Page 26 of The Light Falls
His eyes slide to mine in disbelief.
“I’m angry you didn’t tell me, but perhaps it’s better I didn’t know until the bond was broken and the rune gone. It would have driven me crazy to know she had limited my only power.”
“I’m truly sorry. I know what it’s like to have no control,” he says sadly. “I wish I had told you sooner. Can you forgive me?” Gold eyes stare at me with a glimmer of hope in them.
“I already have,” I murmur. “And I still want a rune to prevent me from sleepwalking. If you’re willing to do it?” I bite my lip, hoping this will help bridge the gap between us.
The corner of his mouth turns up. “Of course. When do you want to get together?”
“How about now?” The thought of trying to sleep makes me shudder.
A knowing look enters his eyes, and he tentatively holds his hand out for me to take. “I have no other plans.”
I firmly grip his hand with mine. It’s smooth and strong.
“Should I change first?”
His grip tightens as if he can’t stand the thought of me leaving even to change clothes. “It depends. Where do you want the rune?”
My nose scrunches up while I think about it. “I don’t want anyone to ask about it.”
Behind my neck doesn’t work because it would be seen when I pull my hair up. Same goes for the rest of me.
“The thought of putting it behind my ear makes me cringe, but most other places won’t work. Even my feet are visible.” I lift my foot to show him the strappy sandal that doesn’t hide much, and the slit in my dress opens, exposing my entire leg. “See?”
Bright eyes turn molten gold, but he immediately looks away. “How about the inside of your hip?”
When we reach the area below his balcony, he unfolds his wings and holds out his arms.
My heart stutters.
He’s magnificent.
The other night I couldn’t see the full picture like I do now. Full red-gold wings extend from the ground to several feet above his head and out to each side. Encased in a magical glow, they radiate power and strength. And even as lean as he is right now, I can start to envision the warrior he used to be.
His eyebrow rises, and he gives me a quizzical look.
Blushing profusely, I step forward and let his warm arms wrap around me. We land on the balcony moments later.
“Flying must be incredible. How far can you travel?”
He turns away. “Flying is pure freedom. There’s nothing tying me to the world below. I used to be able to travel for miles, but it’s like a muscle. When you don’t use it much, it becomes weaker.” With a wave of his hand, he gestures to the chaise in the corner by the fireplace. “Lie down and remove any clothing from the spot where you want the rune. We can put it inside your hip or on the outside. Your choice. I’ll get the supplies.”
If I put the rune on the inside of my hip, I’ll have to look at it when I dress or undress. Maybe outside is best. Mind made up, I cross over to the chaise, lie on my side, and pull the slit up until it exposes my outer hip.
Rivan pulls up a nearby stool and sets his supplies on the floor beside it. A twirl of his finger and a ball of faery light appears above my hip to help him see. After he sits, he shifts forward and runs his finger in a small circle on my hip.
I suck in a small breath at the sensation of Rivan’s touch on my bare skin.
“Here?”
Unable to speak, I nod.
He bends down to pick up a small notebook and piece of charcoal. With quick fingers, he draws three lines that look like a stick figure waving hi. “This is the Algiz rune. It provides protection and defense. At its core, it attracts positive forces and defends against negative ones.” With a flick of his wrist, he turns the notebook toward me. “What do you think?”
I shrug. “Whatever you believe is best.”
Flipping it back around, he studies it for a second, then gives a firm nod. With the charcoal in hand, he lightly sketches the design on my outer hip. “Algiz is powerful, so it doesn’t need to be big. Take a look.”
