Page 60 of Love Beyond Words
“He dinna tell me much, lass. And ye,” he pointed at me playfully, “dinna answer the question.”
I shrugged.
“I don’t know, really. I guess I never found anyone that made the risk of getting hurt worth the possible reward.”
He smiled at that.
“But I am?”
“It would seem so, wouldn’t it? I’ve not been very successful at resisting you, at all.”
With a flick of his wrist, he extinguished the flames in the fire and reached for me in the darkness. As we came together once more, he whispered into my ear.
“I’ll not hurt ye, lass. Not now, nor ever if I can keep from it.”
I didn’t doubt the honesty in his words for a moment.
That didn’t mean that I was safe in the least. But for once in my life, I simply didn’t care.
Love with this man was worth it, no matter how risky.
Chapter 36
I woke only a few short hours after we fell asleep in each other’s arms. While my body was deliciously exhausted, my mind was racing with a million different thoughts. There seemed to be an energy coursing through and around the castle, a foreboding feeling that left me uneasy and unable to rest. I wondered if Raudrich could feel it, as well. Although, from the look of him—arms spread wide across the bed, his mouth hanging open as he slept—he didn’t look like it.
Carefully, I rolled away from his grip and rose from the bed as I quietly felt around on the floor for Freya’s dress. I would’ve preferred to put on my own, but it was all the way across the castle in Marcus’ room and I wasn’t going to risk being spotted in the nude by our other guests.
Yanking the snug dress on, I tied the laces loosely and slipped quietly from the room.
I left the room with no real agenda—I just needed to move, to walk around in the hopes that some exercise might slow the jumble of thoughts inside my mind.
I’d yet to tell Kate what I knew I must. I was worried over Marcus and how he might or might not be adjusting to his new training and life. My thoughts were with Harry and the men who were searching for Calder. Even with my strong dislike for him, I hoped they would find him safe and well. I knew how strongly each of the men loved him.
There were other thoughts, too, happier ones—thoughts of Raudrich and the way I already knew what I felt for him but wouldn’t allow myself to say out loud just yet.
His scent still clung to my skin, and the memory of our night spent together had me walking around the dark hallways of the castle with an embarrassingly goofy grin.
As I wandered, I reveled at how utterly quiet the castle was at night. All were asleep, all except Freya, of course.
I hesitated at the thought. I didn’t know if Freya would welcome my company, but my curiosity eventually got the better of me as I paced back and forth in front of the castle’s main door.
With Nicol away, Raudrich had said himself that Freya would be lonely. Perhaps, she would welcome the company.
I snuck into the nearest empty bedchamber—Paton’s—to grab a blanket to wrap myself in while outside and realized right away why Raudrich had believed Paton would see reason to try and steal his room. The room—if one could even call it that—was little more than a closet. It had no real bed to speak of, only a simple sewn mattress and a small table next to the bed.
Laughing as I thought back on that night which now felt ages ago, I pulled the blanket from the bed and made my way outside.
The moon always seemed to be exceptionally bright on the isle and I was able to make my way to the garden path with ease. The crunch of dead leaves and plants crackled beneath my feet. So as not to frighten her, I called out to Freya and tried to hide the nervousness in my voice. I had no idea what to expect. I’d never seen a ghost before, let alone spoken to one.
“Freya, I’m Laurel. I don’t know if Nicol mentioned me to you or not. I thought you might like some company. I was having a hard time sleeping.”
I still couldn’t see her, but she had the sweetest and most tender voice I’d ever heard.
“Aye, o’course, lass. Company doesna come to me easily. I never deny it when it does. Follow the path to yer left up ahead and ye will reach the garden’s center. Ye shall see me right away when ye turn the corner.”
I relaxed at her welcome and followed her directions with great anticipation. The moment I laid eyes on her, I couldn’t help but gasp. Her translucent figure was breathtaking even from the height of Nicol’s bedchamber window. In person, she was so beautiful it was almost difficult to look at her.
“Hi.”
