Page 35 of The Shadow Fae Rhapsody
This time I force my eyes open to look at the surrounding. Nothing but the freezing, harsh wind greets me.
Another dark chuckle rumbles through him. The deep, husky sound of it tickles my ear. “That wasn’t not so bad, was it?”
“No, not at all,” I mutter against his chest, rubbing my eyes from the sting of the wind.
Svenn sees my struggle. “I’m going to make goggles for you if we’re going to do this often.”
He must have read the question in my eyes. “It’s something to cover your eyes while we’re flying. My father was a metalsmith. I dabbled on it in my human years and inherited some of his crafting skills.”
I treasure the bits of information of his past in my heart.
“It may not be as good as a dwarven—”
“I’m going to love it,” I quickly vow.
He gives a quick look before a smile tugs the corner of his mouth. “All right, Nel. Let’s see if you like the one I’m about to show you first.”
Of course I will. I’m going to cherish every gift from Svenn.
Each powerful stroke of his feathery wings brings us higher up to the bright blue sky. I remember the talon-tipped wings from last night. I suspect Svenn doesn’t use it today to avoid scaring me.
Despite the prickling in my eyes, I try to look at the sweeping view of the ground. We soar above thick woods, golden marshes, and twinning rivers. They are all a magnificent sight to witness from a bird’s eye view.
Yet they fail to pull my eyes away from Svenn. He is beautiful—beautiful in a way dangerous things are. I find myself stealing a glance at him at every opportunity. My heart sings a happy song each time I succeed.
“Tell me where we’re going,” I demand after a while. I should have probably asked that earlier, before going thousands of feet above the ground.
His eyes flare briefly. “It’s a surprise. You’ll see it when we get there.”
Surprises scare me…
I jut my chin to the large bag he carries along with us. “What’s in that?”
“Chicken,” he answers me this time. But doesn’t elaborate. “We’re almost there.”
The way he’s ardently looking at me sends tingles to strange places. My body remembers the feel of his warm, wet lips traveling along my throat, the way his hand touched me, and the feel of his hard length pressing on my back last night.
I’ve heard of people sleepwalking or sleep talking, but what Svenn did to me in his sleep was… I have no word for it. But I know I liked it. Would it be considered taking advantage of him in his sleep if I just keep it quiet?
I steel myself and give the surroundings another look to shake the inappropriate thoughts in my brain. I recognize the snowy peak of the sacred mountain of Mallusa from the region of southern region of Araddia at a distant.
We will cross the borders of Aelfheim soon into the wilderness of the Fae territory. The very thought of it makes me anxious.
I shiver a little and it’s not from the cold.
His gaze lingers on me for another instant. “Are you scared?”
“No.” I try for a smile.
But I think Svenn sees right through it. “I’m glad you’re no longer afraid of flying. You’re a natural at this, Rhianelle.”
“I’ve flown before,” I admit.
All the warmth on his face disappears.
“With whom?” I hear the edge in his voice.
“A friend,” I simply say. It was long ago back in Astefar, and unlike this scary flight, Sadie kept me safe in her back pocket whenever we took off.
