Brela nearly collapsed as the words spilled from her. She explained the hellthorn that had kept her from using her magic before and after she was captured, the deal with the King of Severina, and the things they discovered at the wall. She skipped the details about the prince and his captain, didn’t mention her stay in the Crystal Desert, and never breathed a word about the celvusa or her newfound strength.
Ovir didn’t see through the gaps, though. Despite her emotional turmoil, she’d known how to play him from the minute she’d seen his eyes. It helped that he’d seen her break like this before—after she’d returned from Calcheth—so her shaking appearance and nervousness would add to the story. And when she’d stepped into the room and held his gaze, the last pieces of her plan had fallen into place. The path forward was clear.
That didn’t mean it was easy. She also had to get the courage to let go.
She swallowed into the silence as Ovir stared at the spilled coin purses over the table. Her debts payed off, plus a few bonus gold figurines that she’d swiped off the shelves of the townhouse with the king. A little extra incentive to hopefully lessen Ovir’s temper. Or perhaps to make up for the time she’d been gone and the money he’d spent looking for her, because she was sure he’d hold that against her.
Ovir hadn’t spoken in minutes, and it took all of her power to remain composed. To not tremble or drop to her knees to beg him to keep his end of the bargain.
She finally broke the silence as delicately as she could. “Please, Ovir. I have a responsibility to my people. They are being tortured and experimented on, and if the wall breaks, no one is going to protect them.”
He blinked and finally looked up, features unreadable. Her ears rang as she waited, pressure building along the back of her neck and into her skull. Her heart might have stopped during that minute of silence.
“Of course, my little nightmare. You have always looked out for your people, and I will not deny you your duty as their leader. Your debts are paid.”
It took even more willpower to keep from exhaling in relief, or maybe it was the crippling fear of the words that rattled around in her head.
Free. Free. Free.
You will soon be free.She blinked at the deep voice of the celvusa that stole her thoughts, until she remembered to speak.
“Thank you.”
She didn’t even mind that Ovir’s knuckles brushed over her cheek, down her neck. It didn’t even set off warning bells when he stepped closer, dragging those fingers over her shoulder and down her arm, his other hand resting on her hip.
“I can’t stand the thought of losing you to those monsters,” he breathed, leaning closer. “To think you could end up like one of those other Worshippers. It would be worse, so much worse because of what you possess. You’re putting yourself in unnecessary danger, little nightmare.”
“Ovir,” she whispered. “I’m always in danger, and I will be for as long as I’m breathing.”
“If you stay, I can protect you. Not as my second, but as my equal.”
Brela stiffened.
“The wall is breaking,” he continued, pressing his forehead against hers. It was the most intimate gesture he’d shown her since before she’d moved out. Even their passionate moments had never felt so raw. “I know you want to stop it, but there’s nothing you can do now. Stay with me. Be free, but stay with me.”
He pressed his lips to hers before she could stop him—no, before she could stopherself. She told her lips to withdraw, but they only pressed harder and opened for his tongue. Told her hands to remain at her sides yet they found his chest and his scars, the ripples along his stomach, the V-cut of muscles that disappeared into his pants. She willed her legs to step back but they only moved closer, hips lifting to his hands as they roamed lower, lower.
Ovir lifted her to the table, and she didn’t stop him. She didn’t care that one hand found her breast while the other undid her pants. Her fingers trailed over the sharp muscles of his chest, finding the familiar scars as he continued to press tighter. She didn’t care.
His kiss was always rough. Hands always tight. Body always demanding.
Teeth tugged at her lip. It wasn’t right. Fingers curled into her pants but they didn’t bring streaks of pleasure. Her hands held muscles that didn’t fit her grip any longer. All of this was wrong, wrong, wrong.
At one point, she’d craved this. More recently, she’d been desperate to forget this. She’d once sought the fire wielder to burn Ovir off her skin. Now she wanted Ovir to burn the dragon out of her memory.
Searing pain tore through her collarbone a breath later. The Veil shard shrieked like it had once done with the captain in the inn and she stumbled back.
In the next breath, that pain was gone. A warning.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that,” Brela mumbled, slipping off the table. She refused to look at him as she shoved her shirt back into her pants and tied the laces. “I can’t… I can’t stay. I need to protect my people, but maybe I can come back and help you when this is over. Take on jobs for you when you need me. I just need some time to be free and make my own decisions.”
“Little nightmare,” Ovir whispered, voice gravelly as he panted. His shirt was ruffled, pants still partway undone. She couldn’t look at his lips, at that bare chest she’d nearly exposed in her fervor. He snagged her wrist and she froze, but his fingers didn’t dig, nor did he pull her closer. “I understand your position, but if you step outside those doors, I can no longer protect you.”
Brela blinked, lip trembling at the candor in his voice. At the threat. “Don’t do this, Ovir. Don’t do this because I was stupid. I shouldn’t have kissed—”
“This has nothing to do with that,” he replied, posture straightening. “Your secrets will always be safe with me, little nightmare.Always. But this is where you need to make a choice.”
Brela wrapped her arms around her stomach. “Please, Ovir.”
