Page 86 of A Clash of Embers

My confused expression was making me look around us, searching for a way out of what he would tell me. Stepping closer I felt the heat from his body.

"When you became a goddess, we all felt it. Our natural forms felt it. It awakened us. Every being in this world is bound to you. We are meant to serve you. Protect you. Last night I was on this... this high from being connected to you after you saw me in my form. Being able to fly with me, it was…"

He stopped talking and I couldn't explain why he was so disappointed. "I'm not sure I understand why you're so upset?"

“It’s because when you were riding with me I felt this pull towards you. This overwhelming feeling of protection. Of love. Of a desire to keep you safe. To keep you close. I had never felt that before with you, and it scared me. And last night, I felt all the feelings you were exuding. Every single one. The purely feral feelings you have for Ev is insane. I couldn’t imagine having that type of love for someone in my entire life.”

He sighed, running his hands through his hair, “It wasn’t that I wanted to do something with you last night, Clara; it was that I wanted to ensure that you were happy. That you were safe. Part of me feels guilty because I also got pleasure out of it. Not with permission either.”

I stopped him, “Luke. You don’t need to feel bad about anything. You are such a fantastic person and I wouldn’t dream of you ever intruding in my life or crossing a boundary of any kind. I knew what you were doing and Iallowedit.”

He blinked a few times clearing his vision as I continued, “You and I have always been drawn to one another. We have always been the ones to care the most. To fall the hardest. We are the ones that have always been there when everyone else wasn’t.”

A smile crossed his lips as he pulled his arms around my shoulders, pulling me into a hug. He kissed me on the top of the head and the scent of spicy cinnamon surrounded me.

“'I’ve always loved your scent,” I giggled. “Sorry, that’s a weird thing to say.”

I felt the warmth of him surround me and wrap me into a tight space of protection.

“It’s not weird. At all. You always give me such peace when I’m around you, and I want to make this very,veryclear to you.” He took a deep breath and pulled back slightly cradling my face in his hands. “I'll never sleep with you.”

We both laughed and I heard a voice yelling through the trees.

“What are you doing here?” I heard Ev’s voice boom through to us.

Quickly we started running towards the clearing, where the tents were set up. Once we got there, I thought my eyes were deceiving me. Bethany and Lettie stood amongst a large group of our people. Bethany looked frustrated and angry with Eros, but Lettie just stayed put, watching cautiously.

Once their eyes tracked to mine, Bethany immediately locked her gaze on me.

“Clara? Oh, my gods. Are you okay?” She rushed towards me, pulling me into a huge hug.

When I pulled out of the hug, I peered over her shoulder at Lettie.

“You found Lettie?” I asked Bethany.

She smiled, “Yes. I did. It was important for her to come with me. She didn’t need to be alone anymore.”

Gods. I felt that to my core. I could understand her feelings completely.

“Lettie. It’s great to see you,” I said softly to her.

She looked at me but the look in her eyes was of absolute fear. She wasterrifiedof me.

“It’s okay if you don’t remember me, Lettie. Everything will be just fine.”

Her eyes bounced between Bethany and me before she looked at Eros. It was also evident that she was not happy with him being here.

“Why don’t we settle in for some breakfast? Take a break.”

Bethany’s voice was quiet from behind me, enough that others couldn’t hear, “That’s why we’re here. We came to warn you. Athiana’s troops are no longer going to the south where Griffin is. They are coming here. They sent out a sweeping crew and they found remnants of you. Therefore, their direction has changed.”

Frantically my mind began to wander into a place it shouldn’t go. A place that shouldn’t be explored.Ever.

“We actually—”

I heard a cough behind me and when I saw the expression on the faces in front of me, I knew that I would need to stop everything I was doing and see who it was.

As I turned, Leo’s face came into view. He was tired. His eyes wore purple circles and his lips were dry. He was exhausted.

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