As if sensing my pain, Soran's voice whispers in my mind. "I will do everything I can to help you find your family, Liana. I swear it to the Creator."
Emotions lodge in my throat, but I somehow manage to speak around them and whisper, "Thank you."
Turning my attention back to the landscape, I notice we're just above the mountain's highest peak. "As close to the top as you can, all right?"
He nods as he scans the terrain below us. Circling a few times, he extends his wings, allowing the air to catch them, the sails billowing out as he carefully drifts onto a ledge near the mountain’s peak.
Given the size of his form, I brace myself for a jarring landing and am surprised by how lightly he manages to set us down.
The wind is much stronger up here, and I hold tightly to his neck, afraid I'll get blown off as he walks away from the edge to a small, level clearing. The bitter cold air stings my exposed skin as Soran kneels and extends his leg for me to climb down. I shiver as soon as I leave the warmth of his body and stand upon the solid ground.
When I turn back, I stare up at him expectantly, waiting for him to shift, but he doesn't. I wonder if he feels more comfortable as a draken. I'm about to ask when the wind carries a chorus of distant howling. He looks to me, darting his gaze briefly in the direction of the sound before nodding slightly, as if to indicate that this is the reason he keeps his draken form—to protect us.
Biting back my discomfort, I pull the transmitter from my pack and place it in the center of the clearing. My hands shake with the cold, and it takes all my effort to hold them as still as possible while I carefully study the components.
A large shadow falls over me, and the air around me goes still. I look up to find Soran curling himself around me, one wing extended directly overhead to offer shelter against the freezing wind. "Thank you, my big, strong Mosauran warrior," I tease as I stroke his ego. "Your draken form comes in handy sometimes."
His chest rumbles slightly as dark smoke escapes his mouth in his "draken laugh."
Turning my attention back to the transmitter, I carefully piece together the frayed bits of wiring that came lose when I ripped it free of the console. It's not damaged beyond repair, but it's going to take a while to get everything reattached.
After what feels like an eternity, but I'm sure was probably no more than thirty minutes at most, the low temperature takes its toll, and my hands begin shaking. Carefully, I set down the transmitter and turn to press my hands against Soran, tucking myself into the warmth of his body.
He curls his tail tight around my back as he covers me with his wing. His heart beats a steady rhythm beneath me, and I sigh in contentment. Enveloped in his warmth, I'm reluctant when I have to push away, but I know I need to keep going. Our lives depend on this.
As the temperature steadily drops, my breaks for warmth become more frequent. Off in the distance, the sun sits low on the horizon. The day is almost gone. I can't believe I've been working this long. I wish I could have done most of this back in the cave, but I couldn't risk accidentally activating the beacon there. I learned enough in my time as a slave to know we cannot assume that someone responding to this distress signal would do so purely for benevolent reasons.
It's so cold my teeth are chattering. Oh god, I hope Grex and Abby didn't get stuck on this frozen rock also. This definitely wouldn't be good for her or the baby.
Soran gently nuzzles my shoulder to get my attention.
His silver eyes study me with a piercing gaze. He's worried about me. It's strange how much emotion his eyes can convey even in draken form.
A smile tugs at my lips. This is why he's so bad at kartu—he doesn't have a poker face.
"I'm all right." I do my best to reassure him. "Besides, I'm almost done."
He gives me a subtle nod, and I go back to my work.
When I'm finally finished reattaching the mangled wiring, I look up to find him watching me intently. I smile. "This is it."
I press the button to activate the transmitter and watch in triumph as the lights blink rapidly before turning solid green. I let out a whoop of excitement. "Thank god, it worked."
His head jerks back slightly in shock. "You doubted that it would?"
Despite the cold, warmth spreads across my cheeks. I nervously tuck a stray tendril of hair behind my ear. "I didn't want to worry you, but the transmitter was in pretty bad shape after I ripped it out of the console."
He narrows his eyes. "You know how I feel about deception."
"Deception?" I ask, staring up at him in confusion.
His gaze drops down to my lips, and I realize he's talking about when I kissed him as a distraction to stun him and force him onto the escape pod.
I roll my eyes. "You're still upset about that?"
He sighs heavily as his lips form a tight, thin line.
Placing my hands on my hips, I let out a frustrated huff. "I already said I was sorry. You know I wouldn't have done it if I'd had any other choice. Can you please get over it already? You turned out all right, didn't you?" I gesture at his massive form. "Besides, you keep reminding me that you're a big, strong Mosauran warrior."
He lifts his chin and looks down at me with a teasing smirk. "You're the one that called me that first."
I laugh. "All right, all right. And you're never going to let me forget it, are you?"
He arches a brow and dips his chin in a subtle nod.
A smile crests my lips. Yep. He's definitely never going to let that one go.
The wind gusts, and an involuntary shiver moves through me.
His gaze darts briefly to the horizon where the last of the sun's rays spread out across the snow. He stares down at me in concern. “Are you ready to leave?"
I reach back to rub my neck, my muscles sore and achy from sitting hunched over the transmitter all day. The cold only makes it worse, and I can hardly wait to return to our warmer cave.
