Page 121 of The Dark Mage
His hopeful, nervous expression made her heartleap.
“Very much, yes,” she replied, dancing her fingers over his chest as she leaned toward him.“Though...what do you plan to do with so much time alone with me?”
The look in his eyes pierced her, curling desire tight in her core.His hands settled on her hip and thigh, the heat of his touch spreading through herbody.
“Ren’wyn,” he growled, his lips grazing herneck.
Every inch of her was alive, her toes curling in the soft grass.A cool breeze swept over them, balancing the heat radiating from hisbody.
“When we’re alone,” he whispered, his voice low and rough, “I’m going to have you everywhere, all thetime.”
She squealed as he nibbled her shoulder, his smirk making her cheeks flush.
“Now, behave,” he ordered playfully, though his tone carried undeniable heat, and he couldn’t hide the shimmer of flames on his hands.Her magic responded, and he laughed as he touched frost-tipped grass.
For a while longer, they sat on the bank holding hands, enjoying a quiet companionship that felt as natural as breathing.Eventually, they returned to camp, ready to face the day’s work together.
It took a full week to coordinate what would go with whom, settle on a meeting location for the rest of the group, and pack things up.Ren’wyn felt strange striking the tents, knowing she would be staying in and out of inns along theroad.
Ohn was calm—remarkably so for a child who had endured such horrors.Ren’wyn believed he would heal, both inside and out, in the care of Avonlee and Lia.She spent long hours walking the two women through treatments for coughs, stomach ailments, headaches, contraception, pain, and anxiety, ensuring they could care for each other and Ohn well.They listened attentively, reading over her instructions and asking questions until they were confident in their understanding.
Teaching them filled her with purpose, anchoring her amid the whirlwind of change.
Later, finding herself idle, Ren’wyn wandered to the stream.The gentle babble of water and the cool breeze played with her hair as she contemplated her future.What had begun as a desperate flight to freedom had shifted into something far heavier—a path of responsibility and purpose.She was healing, yes, but she still struggled to reconcile itself with the growing sense that her life might be tied to a destiny larger and more significant than she had ever wanted.
When she shared her thoughts with Fael, he reassured her with his words, his touch, and the steady warmth of his presence.She could feel his love and trust in every glance and embrace.
Zev, too, noticed her unease.The last afternoon all together, he invited her to play with their powers, transforming his features with his strange magic while she wove dappled shadows over him along the edge of the forest.His emptiness swallowed the fringes of her shadows, fracturing and spreading them, creating a mesmerizing mixture that blended perfectly with the forest floor.
Fael found them after sparring and laughed delightedly as he realized their combined magic could render him nearly invisible under the shimmering, fractured cloak they created.
Esrin joined when he passed by, and the four of them experimented with their powers together, building on one another’s strengths.Ren’wyn soon realized she was the cornerstone of their magical synergy.None of the others could blend their powers without her, a realization that sent a pang of unease through her chest.
As the afternoon faded, Sorya and Relya joined in as well, collaborating with Esrin to create a dazzling display of spinning leaves, water-formed animals, and intricate cracks patterned through the earth.It was breathtaking and bittersweet—a last shared moment of creativity and connection before the group splintered to pursue different paths.
That night, Ren’wyn sat between Fael and Leta at the fire, a bowl of food in her hands and a deep ache in her chest.This would be their final night together like this, and she struggled to keep her emotions in check.Leta noticed and leaned over, grinning as she nudged Ren’wyn’s shoulder.
“I can’t wait to see what you think of the desert and the cold wild of the Steppes,” Leta teased lightly.“Promise me you won’t getlost?”
Ren’wyn smiled, tucking into her supper as she answered, “Promise.”
34
In the morning, they moved everything in stages to the road.Esrin and Zev escorted Lia, Avonlee, and Ohn first.By midday, Fael and Ren’wyn joined Wilenrut, Irik, Sorya, and Relya, bringing the final cart out of the woods and onto the southern road.The two groups would split in four days—Fael and Ren’wyn continuing south while the others turned east toward the Capital.
The six travelers planned to reunite with Zev and Esrin in two weeks in Riva, plenty of time to cover the distance by horseback.Their rooms would be at the Skipper, an inn near the main wharf.In the meantime, they relished their shared journey, camping under the stars each night.Ren’wyn held tight to these moments, tucking them into the deepest parts of her heart reserved for her companions.
At night, Wilenrut entertained them with myths of giants and dragons in the northern mountains, while Sorya and Relya shared stories from their time on Anduan.Ren’wyn recounted the battle with the dark army, and Fael made everyone laugh with his exaggerated version of her tumble into the creek outside Orr.They shared drinks and laughter, savoring these precious days before their paths diverged.
On the fourth day, the cart turned down a busier eastern road.Ren’wyn waved a teary farewell as she mounted up in front of Fael on their double saddle, ready to continue south.
As they traveled, the days grew shorter and the forests denser.Rocky cliffs jutted from the wooded hills, adorned with white waterfalls tumbling over their edges.Riding astride Patina, Ren’wyn reached forward to pat the horse’s strong neck, marveling at the quiet beauty around them.Settled in Fael’s lap, she noticed the profound stillness of traveling alone together once more.Cicadas sang in the early fall warmth, and Patina’s hooves created a rhythmicclip-clopon the dirtroad.
“How are you holding up?”Fael asked, breaking the peaceful silence.
Ren’wyn smiled, thinking of their friends.“I’m doing all right,” she replied.“I miss them, though.It’s strange to be on our own again.”
His hand rested lightly on her thigh.“It is,” he agreed, his voice soft.“But I’m going to try not to miss them so much that I forget how much of a gift this time with you is.”
