Bursting into the clearing is Valric. He has one arm around my father, helping him along. Blood covers the front of my father’s white tunic, and his sword is hanging limply in his hand. Valric sees us and visibly relaxes.
The reprieve is short-lived as we all hear the whizzing sound of arrows being let loose. My mother covers me as a dozen arrows strike the surrounding ground. My mother’s gasp echoes in my ear and I feel the warmth of her hands as she grabs mine and starts running, dragging me along behind her. I go to turn and look over my shoulder, but her sharp tug on my hand stops me.
“Don’t look, Everly,” she pleads.
Chapter thirty-eight
Everly
I’m struggling against the heaviness that is keeping me from moving. The frustration is building up within me, a fire fueled by the desire to break free from this weight. I command my fingers and toes to move, to twitch even slightly, but they seem trapped in this leaden state. The struggle against this unseen force is becoming not only physical but mental, as I battle the hopelessness that threatens to engulf me. The moment I feel my fingers twitching, a surge of relief flows through me, and once again when I realize my toes are responding to my commands. I part my mouth and take a shallow breath, slowly filling my lungs. I can just make out the faint sound of fabric shifting and a comforting touch of a hand lightly squeezing mine. The scent of lavender fills the air, mingling with the faint aroma of the garden back at the castle. Then there is the unmistakable scent of leather and cedarwood.
“Stóirín?” Maxon whispers, the velvety smooth timbre of his voice sending a shiver through me, making my stomach tumble.
My eyelids flutter allowing me to catch a glimpse of Maxon leaning over me. Slowly, I pry my eyes open, needing more than anything to see him. I blink against the dim light and whimper, fighting the urge to close my eyes again. A warm, gentle hand tenderly cups my face, and he leans in close to me, his face filling my vision. His tantalizing scent envelops me in its embrace. My heart thumps hard, and I feel as if I’m free falling as I stare into his deep violet eyes, the silver ring pulsing with magic.
From the depths of my being, a peculiar and indescribable emotion begins to rise, overwhelming my senses. I can feel him more distinctly now, as if his soul is intertwining with mine. His emotions, feelings, and heartbeat are nestled alongside mine. We are bonded, joined—as connected as two beings could be.
My palm moves up and covers his hand that is cupping my face as the word ‘mine’echoes through my head at the exact same time he whispers it.
Maxon drops his forehead, resting it on mine, his long dark hair falling around us, shielding us from the outside world.
“I’m so relieved you’re awake,” he murmurs, then gently brushes his lips against mine. Heat floods my body, and the all-consuming need to have him inside of me scorches my blood, tearing through my veins like molten lava.
Maxon groans, the sound filling the air as he swiftly stands and turns away from me.
“What’s wrong?” I ask sitting up.
Maxon doesn’t turn around, but I see the muscles under his tunic flex and bunch. “You’re still recovering. I don’t want to hurt you.”
“You could never hurt me.” I argue. “Wait . . . How long have I been asleep?”
I'm in my bed in my room at the castle, and the last thing I remember was being at the Evergreen’s. How did we get back?
Maxon slowly turns and stares down at me. I can sense his worry, his concern, and his overwhelming relief, as if they were tangible emotions. His deep violet eyes look drained, the weight of exhaustion etched on his face.
“Four days.”
It takes a moment for his words to fully sink in. “What?”
I push the sheets off my body and swing my legs off the bed, feeling the softness of the rug under my feet. Maxon steps forward to help me, but I hold up my hand to stop him. I don’t know how I would react to him touching me right now. All I want to do is to press myself against him and feel his warmth surrounding me. Surrender to his body, get lost in his touches . . .
He clears his throat before asking, “What do you remember?”
I furrow my brow, trying to recall what happened right before I’d blacked out. Suddenly an onslaught of images flashes through my head, and desire has me clenching my thighs. Maxon rubs his hands over his face, cursing under his breath. My heart rate spikes as I remember our mind-blowing sex, the way he felt moving inside of me. My hand drifts up to my neck, my fingers tracing over the spot where he bit me, and another flood of warmth moves through me.
In an instant, I’m on my back in the bed, Maxon hovering over me, his eyes glowing more silver than violet as he stares down at me. Affection, lust, and need flash in his eyes as he grinds his hips against mine, making my eyes roll back. My hands instinctively reach for him. Maxon is quick, though. He grabs my wrists,pinning them above my head, leaning down to whisper in my ear.
“I’m holding back by a thread, Stóirín.”
I turn my face toward his, my lips brushing his cheek. “But I want you.”
Maxon groans, rocking his hips into mine again, making fireworks explode under my skin.
“A chroí,” I moan, and we both freeze. “I said it again.”
“You did. Do you know what it means?”
“My heart,” I breathe, leaning up to place a kiss on his throat.