Starting toward him, I stop abruptly, as the realization hits me. "Hey." A slow smile curves my lips. "You've been talking in my mind and I... It didn't make me react...badly."
A dozen emotions flash behind his eyes before he lowers his head to gently nuzzle my side. He curls a wing around me, pulling me closer as he shields me from the freezing wind. It feels so good, reminding me of the way he held me last night. Just the thought makes me shiver again, but this time it's not from the cold. I'm ready to get back to the cave for more snuggle time with my big, strong Mosauran warrior.
He pulls back just enough to look at me, tilting his head to the side. "What is 'snuggle time'?"
My jaw drops as my cheeks burn red hot with embarrassment. "Can you hear everything I'm thinking?"
He looks up with a thoughtful expression as if considering his answer before lowering his gaze back to mine. "I do not believe so. Would you like me to try?"
I shake my head emphatically. "No." If he only knew all the thoughts I have about him, his cheeks would be the ones turning bright red right now.
When I climb onto his back and settle over his shoulders, he makes sure I'm secure before turning into the wind. My hair whips behind me, and I flatten myself against his back, holding tight to his warm body. Without warning, he breaks into a gallop. I lift my head just as we reach the edge, and my heart slams into my throat as we drop off the side. My stomach lurches, and everything shifts into slow motion as we begin to fall.
Just when I think I'm going to throw up, he extends his wings. Our descent halting so abruptly, I nearly lose my grip from the sudden force. Somehow, I manage to hold on. His wings catch the wind, and we slip into the current, gliding effortlessly through the stream.
Exhilaration rushes through me. I let out a whoop of excitement as he folds his wings and dives through the clouds. The sharp thrill of adrenaline floods my system, chasing away all my fears. "This is incredible!"
Sailing on the wind, we race over the forest. I haven't felt this free in a long time. His powerful muscles flex beneath my thighs as he flaps his wings to m
ake a giant arc over the woods. I lean to the side and extend one hand to skim the tops of the snow-covered trees, watching in wonder as the caps explode in a rain of white powdery dust that trails along behind us.
He makes another low pass over the forest before circling back to our cave. His wings snap open, and he carefully drifts down, landing with an audible thud that shakes the earth beneath us. Throwing my leg over the side, I slide off his back and gasp in surprise when I sink hip-deep into the snow.
With a sudden rush of wind, Soran changes behind me and scoops me up into his arms. I start to protest because I can walk by myself, but he's so much taller, and the cold doesn't seem to bother him like it does me.
As if he senses my hesitation, his sharp gaze meets mine. "Please do not protest my help, Liana."
Wrapping my arms around his neck, I relax against his chest and grin. "I wasn't going to. Believe me, the last thing I want is to get frostbite."
"Frost...bite?"
"You know...where your toes or fingers lose circulation from the cold and eventually fall off?"
His face pales. "You are never leaving the cave again."
I roll my eyes. I'm not going to let him do all the firewood gathering. I'm not some helpless damsel in distress. I arch a questioning brow. "Hey. What happened to your belief that I can take care of myself?"
Probably anticipating an argument, he gives me a pointed look. "That was before you told me about..." He frowns as if trying to find the words, before he finally continues, "Frostbite."
When we reach the entrance, he gently lowers me to the ground, and a small wave of disappointment washes over me at the sudden loss of contact between us.
Chapter 32
Soran
As soon as I set her down in the cave, she starts for the pools at the back.
"If you are thirsty, I will bring you some water if you want to sit by the fire," I offer. Now that's she's told me about this "frostbite," my concerns for her well-being have increased exponentially, and I need to make sure she is warm.
She gives me a quick glance over her shoulder. "I'm hungry, I'm tired, and I'm thirsty. But what I want most right now is a nice, relaxing soak in the pool."
I turn my back to her, giving her privacy while she enjoys her bath. Fixing my gaze on the forest outside, I scan the area for any predators lurking just beyond the light of our fire. The scent of the wolves still lingers in the woods.
They are cunning predators, and they seem to prefer to hunt in packs. We will need to keep this flame going every day to discourage them from approaching our shelter.
When Liana is finished bathing, she sits by the fire. Wrapped in the emergency blanket for additional warmth, I notice her slight shivering despite being so near the flames. I gather more wood and throw it onto the pile, hoping the extra fuel will warm the cave that much quicker.
She tracks my movements with heavy-lidded eyes and gives me a tired smile. "Thank you, Soran."
Longing to touch her, I extend my wings and embrace her smaller form. I've wanted to do this all day. "I will hold you again as we sleep. It should help keep you warm."
Her cheeks redden slightly. "I'd like that."
Happiness blooms in my chest as we lay down. She nestles into my side without hesitation. She feels perfect in my arms, and I wrap my wings tightly around her. A small sigh of contentment leaves her lips as her entire body relaxes against mine.
She trusts me. Completely. And I am honored that she does so.
We lay there in silence, her eyelids drifting open and closed as sleep tries to claim her.
