Page 115 of Oaths & Vengeance
I paused. “Yes?”
“It may seem strange that your scars concern us, but you must understand that we’re only ruthless to our enemies. Not the innocent, and certainly not family.”
I turned and frowned at him. “I’m not family.”
“Yes, you are,” he said vehemently, fists clenching and unclenching. I could tell he wanted to pull me into his arms, but he held back because I’d asked him to stop touching me for comfort or outside of sex. “Like it or not, you’ve earned a measure of my trust, which is why I’m sharing my plans. You are not only Veronnian now, but also part of my inner circle. I protect those closest to me, dear wife, and I especially protect what’s mine. In case you missed it, that’syou.”
A lump formed in my throat. The sincerity of his words touched something deep within me. Despite everything, including his own curse, I did matter to him. It was there for me to see, written all over his features. I’d spent more of my life alone than not, and certainly never guessed anyone outside of Therress would accept me like that.
“Thank you, Dare.”
“There is no need for gratitude.” He cocked his head, and his expression changed. “But perhaps you could allow me to help you with that bath if you’re feeling generous.”
“Without being too soft or gentle? How is that possible?” I asked with a raised brow, grateful for the change of subject. He’d eliminated the tension in the air with a simple suggestion.
My husband smiled wickedly. “I have complete faith in my skills to do as you wish…even then. The real task will be getting us to Alavaar before the morning is gone.”
I dropped the sheet, enjoying the sight of his gaze heating up and the anger from before fading away. “Then, what are you waiting for?”
He had me squealing in his arms before I reached the door.
Chapter 47
Aella
The six of us went through the portal in pairs, with Darrow and I going last. It took a dizzying twenty seconds to reach the other end. We stepped into the barren woods, and I noted the deterioration had spread more. I couldn’t see any signs of life.
The trees looked like dejected skeletons, no birds chirped, and the magic was down to a tiny trickle that would be gone soon. My body wouldn’t be able to recharge until I reached a more fertile area. They would need to relocate the ring soon, or it wouldn’t work much longer.
Faina put her hands on her hips. “I didn’t realize Alavaar had it this bad.”
“The land sickness has been spreading in many places, but this is the worst spot near a portal ring,” I said, gesturing for us to begin the trek west along the narrow trail.
It barely stood out against the decayed land. I had to fight the horrible, depressing feeling that threatened to overcome me. By the looks on everyone’s faces, they did as well.
Darrow gave me a grim look. “We have eight places in Veronna similar to this.”
“At last count, we have four in Therress,” I said, sighing. “But we’re almost half the size of you all.”
We crunched our way over the remnants of dead plant matter for more than ten minutes before crossing into a verdant area with thriving vegetation near the village. A couple of thatched roofs appeared through the tall, grassy pillar trees in the distance. This time last year, I wouldn’t have been able to spot homes this far away, which told me the dying forest continued to edge closer despite the druids' best efforts.
As we entered Fionbar, the inhabitants gave us curious glances. I waved at a few of them, and they returned the gesture with hesitant nods. They’d recognize me, but they likely wondered about the rest of my group. We made it to the town center and took the road north. My sister lived at the edge, nearest the path to the dragon hunting grounds.
It was almost lunchtime, so I knew she should be home. With less than six hundred inhabitants in the village—many of them families who lived together—it didn’t take long to reach Priyya’s two-story thatched cottage. It had a heavy wooden door at the center, single windows on either side, and a covered porch with a swing. In the evenings, we often sat together on it after dinner to enjoy the nature around us. The next nearest neighbor was a few hundred feet away, with numerous mistarr trees in between to lend some privacy.
Drawing a deep breath, I knocked on the door while everyone else hovered behind me. I would have normally walked right inside, but this felt more appropriate considering my company. Priyya appeared a few moments later, frowning at me. She’d pulled her dark-blonde hair into a messy bun, and she wore a loose green tunic with matching pants that almost swallowed her slender frame. Berry stains covered the edge of her right sleeve cuff, probably from mashing poultices for the dragons.
“Why are you knocking? Aella, I was…” she trailed off as she took in the five people behind me.
I cleared my throat. “I didn’t think you’d want me barging inside under the circumstances.”
As soon as her gaze fell on Darrow and Faina, she stiffened. Most of the realm knew what they looked like with their unique brown-black hair, so it never took long for anyone to identify them. Priyya stepped back before catching herself and pinning me with a horrified look.
“Why do you have Veronnians with you?” she asked in a high-pitched whisper. “Are they holding you hostage? This is the worst place to come because you know I have no money or power to fight them off.”
“It’s not like that,” I said, shaking my head.
Darrow stepped right behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist, causing me to stiffen before I made myself relax. She was going tofind out about my marriage soon enough. It would make matters worse if she thought I wasn’t a willing participant.
