He marveled at her beauty and the fact that she’d come to him when he had needed her most. “Like my horse trampled upon me.”
Her sweet laugh rang in his ears. “I do believe the correct way of riding is on a horse’s back, not under his belly.”
Her eyes twinkled as she sat next to him. “Care to tell me what happened?”
Valteri swallowed his food, his mind focusing on the night before. He remembered the streak and the wolf, but everything else was jumbled. “Something frightened my steed and he threw me.”
She cocked a finely arched brow. “Threwyou,milord?”
Her teasing voice lightened his heart and he rubbed his hand over her arm, delighting in the feel of her soft dress, a dress that hid even softer skin that he longed to sample with his lips. “Aye, milady. And I’m most ’shamed to admit that ’twas not the first time I have fallen from the saddle.”
She tilted her head, her demure smile lighting coals in his belly. “But surely the first time since your childhood?”
Her light mood was infectious and he reached out to finger her cheek. “Most certainly.”
She laughed and touched his hand, sending another wave of heat through him. Ariel glanced to his forehead and her smile faded.
“Ariel?” he asked, concerned over the sudden absence of her mirth.
A smile returned to her lips, but its hollowness did nothing to alleviate his worry. She shook her head and pulled his hand from her cheek. “’Tis nothing. Just a passing thought.”
He set his food aside and took her cold, trembling hand in both of his. “What is it?”
She moved away from him to stand before the open window. The confusion and pain on her face brought an ache to his own chest. Valteri longed for a way to soothe her, but was uncertain what to do.
Her silence rang in his ears. Had she already been mocked by his people? Did she regret ever having signed the agreement for marriage?
A thousand such thoughts raced through his mind as he waited impatiently for her answer.
She drew a deep breath, but still refused to face him. “Before you awoke, you spoke of demons and…” She paused, her frown darkening. Shaking her head, she drew another deep breath. “Forget it. ’Tis foolishness.”
“What is foolish?”
Ariel took a step forward and stood at the foot of his bed. “When I found you, I heard a voice whisper that I must watch you die.”
A chill crept along his spine. “Watch me die?”
Her distress reached out to him and he longed to soothe her fear. “Well, maybe notyou.” Her voice was barely more than a whisper. “But it said ‘watchhimdie.’ The voice sounded so evil, so cold that I wondered if it might be the devil himself whispering it to me.”
Valteri held his hand out to her, his chest tight. “Ariel, come to me.”
She walked forward and took his hand, her own like ice inside his palm.
“’Twas nothing more than your fear speaking. There are no demons who stalk this earth, seeking victims. Our greatest enemy is ourselves. You’ve said it yourself. People often choose the rod that beats them.”
Her gaze lightened and a smile curved her lips. “I told you ’twas foolish.”
“There’s nothing about you foolish. Other than wanting to spend timein my boorish company.” He pulled her into his arms and held her against his chest. “You were worried, ’tis more than understandable and more than appreciated.”
Ariel nodded, but inside, she found it hard to believe him. No matter how many times she’d told herself the words meant nothing, a tiny voice in her heart kept reminding her of them and telling her to listen well, as that could very well be a real memory.
What if it was?
Just as that voice that kept urging her to run?
But how could she? All she wanted was to stay with her lord, bear his children, and grow old by his side.
His warm breath fell against her cheek, his muscled chest was strong against her side. Aye, this was what she wanted, all she’d ever want.