I study her face and the many small dots that cover the bridge of her nose and cheeks. She has told me she loves me, but she has not declared her intent yet to claim me as her mate. If she chooses me, I wonder if our fledglings will look more like her or myself. I hope they take after her, for she is perfect.
My thoughts drift to the Garkol who read her future. Four children. The thought both excites and pains me in the same measure. I cannot bear to think of her with another mate. I pray that the children he saw in her fate were also my own.
It doesn't escape me that I would have had an answer to this question and an end to my agony if I'd only thought to ask him if those children he saw in his vision had wings.
Curling my arms around her small form, I breathe deep of her delicate scent as I lightly skate my fingers up and down her arm, marveling in the soft, smooth texture of her skin. So different and fragile compared to mine and yet so soft, I am already addicted to touching her.
Moving to her back, my fingertips drag over a strange pattern of thick, irregularly textured flesh. I inhale sharply and go still. These are her slave markings. Rage fills me, and I clench my jaw as I think of the ones who did this to her. I wish I could kill everyone that ever touched her against her will.
Her brow furrows slightly as I trace a jagged scar across her shoulders. I tilt my head to gently nuzzle the top of hers, wanting to comfort her even as she drifts in the place between wake and dreams. My protective instincts surge, and I hold her tightly. If anyone dares try to hurt her again, I will end them without hesitation.
As if realizing how much I wish to study her striking green eyes, her eyelids flutter and open, and she gazes up at me sleepily. A soft smile curves her lips.
"You're awake," she whispers.
"Yes."
A brilliant smile greets my words. She shifts in my arms to face me, molding her form completely against mine.
"Is this 'snuggling'?"
A pink bloom spreads across the bridge of her nose. "Yes."
I wrap my wings tighter around her. "I like this 'snuggling.'"
She reaches up, gently tracing her finger across my chest. My nostrils flare slightly as I breathe in our combined scent, and fierce possessiveness rushes through me. I want more than anything for her to claim me, but first...I must tell her the truth.
I open my mouth to speak, but she begins instead.
She cups my cheek. "Today was one of the best days I've ever had."
I frown. "But you were so cold and miserable up on the mountain. I wanted to convince you to return to the cave for warmth because I could barely stand to see you suffering so much." A short puff of air escapes me as a smile tugs at my lips. "But you are stubborn, and I knew you would not listen to me anyway."
Her jaw drops. "I am not stubborn," she protests, staring at me with mock offense.
I arch a brow at her.
She laughs. "All right. Fine." She rolls her eyes and then grins. "Maybe just a little."
She is more than a "little" stubborn, but I know better than to say this.
She continues. "Of course, I was cold, but when we were flying...I felt like myself again. I remembered who I was”—her voice catches—“before I was taken." She turns her gaze to the wall, a far-away look on her face. "I used to be so fearless. I never backed down from a challenge, and I had this...this fire in my soul that burned so bright I felt like I could do anything. And now?" Her eyes brighten with tears. "I'll never be that person again."
A dull ache centers in my chest. I recognize this pain. "After Rowan rescued me, I found it difficult...impossible to return to my old life as if nothing had happened. And as much as I knew my family loved me, they did not understand what I had been through. How could they?"
"What did you do?"
"I traveled to a small village high in the Liral mountains. It is home to a sacred temple. I made the excuse that I wanted to go there to honor the Creator. I hoped that with time spent in deep reflection, I would somehow find myself again...to become the person I had been before I was taken."
"What happened?"
Dark memories return to the surface of my mind, and I close my eyes briefly against the pain. "I realized that the person I had been—that version of me—no longer existed, and never would again. I had survived horrible things, but that was the cost of my survival—the loss of who I was...before."
A tear slips softly down her che
ek. "Sometimes I feel like I'm broken, Soran. As if I'm a stranger even to myself. And, I wonder if...when," she corrects herself, "I find my family again...if they'll even recognize me. I’m not the same person I was when I left."
The resignation in her voice fills me with pain, and I wrap my arms tighter around her. "All the Great and Lower Houses have swords that have been passed down for many generations. Each one unique and engraved with the sigil and words of their House; many even have symbols that represent their owners and the wars they have seen.
"These blades have been wielded over thousands of cycles in defense of the Empire...many of them broken on the field of battle." I run my fingers lightly through her hair and down her back. "Even when they are broken, they are never discarded. Instead, they are repaired with L'omhara. Each line of this ore in the blade tells a story, rendering each and every piece unique. The sections that contain the repair will never break again—having been strengthened in the firing process of binding the two separate metals."
I cup my hand to her cheek as I meet her gaze evenly. "They are stronger and more beautiful for having survived the damage wrought from war." I stare deep into her sea-green eyes, brushing her tears away with the soft pad of my thumb. "We are as the blades that defend the Great and Lower Houses. We are not broken, Liana. We are transformed into something stronger than we were before."
She reaches up and gently cups my face.
"There is something I must tell you," I whisper. "Something I should have told you long ago."
A crease of worry mars her delicate brow. "What is it?"
The Edge of it All Page 23