“I understand, truly.” Her smile filled him with the same hope that was reflected in her eyes.
Neither of them moved. He traced her neck, making her pulse race beneath his fingertips. Heat flared in her eyes. A satisfied growl rumbled through him as he pulled her closer.
“Don’t pull away entirely. Please,” he whispered against her ear. “I don’t want to lose you.”
Celina melted into him just a little, and he gave in to the urge to press a kiss on her neck. Her eyes were ablaze when he pulled back to look at her, simultaneously settling him and making him desperate for more of her. “I’m willing to fight for us if you are, Rodric.”
Thunder struck overhead, making Celina jump, her grip tightening on his chest. Her demeanor changed in an instant, a different kind of tension rolling off her in waves.
His guard immediately went up at her show of nerves. The feisty healer was scared of thunderstorms?
“Come on, let’s get inside.” An unnatural urgency filled her voice.
Keeping hold of her hand, he raced outside with her, quickly dashing through the rain to the main house. Darkness had descended with the storm, blanketing the sky hours before night would have naturally fallen.
Celina breathed a huge sigh of relief once they were inside, tensing only slightly with the next strike of sound.
He stroked her back in a comforting gesture. “Thunder bothers you?”
“Yes. Long story.” She gave a forced chuckle. “I think it’s safe to say we’re staying overnight.”
They’d discussed that probability on the ride, but he’d still hoped they would only need a quick visit to retrieve the map. It was safer to stay the night and ride out once the storm passed and would be better for Celina if she was that afraid of thunder and lightning.
As Celina led him upstairs to the guest rooms, he couldn’t help but wonder if the storm was a bad omen for their journey or if their arrival at Rosewood before the storm hit was a good one.
Chapter 9
Rosewood Keep, Realm of Calderre
Celinasentupaword of thanks that they’d arrived at Rosewood just before the storm hit. As soon as she was alone in her room, she dropped to the floor, still shaking from being outdoors when the thunder struck. Breathing deeply, she tried to calm herself. After all these years, thunder still made her heart race and fear spike. And she was about to start a long journey through Eldridge, which would likely entail sleeping outdoors more often than not. During the winter storm season.
Where one storm flowed, many followed.Looks like both Rodric and I will be getting a good emotional workout.Sobering at the thought of her brother alone and injured during the harshest season of the year, she forced herself off the floor.
Leaving her travel bags untouched, Celina changed into dry clothing from the trunk of belongings she kept at Rosewood. She’d brought Rodric to the private family wing of the keep, giving him the room adjacent to her designated bedroom. Sound traveled easily between the walls, and she could hear him moving around inside, probably changing clothes as she was.
Celina rubbed her thoroughly kissed lips together with a smile. Rodric had transformed for a moment in the stable, his energy shifting into that of the intense hunter she’d met initially. She sensed that was more his true self than anything else she’d seen. The honed attention on her as Celina, not as a matriarch or healer, made her feel incredibly desired.
Sam was going to burst a blood vessel when he saw them together.
The rustic keep had always been a haven for her. Beginning her healer training under Althea at such an early age had been a huge blessing, as it meant that she would visit Rosewood for long periods of time. With a baby sister to raise and leadership expectations growing with each birthday, this place had always given her a reprieve. A place to simply be and enjoy a tiny bit of the childhood that had been taken from her.
Althea and Barnabus had adopted Sam and had taken on a guiding role in her own life, offering her love and parental support when she’d had no one but Connor to rely on. Rosewood was the other home of her heart. She was glad Rodric was able to visit this place and meet the people who were so special to her.
Making her way down to the family kitchen, she absorbed the bubbling and brewing energy of the keep, letting it fill her with the peace and comfort she desperately needed.
Sam spun around from where he was setting out cooking ingredients when she entered. Dark hair curled loosely against his neck, flowing silkily as he moved. His black shirt billowed around his lean form, framing him in stark contrast to Rodric’s broad shoulders and thick torso.
Sam grinned, sweeping her into a tight hug and kissing her on the cheek. “I missed you.”
“I missed you, too.”
His familiar presence soaked into her, and she returned his embrace. As matriarch, she was expected to show a certain level of public decorum that didn’t come naturally to her. It made her that much more affectionate with the people closest to her when she was away from prying eyes.
The aroma of a freshly brewed pot of her favorite coffee filled her with glee and the soothing sense of home. It was a special blend that Althea cultivated from the Zamyran plants of her homeland and had a bolder taste than the lighter blends typically served in Calderre. The darker brew was wild and exotic with a deep warmth.
“Mmm.” She breathed in the rich scent. “Did you know I was coming?”
“Word travels fast. Especially when you’re not alone.”
