Girl in the Bearskin

by C. L. Stone

  I felt the sheets, the tingling sensation inside of me that seemed to flow like clean water. “This?”

  “Right. Just intensify it. And if you want to share it.” He presented his hand to me.

  I pressed my palm to his.

  “Push it out,” he said. “Toward me.”

  I tried. He closed his eyes, his mouth hanging open. I let it continue for a few minutes and then released it.

  He grumbled when I let go. “There, you see? You’re a tease as well. You kept a good portion for yourself.”

  “It leaves me when I share it?”

  “Only for as long as you push it outward.” He rolled his head back. “I’m going to miss it.”

  I blinked, surprised at this. “You…don’t have it any more?”

  “We rarely create,” he said. “We just…swap. Trade. It was an ability I gained from someone else. I gave it to you. I think I can trust you’ll let me…feel it. On occasion.”

  I kept the sensation to myself for a bit. I intended to share with Wilhelm and Thorne in time. I wanted to perfect it. Now that I had it, I knew it took practice and effort. It wasn’t just an instant thing.

  The road to the capital seemed to take forever. Seven years was long, but this journey had gone on for far too much time. I was ready to settle and be done.

  The only missing piece was Klaus now. I’d promised to return, but it was past the three years I said I’d be back. I’d told him I might not come back if I hadn’t by now. Would he have moved on already without me?

  He didn’t have to come with us. I wanted to see how he ended up.

  Maybe in my heart, I did miss him. I wanted to see if he’d come.

  When we arrived and asked about the Roth family, we were told they’d moved to the inner city, beyond the walls I’d been turned away from before for being a wretch.

  Our carriage approached and we were stopped.

  The guards inspected us, shining a lantern into the carriage.

  They took one look at each of us, and then a very long look at me.

  “Miss,” the guard said. “Beg your pardon. We search every carriage.” He seemed terrified to have to speak to me.

  “You’re doing your job,” I said, although I couldn’t help but feel there was a wedge of anger inside me when they’d turned me away before.

  But I forgave them. They’d no idea how much washing my body back then would have cost me.

  They let us go on through the gate.

  The house we were looking for was in one of the wealthiest in the entirety of the inner city. The homes on this side of the inner walls were very opulent, with the castle for the king being the biggest at the center.

  It amazed me that this was inside, protected further from their own people. Perhaps the king liked his security, ignoring those on the outside for the most part.

  The Roth house was immense. When Shaytan had said Klaus had done well for himself, he meant it.

  The house was lit minimally for the moment. The front lamps were out. Traditionally, it meant the house wasn’t receiving visitors.

  It was a magnificent house. It had high walls around it except for a gate near the front. There were hedges cut into fine animal shapes. The door knockers seemed to be made of solid gold.

  We got out of the carriage. I had a plain, dark linen cloak. My hair was still cut short, grown out only a bit to make a frame around my face. I wore a modest pair of trousers and shirt. Anyone looking at me might not have a clue of wealth or of being poor. They’d have to guess.

  Shaytan tried to talk me into a dress, just for fun. But I told him I had no idea how to wear one.

  The others remained in the carriage for the moment as I approached the door.

  I wanted to check this out myself.

  I waited at the door as a servant came to it.

  “This house is not receiving visitors,” he said. “We are in mourning.”

  Mourning? I hadn’t expected that. My heart sped up rapidly at the words. “Who died? It wasn’t… Heinrich?”

  At the name, the servant opened the door wider. “Heavens, no.” He looked to my face and then the carriage behind me and then to me again. “But they don’t wish to be disturbed.”

  “Please, let me pay my respects,” I said. “I’ve had a long journey just to see them. Heinrich is and old friend of mine.”

  He nodded slightly and then opened the door wider. “I’ll send for Heinrich, then. How do you know him? Who do I say has come to call?”

  “Tell him an old business partner and friend has come. He’ll know.”

  I waited in a dark and cold parlor, the fireplace unlit. The room had leather and velvet couches. I sat in one, increasing the sensation of the cushions giving comfort with the gift Shaytan shared with me. I practiced sensations like that often now.

  While I waited, I thought of everything I’d been through. I wondered how Captain enjoyed being the bear now. His cloak was dirtier than when I’d started. I thought to learn what happen to him, but I didn’t really care.

  Did it matter? I knew his fate. He’d regret his deal, in the end.

  Heinrich came into the parlor alone, wearing all black. He’d aged a bit. The lines at his face deeper than before.

  He came to me and I stood. I bowed my head to show respect. “I’m sorry if you’ve suffered a loss,” I said. “Please, I didn’t mean to interrupt. I just needed to see you.”

