Page 61 of The Shadow Fae Rhapsody
“Is she now?” His mouth twists with a smile.
I nod with confidence. Even as my world is falling to pieces, his smirk never fails to make my heart skip a beat.
“Come on, let’s get rid of this,” he says, wiping mud off my cheek.
I follow him to the flowing river. The horrible feeling in my chest eases a little after talking to Svenn. My husband has a way of doing that.
“Come here,” I call out to Coral. I want to clean the mud on her scales. Maybe I can get rid of the ‘organic’ red paint too.
She stays where she is by the boulder, tucking her hands into a loaf. I think she’s had enough encounter with water for a day.
“I got her,” Svenn says, picking a damp and cloth and moving towards the stubborn wyvern.
Warmth spreads in my chest as I watch him handle her so gently. Svenn is so convinced that there is nothing good about him, but I don’t believe that. He saved that starving wyvern’s life. It takes a long moment for me to tear my eyes away from them.
I immerse myself fully in the flowing river to wash away the earth and dirt from my body. I wish the water would take these restless thoughts in my head too.
The sun slowly dips in the horizon ahead of us, bleeding pastel colors all over the atmosphere. I climb the riverbank and stare up at the sky above me. A certain melancholy crawls into my chest knowing that it will be filled with arrows and wyverns soon.
“You were right, Svenn,” I say, my heart bunching up in my throat. “The war has begun.”
His features sharpen as he gazes at me. Then he suddenly bends down and kneels on one knee.
I draw in a deep breath at the sight. “Svenn?”
“I meant what I said earlier. You’re not alone anymore, Nel,” he says, his voice rough and beseeching. “You have me.”
My breath catches over those words.
He holds me captive with that gaze for several tortuous beats, his eyes smoldering like molten metal. “If you want to save your kingdom, I’ll stand right beside you. If you decide it’s not fucking worth it anymore, I’ll be there to torch it to the ground with you. Whatever you want.”
“Whatever I want?” I repeat numbly.
“Whatever you wish for, I’ll fulfill it. Even if it damns me.” He looks at me with so much love that I can barely contain all of it in my fragile heart. I don’t want to use him like Curse Bearers did or the way Rainer wanted me to. But I do need his help.
I move closer and reach out to trace my fingertips on the jaw of this vampire who is offering me the world.
It’s not a fair ask.
“Help me protect the innocents.” My voice is small and shaky.
It feels strange at first, making that request, but relief soon streams through my system. My shoulder feels a lot lighter, like someone has removed half of the burden I carry there. He takes my hand and I relish in the comfort the gesture brings.
A smirk spreads across his face as he reads my expression. I don’t know what is written there, but whatever it is, it pleases him.
Svenn plants a chaste kiss on the rise of my knuckles and whispers, “As you wish, Nel.”
Chapter 8 Rhianelle
“Bless be the faithful, bless you my son on your journey.”
I watch silently from my assigned seat at the temple as Lord Sylas Duvall grants his blessings to the Valorian knights on behalf of our Elders.
He walks on the raised stage, anointing and blessing the Valorian knights with his Holy Sceptre and red wine. The dark liquid they poured on the knights looks a lot like blood and my stomach rumbles with unease.
“May the Elders in their unending and undying rule give you strength.”
The Aeonians’ temple knights will depart for Tavan this evening to deliver the bounty requested by the rebels for Blaire and her entourage.
