Page 35 of Lured By the Dus
“You’re thinking.” He loosened his hold on me. “Don’t overthink it, you just woke up.”
“I know.” I bit my lip. “I was simply wondering what happens now? To Dowler? The runes I found were in the clothes I was wearing when the witch took me. But surely you still have a plan?”
“Yes, I have a plan, but you should rest. Regain your full strength and then we shall strike again.”
“And what shall we do about these feelings between us?”
“I know what you think, Tanith, but until we know for sure what has happened to you, we should not consummate our marriage.”
I bit back my retort, unable to deny that his words hurt me. Was it wrong of me to desire my devastatingly dark, yet beautiful, inhuman husband?
The glow of happiness faded for he’d cast an invisible barrier between us. Although his eyes beseeched me not to be angry with him, a veil of clarity had been drawn over our conversation, forcing a rift between us.
“Come.” He dropped his arms. “I’ll draw you a bath, and then if you’re up to it, I’ll show you the ruined tower.”
I nodded, giving in to him while wishing that things were somehow, someway, different.
25Tanith
Lavender and eucalyptus soaked through my skin as I lay in the tub, letting the warm waters relax me. Even though I remembered little of what had happened to me, it was soothing to relax and take off my bandages. Oren had done his work as a healer well, for the knife wounds on my skin had already knitted back together, leaving only faint scars. It was too early to tell if they’d fade completely or whether I’d carry the signs of the encounter on my skin forever.
I weighed Oren’s words as I washed. He remained in the room, telling me to call if I had need of him. I deliberated over the fact that he’d given me his blood.His blood. I wanted books; I wanted to read and study and find out what that might mean. He claimed to be a healer, and yet, he’d used the magic in his blood to ensure my soul stayed. What repercussions would it have?
Closing my eyes, I sank under the water, listening to my rapid heartbeat. Since awakening, my desire for him had increased. But perhaps that was only a false sensation. Maybe it was his blood calling out to him, wanting to return, and I was simply a vessel. Resurfacing, I shook my head hard to clear the confusion that lurked in my mind like cobwebs in the high ceilings of the castle.
I had to focus on what I wanted and my future. This incident with Oren was but a blip in my life before I returned to Solynn, where body-snatchers did not dwell in the shadows, music did not summon creatures, and inhumans did not exist.
When I got out of the tub and toweled off, there were tears on my face, and I did not understand why.
Later that afternoon, after plying me with more food and drink, Oren escorted me through the castle. I stiffened when we reached the front doors, thinking of the hell dog, but outside, the summer sun was warm and the air smelled like fresh flowers. Signs of the storm had vanished. The breeze was gentle, and no skull creatures threatened to terrify me. Sweet bird song hovered in the distance, and Oren held me close as we walked.
We circled the castle to where half of the sprawling building had been completely and utterly destroyed. Stones had crumbled into dust, and a pile of rubble rose three times as tall as me. Tiny balls of dust kicked up in the wind, and from the ruins wafted a faint scent of sulfur.
“This?” I breathed. “All this?”
“The magic was destructive,” Oren explained. “I searched as much as I dared, but I hope nothing survived that.”
I nodded, closing my eyes briefly as a memory of intense pain made me shudder. “I think I’ve seen enough.”
Oren—attuned to the state of my emotions—led me away. “While you were healing, I walked through the entire castle to secure it with wards against evil. The gargoyles helped wall up the entrances to the damaged part of the castle, but I found something I did not expect.”
“And what was that?”
“You may not know this, but underneath the castle is a labyrinth of tunnels.”
My mind flashed back to the vault, to the dark things crawling underground, blood and torture, and magnificent creatures, bound by foul magic. My fingers tightened around his arm. “Where do they lead to?”
“Some connect to the graveyard, that’s how I initially brought you to the castle.”
Ah, that explained the night we met, and how quickly he’d moved me.
“One tunnel leads to the palace, although I had that entrance blocked a long time ago.”
I raised my eyebrows, studying his chiseled face. “Why? What’s the point of connecting this castle to the palace when, according to past legends, no one wanted to have anything to do with you?”
His lips thinned as he tilted his head and gave me a wry look. “There are many tales about me, aren’t there? What do they say?”
“Those tales are dark because they don’t reflect the truth of your character. They only highlight your dark side, and even that has been embellished.”
