Page 49 of The Shadow of Polaris

Chapter 27

Ibolted upright, scratching against the soil of the lakeside. Silent sobs ran down my face as I reached for the man beside me. He stretched and stirred awake.

“Elpis? What’s wrong?” he asked, voice rough with sleep.

“N-Nothing, I just had a bad dream,” I stammered through frantic breaths.

He yawned and sat up beside me. Wiping my sweaty brow with the back of my hand, I tried to regain my composure.

“It must have been some dream,” he said, running his hand up my back. My skin was cold against his touch. Visions of Aryx’s lifeless, waterlogged body pitched through me.

“It’s nothing,” I said, entwining my fingers to keep my hands from shaking.

“Doesn’t seem like nothing-” he started.

I stood up abruptly, avoiding the conversation about to happen. My nightmares were mine alone. I’d been through this before. I just needed to breathe. Aryx’s bloodied face flashed across my mind once more and I hunched over, my legs crumpling beneath me.

“I just need a… need a minute,” I said, retching into the lake beside me.

I vomited until my stomach was empty, tears streaming down my face. The waves of nausea were overwhelming. I hadn’t noticed his gentle hands holding my hair in place behind my back. Red faced and breathless, I looked up at him. Concern wrinkled across his brow. He smoothed back my hair and smiled softly.

“Did you dream of the tower?” he asked, his voice a soothing caress over my trembling body.

“Not this time, no.” I heaved again, releasing the venom that poisoned my thoughts.

“Let’s get you back to the tavern. Maybe some ginger tea will help you calm down,” he said, scooping my weak frame into his arms.

Arcturas, now fully recovered, nipped at my feet, an affectionate gesture used to pull me back to reality. Tomorrow I’d need to figure out exactly how she healed, but for tonight I was grateful that she did.

With Kratos in tow, we trudged through the back roads to the now dark inn. I focused on the steady rise and fall of Aryx’s breathing, holding an inhale until my own was in sync. His arms, no longer suspended lifelessly in the open water, were tight around me. Stroking my thigh with his thumb, he carried me up the spiraling steps to the loft.

“Let’s get you under the covers,” he said, his lips mere inches from my ear.

His voice rippled through me. He lowered me into bed, pulling the wool blankets above my shoulders and sat beside me, stroking my cheek until the shivers stopped and my eyelids drifted shut.

“It’s okay. I’m here,” he said, placing a kiss on my brow.

I cleared my mind, letting the feel of his lips linger on my skin.

“I’ll always be here, Elpis.”

Arcturas jumped into the space beside me, curling her body around mine and resting her large, furry head across my abdomen. Its weight kept me grounded. It felt like only yesterday that we curled up beneath the pines, safe from our first storm under their cover.

“You’re safe. She’ll make sure of that.” He chuckled as Arcturas nuzzled into me. “I’m going to see if I can find some tea in the kitchen downstairs. I’ll be right back.”

He kissed the back of my hand and headed downstairs. Stroking my wolf, I watched as she sank into sleep. The dream still lurked in the dark corners of my mind, but Aryx’s smell, still fresh on my skin, chased it further away. A paralyzing exhaustion washed over me and just as my eyes resolved into sleep, he crept back in with a piping hot mug in one hand.

Placing it quietly on the bedside table, he settled into the rocking chair by the window. I grunted, tapping the cold pillow beside me. Smiling softly, he rolled into bed, wrapping his arm around my waist. I scooted into him, meeting the curl of his body with mine.

This was safe.

Embracing the electricity at every point of contact, I slipped into a mindless, exhausted sleep.

“It’s rude to watch someone sleep, you know,” Aryx whispered. The sun gleamed brilliantly through the inn’s dusty window. His eyes, peacefully closed, reminded me of a child having settled into a long nap.

“Well, good thing you’re awake, then,” I smirked. Beads of light bounced across the morning air.

“Are you feeling better?” he asked, drawing out his words with a lazy yawn.

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