Page 80 of Her Ivory Flame

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “Do you know why she did it?”

“I assume Mavros promised her something I couldn't give her, but I never asked. I didn’t want to know.” She could feel the heaviness in his voice, that betrayal still lingering inside him.

“What happened to the female?”

“I wanted to kill her,” he muttered. “But at the time I still loved her so I told her to run and someday I might kill her for it.”

“So now she is living her life having to look over her shoulder in case you decide to make good on your word? You think you ever will?”

He shifted carefully next to her, turning more towards her and rested his head on top of hers.

“I think there are more important things than to dwell on the past. The pain never goes away and you just have to learn to live with it, all of it.” He emphasized the last few words and she knew exactly what he meant.

Never would she have thought they would be this close, both in proximity and emotionally.

She tried not to think about what it might have all meant, or why she was having butterflies in her stomach again. He was just making sure she was safe, it was his job and nothing more.

Thunder rolled again and she pressed herself into his side more, the only anxiety she was feeling was from the weather. His touch, it wasn’t scary to her or triggering, but comforting. It even felt more comforting than when she was with Silas but she didn’t know how that could be.

He responded by rolling towards her more, his arms locking around her and pulled her close to his chest. Her head rested against his collar bone, a hint of lilac filling her nose and before she knew it, sleep had taken her.

Chapter 29

Waking up alone hit her harder than it had in over a month.

The faint gentle brush on her face barely roused her from sleep a few hours before but it wasn’t enough to fully wake her. It could even have been a dream, but she didn’t care to try and dissect her thoughts on it.

The thunder had stopped but the rain was still pouring outside, the sound of water falling from the top of the alcove drowning out most sounds around them.

She knew Kaden was out by the fire, along with everyone else but she didn’t want to get up. Too much was on her mind and she wasn’t sure she could face him after last night.

How was she supposed to act around him now? It wasn’t like they had slept together but what happened between them wasintimate. At least to her it felt that way, their bodies pressed against one another while they broke open parts of them that were private.

Maybe to him it was just part of the job, doing whatever he could to make sure she made it to Bromel and not be a total basket case.

She held out her hand from under the blanket, summoning her trickle of power and watched the single flame dance on her palm.

It always fascinated her how something so beautiful could be so deadly. It mimicked her people, beautiful females who would protect the land while the men and children thrived in the small towns.

It was very opposite of the Fae culture, but it worked for her people. Now, she had no such people and had no idea where to start if she did survive this war.

The tent flap opened and she could see someone entering out of the corner of her eye. Not wanting to acknowledge who she thought it might be, she stayed laying on her side watching her flame dance in her hand.

“Let’s go.” Kaden’s voice cut through the noise around her and she glanced up at him.

His eyes were back to the cold maroon color she typically saw from him and his shoulders were tense. Sighing, she rolled onto her back and sat up, her flame extinguishing in her hand.

“Do what? There is a storm if you haven’t noticed.” shesnapped back.

“It’s still warm out and some of us are going to the waterfall to clean up.”

She raised her brow towards him, confusion on her face and he let out a groan of frustration.

“Think of it as a large bath, I know how much you love them.” She could hardly see his face soften with the shadow hiding most of it as he spoke, but it made her drop her guard.

He did pay attention to her.

Slowly she pulled the blankets off of her and stood, her cotton clothes doing nothing to keep the cooler air from her. He was right, it was warm but not like under the blankets.