13. Amon
13
AMON
I was barely keeping myself in check. My skin tingled at Elora’s nearness, and I had begun to tremble internally. I refused to walk away from her, and instead put her from my mind as I walked her through learning the use of a bow.
It didn’t help.
When I had wrapped my arm around her middle from behind it had taken every bit of strength I had not to groan when her hips brushed my thighs.
The scent of her had enveloped me and all I felt was her.
I hadn’t intended to ask her to have lunch with me. The words came out like vomit. I cringe inwardly as I stalk down the corridor. I can hear Elora’s shoes against the stone rushing to catch up to me.
“Hey!” She says. I can hear the swishing of her skirts as she lifts them. “You know, you’ve got way longer legs than I do.”
I slow my pace, glancing at her quickly. Her cheeks are flushed, and it makes the freckles on her nose stand out more. I growl.
Elora looks down worriedly, chewing at her bottom lip. The sight makes me want to push her up against the cold stone and see just how chewable her bottom lip actually is.
I shake my head and shove a hand through my hair, sighing.
We manage to make it to the kitchen without me losing my grip, and I duck inside to snap at a couple of lesser. Elora enters behind me cautiously as the lesser scurry from the room.
“What was that?” she asks as she glances back and forth. “I thought I saw someone.”
I wave a hand dismissively. “Just a couple of lesser.”
Elora frowns but doesn’t push the subject.
I move about throwing open cupboards and cooler boxes. After a few false starts, Elora giggles and moves to open a cooler box, peering inside.
She pulls out a basket of cheese wheels and a few strips of dried meat. I watch as she sets the items on the large table in the center of the kitchen, pulling out a small wheel of cheese and breaking it into smaller pieces.
I’m mesmerized by her, and don’t realize I’m staring until she glances up at me. She does a quick double take, blushing and lowering her head.
“Don’t hide,” I growl.
She worries at her lower lip again and I clench my fists against my sides, reveling in the feel of my claws digging into my palms.
“Can you grab that loaf of bread behind you?” she asks softly.
I turn behind me, not too keen on taking my eyes off her, and grab the loaf of bread I hadn’t seen a few moments before.
I hand it to her, and she reaches out. Our fingertips brush and the electric shock that runs between us leaves me breathless.
Her intake of breath is noticeable, and my eyes dart to hers.
She felt it too.
I regard her quietly, watching as she takes a few deep breaths. My heart thuds in my chest and I move to stand closer to her.
Elora looks up at me, her movements ceasing. I reach out, brushing a lock of hair out of her face, and her lips part.
I brush the back of a finger along her cheek, and when she pulls her bottom lip between her teeth again it sends a shudder through me.
“Amon!” I can hear a muffled voice calling for me and recognize it as Allocer’s instantly.
Panic rolls through me and I back away from Elora, looking towards the door. She hears it too, because she clears her throat and goes back to pulling the cheese apart.
Allocer pushes through the door a moment later. “Hells, Amon I’ve been looking for you everywhere-.”
I clear my throat loudly, cutting him off.
He pauses, looking from me to Elora. He frowns, and this his eyes widen slightly. When his eyes dart back to mine, I nod once curtly before holding out my hand towards her.
“Allocer, please meet Elora. Elora, my brother, Allocer.”
She steps from behind the table, dipping slightly to my brother. He shakes his reaction and walks over to her, taking her hand in his and placing a kiss against the back of it.
I fight the urge to growl at him touching her and lean against the wall instead.
“An absolute pleasure.” Allocer says, releasing Elora’s hand.
She blushes. “The pleasure is mine, I’m sure.” She begins pulling chunks of bread off the loaf and pauses.
“Would you like to join us for lunch?” she asks Allocer, gesturing to the food before her.
Allocer glances between Elora and I before shaking his head. “Thank you, but no. Unfortunately, this is urgent.” He turns back to me.
“Amon there’s a large horde to the East of Ferran, and I need your help.” I nod, pushing away from the wall.
“I apologize, Elora, I’ll have to leave you. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
She nods. “I understand.”
A few heartbeats span between us before I turn away from her.
Reluctantly, I follow my brother from the kitchen and down the corridor.
“You ready to explain yet?” Allocer asks once we get far enough away.
I don’t look at him but clench my fists at my sides. “Nope.”
Elora
I release the breath I didn’t realize I was holding.
I listen as Amon’s and his brother’s footsteps fall into the distance, and slump over the table.
“What has gotten into you?” I whisper.
Popping a piece of cheese into my mouth I sigh, placing my elbows against the surface of the table. Amara walks through the door, startling. A hand flies to her chest, and she lets out a breath.
“Hells, Elora you scared the life out of me.”
I smile as I pop another piece of cheese past my lips. “I startled you for once?”
Amara chuckles and reaches out to snag a chunk of bread.
“Don’t get used to it.” She teases.
She pops the chunk of bread into her mouth, pulling herself up to sit on the table. “How’d you get in here? I would’ve brought you lunch…”
I wave her off dismissively as I begin tearing at a piece of dried meat.
“I was with Amon.”
Amara pauses, regarding me a moment before her eyebrows raise slightly.
“With Amon? What were you two doing?” I don’t miss the tone of her question and scoff.
“He was just working with me on bow practice.” I say, setting the meat down. “His brother… Allocer—came and got him to go take care of a horde.”
Amara nods, watching my reaction.
“Mhm.” She says. Leaning over she grabs a chunk of cheese. “Well, I’m sure they’ll be back in a few days. It never takes them long to dispatch a horde.”