Chapter 23
Chapter Twenty-Three
The Forest of Driochmor
Where the Journey Continues
The fortress disappeared behind them quickly and Bria could not have been more relieved. Her stay there had been short, thank the gods, but the memory would linger. At least until new memories were made.
She breathed deeply of the potent scents of the forest that she wanted to believe welcomed them. Though welcomed perhaps was not the right word. Driochmor never seemed entirely welcoming. It watched, listened, and waited and those who found themselves here would be wise to remain aware.
Something Kaelan did. He remained focused and silent. The anger he carried from the fortress had not fully faded. It lingered near the surface ready to burst free if necessary.
He had not let go of her hand since leaving the fortress and while it was comforting, she could not help but feel a stirring that was rising in him, and it had nothing to do with the beast. She knew what it was.
She had felt it in him when they were in the cell…
desire. And while this was not the time or place, she let herself sink into it and feel it, if only briefly.
Honestly, though, she simply could not resist exploring it.
It seemed to take control, slowly wrapping around her and all her worries and fears faded away and she wanted nothing more than to lose herself in it.
“Stop, Bria,” Kaelan whispered harshly.
She let go of his hand quickly and took a needed breath.
She focused straight ahead on the troll lumbering along ahead steadily.
She had not realized where her touch could take her, nor did she realize how much her husband desired her or how much she desired him.
This certainly was not the place to have such thoughts and yet they lingered no matter how hard she tried to chase them away.
“Do not make it more difficult for us both. Focus elsewhere.”
It came as a shock to Kaelan to learn how easily his wife could slip deep inside him and stir his passion. It was as if he felt her hands roaming feather-like over him and he shuddered, his passion having yet to fade.
He glanced her way and could almost feel her struggle, and he cursed beneath his breath. This was all his fault, and he was unable to do anything about it. His anger caused the beast to stir but then he was already too near the surface ready to fight and protect.
How a simple mission had turned into such an intricate one he didn’t know.
He only knew that Bria, his wife, was his top priority.
All else could wait. He needed to keep her safe and he feared that would prove more difficult than he ever imagined now that he knew she was a descendent of the Wise and set for execution.
He shook his head. His first worry was to get Bria out of Driochmor safely. He would worry about the rest later.
Bria began to notice that the farther they traveled, the more relaxed the troll appeared. His massive shoulders gradually lowered and his steps lost some of their heaviness. By the time dusk began painting the sky with shades of gold and violet, she noticed something else. The troll seemed content.
She, however, wondered where they would settle for the night. Kaelan and her needed to talk where they had some privacy and figure out what they were going to do. For one thing was for sure, they would not be returning to Ogga. But how did they avoid that?
The troll reared off the path they traveled along and up a hill, then stopped. He turned to Kaelan and pointed. “Shelter.”
Then he settled beneath a large pine tree, yanked the sack of food he had retrieved before leaving the fortress, and spilled the contents out in his lap.
“Food,” he said, holding out a loaf of bread and some cheese to Kaelan.
Kaelan took it with a nod of thanks, then handed it to Bria as he led them to the stone cropping the troll had pointed to.
It turned out to be a cave, not too deep, but with enough height that Kaelan could stand comfortably.
After Kaelan searched all the nooks in the cave, making certain there was nothing there that would surprise them, he returned to Bria standing at the opening.
“I am going to get firewood and get a fire going just beyond the entrance here. It will offer us some heat for the night and discourage any creature from visiting us. I won’t be long.”
Bria nodded, already feeling the emptiness of his absence creeping over her.
He brushed his cheek against hers and whispered, “Parting will grow easier. It is the early times when it hurts the most.”
“I thought perhaps you did not feel it as strongly, knowing what to expect.”
He pressed a faint kiss to her lips. “It is like a stab to my heart parting from you.”
Bria returned his kiss though it was far from faint. “Hurry back, husband.”
“That I will, wife,” he said, and left the cave.
With her legs aching from the endless day of walking, Bria lowered herself to sit and as soon as she did, a shimmering gold light flew into the cave. It darted around the cave until it came to an abrupt stop in front of her.
It was the tiny fairy who had made herself known to Bria. Her delicate wings shimmered in the fading light as she flitted in front of Bria’s face.
“You worried me being caught up with Ogga. She’s a mean one, even with her powers curtailed. But I see you haven’t entirely freed yourself of her. Henry is with you.”
“Henry?” Bria asked.
“The troll. His name is Henry.”
So, the troll had a name, which meant…
“And your name?” Bria sked.
“Fiora, but there is no time for pleasantries. Your husband will return soon, and you need to know that the council waits for you and not patiently.”
Bria turned a puzzled look on her. “Why me?”
“You woke the Wise.” Fiora flitted closer. “Though there are those who suggest you rose them from the dead.” She laughed. “Foolish. You have a long way to go to be Wise, if you are at all.”
“I most certainly did not wake the dead,” Bria said, just the thought of such a suggestion was ridiculous. “I have no such powers and I know nothing of the Wise. I am a simple comfort healer.”
“That is the problem that confronts and confounds the council and is the reason they must speak with you immediately. I can guide you to them.” Fiora gave a quick glance toward the entrance of the cave. “But first, you need to ditch Henry.”
“First, I will discuss this with my husband.”
“There is no time to delay,” Fiora urged. “Foreign forces try to divide Driochmor. The Wise could be of help.”
“And at risk since the king’s decree of death to all Wise still holds true,” Bria reminded.
“You need to speak with the council,” Fiora said. “Driochmor grows restless, more restless with each passing day. Some wish Driochmor restored to what it once was, others seek revenge.”
