Page 21 of Oaths & Vengeance
“Better that than being tied to Elgord for the rest of your days.”
“True,” I agreed.
We continued to chat, pausing only when customers came inside until I was reasonably certain training had ended for the day. I gave her a hug and hurried across the village to a familiar captain’s home. Since he was an officer, he had small, private quarters near the barracks. It wasn’t much since he wasn’t married, but he had a living area, small kitchen, bathing chambers, and a back nook with a comfortable bed. I’d spent many nights here and planned to do the same on this visit.
I knocked on the door, and Camden answered a minute later. His muscular form filled the doorway, already missing his shirt since he must have been planning a bath. He was about four inches taller than me with ruggedgood looks, short blond hair, and lightly tanned skin. His pointed ears were easy to see and sharper than most.
We were a little over twenty years apart in age, so he hadn’t drawn my attention until about four years ago. He’d volunteered to help me with my sword work when I was visiting Tradain to refresh my fighting skills, and by that night, I was in his bed. I didn’t feel deep emotions for him, but he fulfilled my needs enough I didn’t want anyone else.
“Need help?” I asked with a smile.
He grinned and took my hand, pulling me inside. The next thing I knew, I was in his arms with his mouth pressed into mine. It was hot and passionate, as always. I couldn’t help but compare it to Darrow, though, finding the sparks weren’t nearly as bright with the captain. At least Camden was safe. He’d never make demands of me that could put me in danger, and sex was pretty much all he wanted from me.
He pulled away. “I was hoping you’d visit soon.”
In fact, it had been two weeks since I last came here, and I usually made it to see him more often than that. “Something came up with my uncle.” I ran my hand down his bare chest, enjoying the feel of him. “I’ll tell you about it later, but first, I want to help you with your bath.”
He pulled me close. “Only if you join me.”
“So demanding,” I said, laughing.
His brown eyes turned heated. “That’s what happens when you wait too long to visit.”
“So you missed me?” I asked, cocking my head.
He began unlacing the front of my dress, pulling it from me with practiced ease. I stepped out of it, and he removed my shift next. There was nothing underneath that. I let him look his fill, feeling myself grow wet at his lustful gaze.
He pulled me close and nuzzled my neck. “Anytime I’m not buried inside you, I miss you.”
Camden always knew the right words to say. I didn’t let myself thinkabout my impending marriage or anything that could take away from the present moment. This was my brief escape from all my troubles. “Then what are you waiting for?”
He scooped me up, and we were in his warm bath moments later.
Chapter 10
Aella
Darrow had kept his word and sent a sebeska with a note for me earlier in the day while I was in my garden. It had details of when and where to meet. Briauna and I helped Rynn slowly walk from her room to mine, thankfully managing to avoid anyone seeing us. Then, we’d let her rest for half an hour before crawling into the tunnels.
Maneuvering a sick girl through the passage had been the most challenging part, with each of us working to help my cousin. Once in the garden, she sat and caught her breath while I cleared the vines over the ring and channeled the portal. The darkness outside, along with the thickly covered trellis, would make it impossible for anyone walking by the garden entryway to see us. The familiar scent of my flora helped soothe my nerves at what we were about to do.
Briauna went first while I scooped up Rynn and carried her into the blue glow. I was eternally grateful for my enhanced elf strength compared to full druids because while my cousin was slight, especially after hardly eating for nearly a week, she wasn’t a small child anymore. She rested her head on my shoulder, her breathing raspy. I couldn’t wait to get her to the healer.
Darrow, Faina, and two other elves waited on the Veronnian side with horses next to them. They had their swords out, likely anticipating a trap, but they sheathed them as soon as they saw me carrying Rynn. She’d used all her energy getting through the short tunnel trip and was listless now.
“Thank you for bringing horses,” I said, walking up to Darrow. “I didn’t think to ask for them when we made the deal.”
He guided the mount, whose reins he held, so that it stood parallel to me. “The journey is thirty minutes on horseback. I knew she couldn’t make an even longer one on foot with the fever.”
“Right.”
“Get in the saddle, and I’ll hand her up to you,” he said, gently taking Rynn from me. He spoke impersonally, which felt strange since we were about to get married in a few hours, but I supposed that it was a matter of business—no romanticism involved.
I did as he requested, swinging onto the horse. He easily lifted my cousin, and I settled her in front of me. She rested her back against my chest, eyelids barely fluttering at all the movement. I braced an arm around her, keeping her close.
Darrow met my gaze. “You’ve already met my sister. The other two are Jax and Loden, who are close friends and loyal to me. They’re here to help should we have any trouble along the way. This forest is known to have dangerous creatures that are more likely to attack at night, but the larger the group, the less probable they are to bother us.”
That wasn’t unusual for most of the woods in our realm.
