CHAPTER FOUR
Vrogul
I feltthe air shift the moment she awoke.
I’d been lying as still as possible since the sun first peeked over the horizon, her scent driving me mad. Gods below, when had I last had a female in my bed? Wasthatwhy myKteerwas so restless, why I had to fight so hard against the urge to curl myself around Rowena?
But her response last night when I’d reached for her, told me everything I needed to know. She still thought of me as a monster. I couldn’t taste her again, couldn’t treat her the way she deserved to be treated, until she accepted me.
Begged me.
When she was awake, she might spit defiance, but during the night, my little wildcat—who wasn’t nearly as drunk as she’d been pretending—had rolled toward me once more.Not to threaten me with her blade—which I could feel tucked into her belt—but for comfort.
Now she huddled on her side, her head pillowed on the arm which I’d thrown wide as I slept, her soft breath teasing my skin. ‘Twas perfection to have her turn so trustingly toward me…and almost made up for the agony of her resting against my injured shoulder.
So, aye, I felt the moment she awoke.
Her body stiffened and her easy breathing turned to a gasp.
I held myself still, wondering what she would do.
Slowly, as slow as a hunter, Rowena edged off my arm and away from me. I felt the mattress rock as she slid from it, her feet going to the floor. There were the sounds of her moving about quietly, then a grunt. I imagined her putting on her boots…
Would she try to escape the village?
Would I go after her?
Of course ye fooking will.
And ‘twas not because of the thought of a female braving the dangers of my world, because I knew Rowena could face them. ‘Twas because she wasmineand belonged with me.
MyKteerpurred softly at the acceptance.
A knock on the door caused her to gasp and I peered through a slit between my eyelids as my sister pushed into my home, just as she’d always done.
“Vro—oh.”
Her loud call dropped to a hushed whisper as she came to a stop, eyeing Rowena.
“Are ye escaping, then?”
Was it my imagination, or did Rowena flush as she glanced back at me, ‘asleep’ in the bed?
“I could not find the chamber pot,” she finally admitted in a hushed whisper.
My sister began to chuckle softly.
“That’s because Vrogul lives alone and sees nae reason no’ to just piss out the front door.”
Which she now held open as she jerked her head toward the awakening village.
“Come along, we’ll let him sleep. I’ve made more porridge than Matthias and I can eat, and after breakfast, I’ll take ye to the hot springs.”
“Hot springs?” Rowena breathed, almost reverently. “I…”
She glanced back at me again.
“Am I allowed?”