“And which side does Ogga fall on?”
Fiora snorted. “Ogga will do anything to rule Driochmor as its queen and the council fears she has already set that in motion.”
“That she has,” Bria confirmed.
Fiora’s head snapped to the side. “You husband returns. Hurry and get to the council.”
With that said, she sped away, her shimmering gold light fading in the distance.
“Bria?”
“I am here,” she called out, hearing the worry in his voice.
“It was so quiet, I grew worried,” he said, dropping down to start a fire with the wood he had gathered.
“That someone hurried off with me,” she said jokingly.
“Aye, and I wasn’t there to stop them.”
He was serious and she went to him, resting her hand on his back. “I would have fought and screamed out for you. I would not have gone peacefully.”
“Know if you were ever taken from me, I would come find you. Nothing would stop me. I would find you.”
It was meant as a vow and she heard as one, though it was not necessary. She knew he would come for her no matter where she was taken and that was what frightened her. For he would join her in death itself and think nothing of it.
“Where do we go from here, since I assume we will not return to Ogga, though do we worry what she may do?”
“The council condemned her to that fortress for a reason. If they stripped her of her place among them, I suspect they also limited what power she could wield beyond its walls.”
“You believe her threats are empty?”
“I believe she remains dangerous and should not entirely be disregarded. She will certainly send someone after us if we don’t return.”
Bria realized then. “You want it to be Braden.”
“I would rather he come to me than I search for him, and I prefer it to be outside of Driochmor.”
“Less magic to contend with,” Bria said, understanding.
“Aye. So, first we see about the pendant, then find a council member so you can learn about the Wise and then—”
“Take news to the king,” Bria finished.
He shook his head. “You forgot about the troll, but that can wait until tomorrow. Now we eat and get much-needed rest.”
Kaelan was not thinking of rest when later he was stretched out on the ground his wife tucked snug against him and his arm wrapped around her.
Desire for her brewed steadily in him and had been easy enough to manage until now, here in the cave alone with her pressed against him.
His hand itched to drift over her, get to know all her gentle curves, but he stopped himself.
He could not go from a hasty coupling in a cell with his wife to a quick coupling in a cave.
It wasn’t fair to her no matter how hard his manhood was complaining.
He needed to be sure that the next time they joined he could take his time and make it memorable for her, not leave her disappointed once again.
“Your desire runs high,” she whispered, her warm breath tickling his neck.
“Bloody hell, Bria, you don’t step inside me, feel what I am feeling without permission,” he scolded.
“It wasn’t intentional. It came on its own. I couldn’t stop it.” She paused for a moment. “And I did not want to.”
“This is no place—”
“It is the only place we have and my desire for you mounts as well. Will you deny me?”
“This is not how it should be,” he argued.
“How should it be?”
“A warm room to start, a soft bed, softer bedding, and you naked upon it so I could take my time and touch you, come to know every part of you, what you like what you don’t. Tease your nipples with my tongue until they are rock hard, then enjoy them even more.”
Bria wondered if her husband realized his hand was exploring her as he spoke and she closed her eyes, willing an image of him doing just that and wishing she could feel his hands on her naked skin.
“You deserve better than a dark cell and a cave,” he said, annoyed his own words had grown him even harder.
“What does it truly matter where we join as long as we both are eager to do so? We do not know what awaits us. We have this moment, this chance to commit even more than we have, and I don’t want to lose it. I want every moment I can get with you no matter where it is.”
That was all Kaelan needed to hear. “I love you more each day, wife.”
She looked at him, a gentle pleading in her eyes. “Then take advantage of this moment and make love to me, husband.”
She didn’t wait. She rolled on her back and hiked up her garments.
He didn’t hesitate. He turned on his side and let his fingers roam between her legs. Her skin was soft and he let himself linger, exploring her inner thighs until he got close to her dampness and he slipped his finger into her.
She gasped.
“Too loud,” he warned. “You will wake the troll.”
“Henry,” she said softly.
“Henry?” Kaelan asked, wondering who Henry was.
She shook her head. “Later.”
He did not argue with that. She was wet and responded eagerly to him. He would have liked to linger but the hoot of an owl reminded him where they were and how dangerous it was for them to take such a chance.
Kaelan hurried over her then, keeping himself braced above her as he slipped into her gently.
Another gasp rushed to escape Bria, but she held it back and grabbed hold of his arms, squeezing them. Pleasure consumed her so much more than the first time they joined, and she found herself moving eagerly beneath him.
It was such an amazing feeling, and it grew stronger as his thrusts grew stronger. Then she felt it, as if she stood at the edge waiting to fall into what she could not wait to find out.
Kaelan saw it in her eyes and felt it in the way she thrust against him. Then he felt it, saw her mouth drop open and he lowered his head to capture her scream in his mouth.
It sent Kaelan over the edge and he exploded with her, so very glad his wife cared more about coupling with him than where they coupled.
After several minutes, he moved off her, pulling her garments down and taking her in his arms to tuck her to his side as he lay down on his back.
“We truly are meant for each other,” Bria said softly as if the truth of it had finally settled into her.
“Aye, that we are,” he agreed. “But the next time we join it—”
She pressed her fingers to his lips. “It will be most welcome wherever it is.”
“So, you cannot get enough of me?” he asked with a chuckle.
“I fear I may be greedy and tire you out.”
She said it so seriously that Kaelan laughed. “Trust me, wife, that will never happen.”
“Don’t be so sure,” she said, poking him in the chest.
“Never ever,” he said, poking her in the side and laughed again.
She laughed, his finger tickling her. “I am relieved to know that.”
“Good, but tell me, who is Henry?”