“I can see why that air elemental is so attached to you,” he said. “I wonder if he knows how special you truly are.” His finger traveled from her jawline to her neck.
She was terrified of him, of how he seared her skin and kept her locked in place. Of how she involuntarily leaned into his touch. Of how, at any point in time, his gentle fingers could turn deadly.
His eyes gleamed as if he sensed her mixture of fear and intrigue. He uncurled his fingers and lightly gripped her throat, tight enough to shock but not hurt her.
“Send me back,” she repeated. Her pulse raced at her neck, and she knew he could sense it beneath his fingers.
He smiled and cocked his head. “Are you not enjoying my company?”
She growled, clutching the knife still at her back. “Send me back, or I’ll make you.”
That was definitely the wrong thing to say. He leaned in closer and whispered, “Don’t tempt me, love.”
She narrowed her eyes and swung the knife around, aiming for his chest, but he was too quick. He blocked her arm with his other hand, only an inch away from his heart.
He laughed and twisted her wrist to make her drop the dagger. “I think we’ll have some fun, you and I. Until next time.”
Her vision went black.
She woke up with a gasp.
Isla could still sense his fingers around her throat, possessing her. Warm, strong hands enveloped hers, and she jerked away.
“Isla. Isla, it’s me. Look at me.”
Her senses slowly focused on his voice, on his comforting touch. “Rynn?”
“Yes. Are you alright?”
She had never heard him sound so worried. Her nerves calmed as his thumb lightly ran back and forth across her knuckles.
Taking in her surroundings, she was relieved to find she was back in their cave, sitting up in the bed of blankets. Rynn knelt at her side, apprehension weighing heavily on his features. The scene was almost identical to the one mere days before when the dark god had first invaded her dreams.
“I—I’ll be okay,” she said as she breathed slowly.
Still, his hands remained on hers. “Was it the man again?”
She nodded.
“What did he do to you? Did he hurt you?” Rynn’s eyes searched her body for signs of injury.
“No, he didn’t—I’m not hurt. Just…unsettled.” She breathed deeply again. “He threatened my family this time.” She told him of her conversation with the man and his threats, about needing to locate the other half of a prophecy and him wanting her to find something else for him.
“I’m sorry he keeps appearing to you,” Rynn said as he rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb. “I don’t know why he has chosen you instead of one of us.”
“What’s this prophecy he talked about? You never mentioned it.” Isla wasn’t sure why that bothered her. She’d known Rynn for what, a week? He didn’t owe her any explanation. But she’d thought they’d been getting closer, and if this prophecy was important, she’d be lying if she said she didn’t feel a small sting of hurt that he hadn’t shared its meaning with her.
He sighed. “It’s a message to the elementals embedded in the mountains of Iona by the Primeval gods. It tells of a great power that will come and bring the end of our reign. I had not told you about it because we were under the assumption that this had already come to pass when we chose to slumber—it was the end of our ‘reign,’ so to speak.”
“Well, I think it’s safe to say you were wrong,” Isla mumbled. “We need to find the second half of this prophecy. And if I don’t do what he wants, he’ll go after my family.” They were theonlypeople she wanted to protect, the only ones that truly mattered. She would do anything for them, and this dark god knew it. It was her weakness.
Rynn leaned down until his forehead rested against hers. She was shocked by the affection in that motion, her skin heating where it met his. His next words were so quiet, she had to strain to hear them. “I will do all that I can to prevent that from happening.”
She closed her eyes; his warm breath on her cheeks sent shivers down her body. A shift took place between them, something that scared her senseless and lit a fire within her at the same time.
They stayed there for a few moments until he pulled away to go back to his own makeshift bed. She knew there was much more to discuss, more plans to make, but that could all wait until morning. Right now, she needed his strength. Needed to feel secure, even if nothing could truly assure her safety.
“Wait,” she called after him before she could stop herself, the words leaving her mouth unbidden. “Please, stay.”
