world at the moment.”
I could feel his emotion turn tender.
“I knew he wouldn’t be able to stay away long,” Freya said smugly.
I looked at her from the corner of my eye and saw her smirk. I felt, rather than saw, the look Griff tossed at her.
“What, Griff? It’s not like I didn’t know you were in love with her.”
A chair scraped across the stone floor. Then his broad hands came to my shoulders, massaging the various knots away. I leaned into it. His strong hands felt so good. Flipping my braid over my shoulder, he dug his thumbs into my spine, and I started to feel myself relax.
“Wait—” Freya looked suspiciously between us. “Why haven’t you told her you love her?”
Damn soul channel.
“Not that it’s any of your business, Tagalong—”
Freya bristled. “She’s my friend! I’m making sure she’s getting what she deserves.”
“Don’t worry, she is.” The tone of his voice made me look up over my shoulder, and he gave me that private smile that always made my stomach turn over. One of his hands spread across my collarbone for leverage as he worked down my spine.
“So? Why haven’t you told her? I know you two love each other. And clearly, you can’t keep your hands off of her.” Freya was relentless.
I muffled a moan as he found a particularly sore spot. With the slight tightening of his hand, I knew he had either heard the moan or felt the emotion of it through the bond.
Freya propped her elbows on the table and rested her chin on her folded hands. “Well, go ahead. We’re waiting.” She gave me a conspiratorial wink.
“Tagalong, I’m not giving Lexa a declaration of my undying love for your enjoyment. When I do”—he looked at me, one corner of his mouth tilted up—“you can trust you won’t be anywhere nearby. Now, may I have a moment with my princess? Alone.”
She sighed dreamily. “Yes, Griff. You may have a moment alone with your princess. I’ll meet you both back in the library.” She stood, then tossed back over her shoulder, “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!”
“That doesn’t narrow it down,” he called back as the door closed behind her.
I grinned, ready to pick up where our mental conversation had left off as he sat next to me, but one look at his face made my smile die. “What’s wrong?”
“I just got word. There’s another hole.”
“When do we leave?”
“We are not going anywhere. I am leaving immediately.” His voice was firm, leaving no room for argument.
But that had never stopped me before. “You’re not going without me!” My chin lifted sharply as my voice raised.
“Hate to break it to you, Princess, but yes I am.”
I stared at him, my jaw set, mustering my argument.
“That defiant look always makes me want to kiss you,” he muttered.
I raised my eyebrows. My look clearly stated that if he tried it, he would suffer the consequences. He gave me a wry grin in return.
“And if someone else is turned?” I countered.
He tentatively rested his hands on my shoulders, and when I didn’t shake him off, he stroked down my arms to take my hands.
“From the reports I just received, this is worse than I’ve seen before.
The Veil is in tatters across the western border.
Hufen are attacking in greater numbers, and faster than usual.
I don’t know that there would be anyone for you to save.
” His tone was gentle as if he could soften the blows.
“And if I’m right, and they somehow know you’re there, I won’t be able to concentrate on what I have to do if you’re in danger. So please, for me, stay here.”
Tears welled in my eyes. “Don’t leave me here, Griff. How am I supposed to just stay behind, knowing you’re in danger and having no idea what’s happening to you? What if you get injured? What if—”
He stopped me by putting a hand on my chest, right over my heart. “You’ll feel me here, Princess. Our bond will let you know. The best way to help me is to concentrate on the memories. On how to fix the Veil so this stops happening. Only you can do that. It’s more important than anything else.”
He had a point, much as I hated to admit it.
“I will stay here,” I said slowly, but my voice became firm as I added, “but you will check in through the bond. Often. And if the bond goes quiet or I sense you’re in trouble, I’m coming.
” He started to shake his head, but I pressed on.
“You can’t ask me to just sit here, Griff!
Imagine how you would feel if I was in danger and you felt it through the bond!
You’d teleport to me instantly. You have teleported to me instantly.
Every time. Give me that much at least.”
After a long moment, he nodded.
“And Griff?” I caught his hand as he started to rise. “When you get back, we’re having a serious conversation about this partnership thing. I may be your mate, but I’m likely to be queen of this realm someday. These are my people too.”
I could tell he wasn’t pleased with that but he understood. “May I kiss you?” he asked softly.
“I’d be pissed if you didn’t.”
He tunneled his fingers into my hair, dragging me against him.
But when his mouth met mine, it was soft, as if he wasn’t leaving, as if this wasn’t a goodbye.
He gave me kiss after kiss, each one promising tomorrow.
Time slowed as his lips lingered against mine, both of us reluctant to break the connection.
When we finally parted, he bowed his head, our foreheads touching. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
I grabbed onto the lapels of his jacket and pressed one more kiss to his lips, before pulling back. “Be safe.” I accompanied each word with a sharp poke to his chest, just to drive the point home.
“Always, Princess.”
I was back on that battlefield, darker than the blackest night. Magical lights had been cast, adding to the torches illuminating the fast-approaching hordes. In just a few minutes, we would be overrun. I had to do something. Now.