Page 100 of The Shadow Fae Rhapsody
“We keep doing Lilith and her heirs’ bidding.” His voice turns distant, haunted with memories. “Some of the curse bearers promised to release us after a decade, then came another decade and then a century. They all lied.”
I look at the Arawynn deal on my wrist.
Kill the Fae King.
Guilt mounts in my chest. I should have just granted his request without a condition.
“Immortality at the cost of our soul. I will never rest. I will never know peace. That is the unholy existence I must suffer as long as the curse remains,” he continues. “I am damned for eternity.”
“I will unravel your curse,” I promise as I brush his broad back more gently now. Each of his taut muscles is clearlydefined. I look at the mess of vicious scars. A map of pain and suffering. I trace my fingers along them.
His body tenses. “Nel, what are you doing?”
Svenn’s home, and I can finally breathe again. I rest my head right between his shoulder blades and my eyes water.
“Can I look at you now?” he asks, trying to turn around to me.
“No.”
“Rhianelle…”
“Don’t,” I warn him, keeping my forehead planted on his skin. The shower rains on me, mixing with my tears.
“Is this some kind of punishment?” he asks, his breath hitching. “If it is. It’s fucking working, Nel.”
He tries to swivel again but I shake my head.
“Please,” he pleads.
I finally give him a soft nod. He feels that small movement on his back and turns around.
His hand slides to my throat as he angles my chin up.
“Are you crying for me?” he asks, disbelief lacing his voice.
“No,” I lie tersely.
He strokes my cheek with his knuckles at the evidence. His touch is gentle, almost soothing, a complete opposite to the violence he unleashed on the field.
A strand of his raven hair falls over his face. I try to resist the urge to brush it from his face.
But I fail. I feel him tense at the touch.
He leans closer and I take the opportunity to trace his jaw. It feels like I’m in a trance as my fingertips continue their path down to his neck and chest.
My hand trembles when I realize what I just did. The man had just told me how he suffered because of the curse bearers, yet here I am, touching him.
I cease my selfish act immediately. Before I can turn away, Svenn pulls me to him, spinning me in step. He pins me to thebackwall, bracketing me in with his forearms. There’s no way I can escape him now.
“Why did you stop? What’s wrong, Rhianelle?” He almost growls.
“It’s nothing,” I say, averting my gaze so I don’t have to look at the agony in the dark abyss of his eyes.
His expression turns almost sad. “Are you afraid of me?
“No! It’s not like that.” I panic.
“Then what is it?” he asks sharply.
