Page 36 of Cherished By the Gargoyle
“That’s what I love about her.” Auren smiles. “She’s fierce as a wildcat with a tongue as sharp as a blade.” I blink at him, stunned. “She’s not quite in love with me yet,” he says in a voice so low only I can hear. “But she will be before we reach home.”
I arch a brow. “You seem sure of yourself.”
“I am,” he replies simply. “She’s agreed to give me a month to prove myself. If she’s not pleased with me by then, we’ll annul the marriage.”
I blink at him, confused. “How did you come to such an arrangement in the first place?”
“It’s… a long story.”
He opens his mouth to say something else, but Vivienne’s sharp voice rings out.
“This is ridiculous, Auren. You can’t really expect me to sleep outdoors like this again. This blanket is awfully itchy. It’s terrible for my skin.”
Auren gazes at her as if she hung the moon as he calls back patiently, “I’ll buy you a softer one at the next town,mellimë.”
Aurora walks up beside me just as Vivienne mutters another string of complaints to her husband.
Aurora stifles a laugh. “He has his hands full, doesn’t he?”
“He certainly does,” I agree.
Aurora grins. “I think it’s kind of sweet.” Her expression turns serious as she whispers. “I didn’t tell them anything about—”
I nod, cutting her off. “I didn’t either. They seem trustworthy, but I think it’s best that we don’t reveal too much.”
Auri nods in agreement.
CHAPTER 21
THALRIC
Asoft sound pulls me from sleep—a quiet, muffled whimper.
It’s Aurora.
She’s pressed against my chest, her face buried in the hollow of my shoulder, her breath uneven. Her eyes are closed as a single tear slips from her lashes, trailing down her cheek.
She must be dreaming.
I exhale slowly, my chest tightening as she curls closer, clinging to me like she’s afraid I’ll disappear. A soft, broken murmur escapes her lips. “Please, don’t leave me.”
The words shatter something inside me. Unable to help myself I smooth the damp strands of hair from her forehead, careful of my claws against her petal-soft skin. “I’m here,” I whisper. “I’ll never leave you, my Auri.”
She sighs, her body relaxing against mine as if those words alone are enough to pull her from whatever nightmare had stolen her peace.
I should be relieved. Should be grateful that she’s no longer crying. But I feel like I’m drowning.
Because it’s the truth. I will never leave her. But not in the way she wants. Even though every instinct inside me insists that she is mine, I cannot truly claim her. I cannot hold her like this beyond this journey. I must be her protector, nothing more.
But gods, how I wish things were different.
Running my fingers lightly through her hair, I commit every detail of her to memory. The way her rich chocolate strands feel like silk against my skin, the way her lashes cast delicate shadows across her cheeks, the faint curve of her parted lips as she breathes deeply in sleep.
My heart clenches, for I know I will not have many more nights like this.
Holding her, I struggle to ignore the dull ache in my chest, the agony of knowing she cannot be mine.
As the first light of dawn stretches across the sky, I slowly untangle myself from her warmth, careful not to wake her. She stirs slightly, frowning when I shift away, but she doesn’t wake. I tuck the furs tightly around her smaller form, shielding her from the morning chill, lingering for a second longer than I should.
