Page 61 of Ties of Starlight

Idonea’s whole body shuddered, and he opened his eyes to see her twisting. Her eyes were spilling over with tears. Why? She should be in less distress because of this. Why couldn’t she just let him do this?

“Nyrunn—stop. Please, stop!”

He jolted up, keeping her in his arms, but let go of the pain as she twisted to face him. She grabbed his shirt with her good hand, shaking her head, but the motion didn’t hide her sobs. “What—What was that?”

“Exactly what you guessed. I was just trying to help. Why are you crying?”

“I didn’t—” Idonea choked on another sob and he pulled her closer until her head was cradled against his chest. “That’s not possible. I’ve lived six other lives and I’vehad this bond six times. I’ve never—No one has ever done that before.”

Idonea hadn’t even known this was possible? Which meant…

All the agony she’d ever endured, Olaug had never once even thought to try to bear some of it for her. Nyrunn was the first one who had ever tried to ease her suffering.

Nyrunn rested his head on hers as she buried her head into his chest. “It’s an honor to bear your pain for you.”

She shook her head. Then she lifted it just enough to look up at him. “Wait… You already knew this was possible. Did you… Did you do this yesterday? When they were healing me?”

He nodded.

She shuddered again. “Why?”

“You were in pain.”

“No. I don’t…” Idonea sobbed. “I don’tunderstand.”

Six other lifetimes and she couldn’t even begin to fathom that someone might actually care for her. She couldn’t understand how much he loved her.

Did she have any idea what love really was?

So, he didn’t answer. He just held her while she cried until her eyes fluttered shut. He shifted her back to their original position and he kept pulling her pain into him, hoping maybe one day soon she’d be able to understand his love for her.

Chapter 22

Idonea woke up when Nyrunn stirred beneath her. His hand pulled away from hers and the dull ache he’d been staving off returned.

She bit back the soft groan that tried to rise in her throat. He shouldn’t have been siphoning off any of her pain in the first place. He shifted out from under her, taking care to lay her back down as he got up. She opened her eyes as he stepped away, moving for his bag of clothes.

She stayed quiet, letting him think she was asleep still so she could observe him.

She didn’t understand.If he believed her about her past, and he’d been speaking as though he did, then why would he care about her pain? If he knew what she’d done, why would he be willing to endure her pain for her? How could it even occur to him?

Idonea closed her eyes when he moved to unbutton his shirt.

Why would he be so good to her?

“Idonea? Are you awake?”

She opened her eyes and turned to see he was almostfinished dressing, his fresh shirt unbuttoned as he moved to begin doing them up.

Asa was right.

He was handsome. And charming.

Idonea hoped her cheeks weren’t flushing red and betraying her as she forced her eyes up to his. The tiny grin on his lips, however, told her he’d caught her. She cleared her throat and began to push herself up with her good arm. “I am.”

He quickly abandoned doing the top half of his shirt, hurrying over to her side and trying to help her up. She opened her mouth to tell him not to, but before she could, he had her on her feet. His hands hovered in the air beside her as he watched her to see if she would topple over.

“You know it was my shoulder and ribs that were injured, not my legs. I am capable of standing.”

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