Page 24 of Her Ivory Flame

“You’re not. Please, tell me?” Her eyes searching for any hint of an answer.

He sighed and lightly rubbed his thumb against her cheek. “Declan and I had some words that turned into an altercation. I had to do some extra drills tonight as punishment. I promise I’m fine.” He pulled her head down to his and left a light peck on her forehead.

“Was it about me?” her voice was shaky.

“Yes.” his other hand lightly tracing her spine. “He’s still upset I hid you from him. I understand, he does still love you and he is hurt.”

“Doesn’t mean he gets to treat you like that,” she growled. “I’m not his possession.”

“You are his ex-fiancée though, and he thought you were dead.” He casually traced her facial scar again, the touch making her spine shiver instead of tense. “You have to give him time to adjust.”

“He should be grateful for you if that's the case; you saved me,” she whispered as she closed her eyes as his hand cupped her face again

“Maybe, but in his mind I’ve stolen you away from him. He isn’t blind Alyra, he can see that we are close.” Silas moved his hand and rested it on the bed next to him, letting her situate herself back down onto his chest.

“I can handle Declan, please don’t worry about it.” His head rested on hers with their hands intertwined again. “If he hid you from me, I would feel the same way.”

She didn’t know how to respond to his confession, her heart almost lurching out of her chest. Being around him for this length of time just magnified her feelings, but she still felt she needed to keep him at arm's length, at least until she healed herself a bit more.

Unable to find words, she snuggled herself as close to him as possible, his warm body keeping the spring chill from bothering her. Something felt off to her but she couldn’t detect the exact source of the feeling and shrugged it off, she was probably just tired.

“You’re right about Kaden, he seems like an ok guy,” she whispered, his words to her earlier this evening repeating in her head.

“I know,” he whispered, his voice sleepy.

“But you are better.” She kissed the back of his hand before settling quietly on him. He didn’t say anything more and just gripped her tighter before they both fell into a blissful sleep.

- - - - - - - -

“Declan!” Alyra yelled as she entered the food hall, other soldiers looking up to stare at her from the lined tables along the edge of the massive room.

Silas had told her not to react, but when she woke and could see his injuries that were slowly healing in the light, all she saw was red.

She bolted from her room in a hurry after she dressed and Kaden had to jog to catch up to her. She knew Silas would catch up eventually but her mind was only on the male that injured the only person she cared about.

Declan’s head turned towards her, no doubt her presence catching everyone’s eyes. She had on black training leathers that hugged all her curves, Ljós strapped to her back in full view. Her hips were adorned with her axe with another dagger on the opposite side, and her hair was in a ponytail on the top of her head glistening in the light.

“Alyra.” Declan replied as he rose from his seat at the back of the hall.

She kept her eyes glaring at him, her feet crossing the room quickly with her shoulders radiating tension. Declan had a smile on his face that quickly faded when she stopped on the other side of the wood table.

She pulled her axe from her hip and slammed the blade quickly between his resting hands into the table, her eyes not leaving his.

“I’m going to say this once, so you better pay attention.” The hall went quiet as her voice echoed off the stone walls. “I told Silas to keep my secret so I’m the one you have a bone to pick with, not him. Next time you decide to pull punches or rank, you find me and we will settle it.”

Declan stared at the familiar axe she was still holding on the table for a moment and then returned his attention back to her.

“It was just a squabble between males, it happens.” his eyes moved to Kaden who was standing behind her. “Nothing to do with you, or the fact that he kept you from me.” His tone became quieter.

“Don’t fucking lie to me.” Her hand started to shake, a white spark flashing and then disappearing around it. “I’m no longer your possession, Declan.”

Declan saw it, his eyes widening and then looked up to her with shock. She kept her glare fixed on him, her eyes blazing with such fury that even the person sitting beside him recoiled.

She felt a body come up behind her, a hand softly wrapping around hers that was on the axe handle and she let out a ragged breath.

“Alyra, let it go,” Silas’s voice whispered in her ear.

His voice snapped her out of her trance, her eyes finding his hand on hers before looking back at Declan. His expression turned cold at the arrival of Silas behind her and she could see him puff his chest out.