His amber eyes scorched her with the intensity of his emotions. “Aye, I do.”
Tears filled her eyes. “Nay. It’s probably best—”
He cut her words off with a scorching kiss that made her head spin and left her breathless. “Xuri, what are you doing?”
“I should have known it was you the first time I tasted you.”
“What?”
He laughed and kissed her again, then started tugging on her clothes, which was beginning to make her angry.
“What are you doing?”
“I want to be inside you.”
“Nay … I don’t think so.”
He looked up, stricken. “What? Why?”
“Because you’re thinking of another woman!”
Shaking his head, he smiled at her. “I’m thinking only of you, Vala. There’s only ever been you.”
“You’re thinking of Aclima.”
“Who is you.”
She scowled at him as she tried to follow his reasoning. “What?”
His features melted into a loving grin. “Oh,mon ange.You are Aclima. Don’t you get that?” Turning her around, he pulled her toward the looking glass that stood in the corner and held her so that she could see herself there. He pressed his cheek against hers.
“Think back, Vala. To a simpler time and place. We were promised to each other. But Qeenan wanted you for himself. You are the only thing I ever fought my brother for, because I didn’t want to live without you.”
She started to deny it, but as she stared at the mirror, she began to see images of the past. Images of her and Nibo sitting on a distant mountain …
With her long dark hair flowing freely to her waist, and dressed in vibrant red with bare feet, she saw herself so clearly while he sat beside her playing on a lute. The wind tugged at her hair while she laughed in time to his tune.
Suddenly, everything came pouring back. Every memory of their life together. Then, as now, she’d been of humble origins. A simple shepherdess. Unpretentious and quiet, she’d never wanted much of anything in life.
Except Nibo, who had come rushing into her life one day when one of her lambs had been trapped and she’d been unable to free him. The bleating had been so intense, and she’d been so focused on helping the little one that she’d paid attention to nothing else.
“I’ve got him. Stand back.”
Startled, she’d moved away as Nibo had climbed into the dangerous ravine with nothing more than his bare hands and feet and somehow lifted her lamb up to her and set him free.
She’d gathered her lamb to her to hold it and had watched as he lifted himself up and smiled at her. Not smugly, but in pure bashfulness. It’d been the sweetest expression she’d ever seen.
“Is he all right?” he’d asked as he came to check on him.
She’d fallen in love instantly.
How could she ever forget that? “You promised to marry me in the spring.”
“Aye,” he whispered. “You were to wear baby’s breath braided in your hair.”
Because he liked it best. He thought it made her look like a fey princess. And it was then she realized that he still wore her ring on his pinkie. He’d kept it all these centuries. Tears filled her eyes.
“I’ve never stopped loving you, Vala.”
