Page 48 of King Elijah (The Zemiran Chronicles 2)

“I have a plan,” he said, using his head to gesture to his sword laid across the table.

“You’re going to ride into their village and kill him with your sword?” she said mockingly. “Yeah, that’ll work.” The sarcasm in her voice agitated him. He wasn’t an idiot. That was far from his plan.

“No,” he said. “But it’s best that’s all you know.”

“I know, Kieran,” she said. “I know what that coven has been doing the last twenty years with creatures like yourself, starting with Kieran’s uncle. If an elf dares venture into their territory, they’ll kill you or imprison you.”

Aiden nodded. “I know,” he said. “But my only concern is my sister right now. If she doesn’t return to Kieran with King Elijah’s head, which she won’t, he will send another one of his people to find her. It’s going to start a war. I don’t trust Elijah not to trade her for the peace of his people if he runs out of options. I have something that the coven leader will want more than her.”

Tegan’s eyes went wide, glancing at the sword, then back to meet his eyes.

“Then good luck because this is a fool’s errand,” she said. They stared at each other. The unspoken weight of Aiden’s imminent mortal peril filled the room. Tegan took a deep breath and looked up at him through her dark lashes. “This may be your last night of freedom.” Her voice was quiet, just a whisper. It pulled him her way, and he wanted to reach out and touch her.

Aiden lifted his hand, gliding his fingers through the auburn lock of her hair that had fallen across her face and tucking it behind her ear. As soon as he realized what he was doing, he pulled back with a flinch. His hand hovered in the air between them like he had been burned. He felt suddenly and abjectly at a loss.

“You should go home,” he said, voice soft, “or stay here; I don’t care. Just wherever you’ll be safe.”

The fire in her eyes made him drop his hand to his side. Her voice was steely as she spoke, and its sound stoked the growing fire inside him.

“I shot Kieran’s men with my arrows and then helped you escape,” she said as she stared at him. “Do you honestly believe I’ll be safe if you send me back there?” It wasn’t fury carried in her tone but disbelief, thinking he could do such a thing when she’d done so much for him.

She cannot come with me, he reminded himself.

Tegan had proven her worth a dozen times over that day, but he couldn’t take her. He barely knew her, not much more than that she was a strange woman. She fought for him today, but who was to say that would last until tomorrow?

“I’m sorry, Tegan. You’re only a human—” Her expression fell, and he felt like an ass, as if calling her human was an insult. “Right?” He waited for her answer. He’d sensed she was different, but maybe he was wrong.

“Of course, I’m human,” she said, standing up and pacing to the kitchen. She stopped abruptly, turning to look at him, her shoulders slouched. “Aiden . . .” Her lips parted as her words trailed off.

The room stilled for a fleeting moment before she walked to his side and placed her hand on his cheek, calming his thoughts.

“I’m trying to save your life.” The desperation made her exquisite eyes darken. Devotion rolled off her in waves, and Aiden was drowning in it. He was the protector, not the protected. Aside from his own family, he had never known anyone to care for him with such fervent determination in all his life. He would never have expected it from a stranger.

What possible motivation could she have for this? he asked himself.

“How about—” he started, but his voice caught in his throat. “Does this family have anything to drink?”

She gave him a small smile, and the moment took an intimate turn. “I hope so,” she said, looking almost relieved he had asked. “You’re sad. I’m scared. I’d like to forget about it all for a night.”

Tegan turned on her heel and strolled into the kitchen, opening each cabinet until she snagged a bottle of red wine with a triumphant cry.

“Will this do?” she asked, holding it up.

Aiden smiled. “One last drink before I die, I guess,” he said, smiling with good humor despite everything.

She pulled out two glasses and filled them to the brim with the ruby liquid. “Here,” she said, handing one to Aiden.

An hour passed, and while they had finished that bottle, Tegan was able to find a few more in the back cupboard. They drank those, too.

Aiden’s head buzzed, and his mouth was dry, but he was warm, tingling, which made his pain and fear feel far away. It didn’t hurt that every time Tegan leaned over to top off his glass, he was gifted with a view of her bosom, sending his blood flowing southwards. While it wasn’t the most productive use of his energy, it did seem to put things in a rosier light.

He blinked the thought away, setting his empty glass on the table with a dull clink. He looked upwards, expecting to see Tegan readying herself for sleep, but instead, she stood in front of him, so close he could feel the warmth from her body buzzing along his skin.

She reached out to trail her fingertips over his collarbone, her touch not more than a whisper, but it left a trail of goosebumps in its wake. Aiden had almost forgotten what the slow, mounting heat within him felt like, how addictive it could be. His stomach fluttered as he watched her tongue flick out to lick her lips. Oh, how he suddenly understood the raw, primal urge to reach out and taste her.

“Tegan—”

“Shh,” she said, laying a finger over his lips to silence him. “Just be quiet, will you?”

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