  He looked at me, at my eyes and he tilted his head. “He said you were a business partner, but I’ve not had one in… Wait…”

  “Don’t you recognize me?” I asked. I removed the hood of the cape I wore. “I know the bearskin was hard to look beyond, but do you now see who I am?”

  He gasped, his hand went to his cheek beside his opened mouth. “Adelina…is it really you?”

  I nodded, smiling and waiting.

  He seemed to finally recognize me and shook his head. “I can’t believe it. After all this time…”

  He came to me, laughing and then encircled me in big arms. I was moved in a circle as he squeezed me and then put me down again.

  He held me by the shoulders, a happiness overflowing from him. “I never got to thank you for everything you’ve done for us. Klaus. He did all this with what you gave him. Can you believe it?”

  “I do,” I said. I was sure he had a bit of help from Shaytan at first, but nothing went to waste. He did so much better than his own father in such a short time. “I wish to see him. But I don’t want you to tell him it’s me.”

  “He may not believe it at all,” he said. “We’re in mourning. For you.”

  Surprise filled me. “Me?”

  “You told him if you weren’t back in three years, you’d be dead. We had a memorial set up in your honor.”

  I did tell him so. I was late.

  “We were about to have dinner,” he said. “Come. Join us.”

  I moved in a daze to follow him. I put the hood of the cape back up over my head. I was a little nervous to approach. I didn’t want to spook him.

  The table was set with roasted duck and ham and good vegetables. Heinrich’s wife was sitting to the right of the head of the table. The boys, down the line, were seated.

  They all wore black.

  And all but Klaus looked up at me as we entered the room.

  Heinrich went to the foot of the table of one side and pulled a chair away. “My family,” he said, “a friend has come to call and I’ve asked her to dinner.”

  “This is not the time for friends,” Klaus said, not looking up.

  “Don’t be rude,” his mother seethed from across the table. She got up to come to me and presented me with a hand. “So kind of you to visit. Won’t you join us? We were just sitting down to dinner.”

  “Of course,” I said, altering my voice a bit. This had gotten just a bit awkward.

  I sat down, looking at the plate in front of me. We were served and Heinrich kept looking in my direction, too gleeful. “Sons, I hope you’ll show our g
uest some attention.”

  I was only a little amused that Heinrich was trying to play with his sons at this moment. He seemed incredibly rude to his son who was mourning over me but I wondered what he was up to.

  The eldest and middle son looked in my direction.

  “I can’t see your face,” the eldest said. “Could you take your hood down?”

  I did.

  The eldest sat back and nodded. “There. A fine woman. Hello.”

  “Right. It’s nice to have a pleasant face around here,” the middle one said.

  Klaus refused to look up. He said nothing.

  Heinrich sat forward. “Klaus,” he said. “I know you’re…”

  “I’m not in the mood,” he said glumly.

  “I think you should give her a chance...”

  Klaus lifted his face, bright red, a contrast to the blue eyes and the lightness to his hair. “I’ll not have you…” he roared, flinging curses. These were overtaken as his brothers stood up.

  “Don’t be rude,” the eldest said. “She’s a fine lady. Your beast of a woman has disappeared forever. Move on.”

  “He’s right,” the middle said. “Forget about her. She’s probably dead.” He looked to me after. “Forgive him. He’s an idiot. You’re a blessing on our sorrow today.”

  Klaus spun around and looked right in my face, his eyes flaring.

  He stopped, an eyebrow cocked.

  He blinked rapidly.

  “You…look…familiar,” he said, his voice lowering to something tolerable.

  I stood, removing the cloak, and from around my neck, I showed him the ring I wore. The broken piece he’d split himself.

  He gasped, took it, and brought it to his own neck. Around his neck was a gold chain and to it was the second half of the ring. He matched the one I’d given to him with his own.

  He stared at it, for the longest time, quiet.

  “Adelina,” he whispered.

  The eldest brother coughed and gagged. “What? You mean to tell me you’re the old ugly bear?”

  The middle one grumbled. “This has to be a joke. Although it isn’t very funny.”

  Heinrich shook a finger at them both. “You two best leave, and forever know you missed out on one of the best deals of your lives. A beautiful woman and a wealth beyond imagining. And all it took was looking past a little dirt.” He knocked them both on the top of their heads and sent them out of the dining room. He and his wife followed, closing the door to allow Klaus and myself to be alone.

  Klaus had both of the pieces of the ring in his palms. He closed them into his fists, looking at my face. “You’re late,” he said.

  He’d grown an inch since I last saw him. His chin line had broadened. Yet he seemed stronger than before.

  “You’ve done well for yourself,” I said. “I’m impressed.”

  “It was all thanks to you,” he said. He dropped the rings onto the table and he came around to me.

  He caught me in his arms and lifted me off the ground, spinning once.

  He kissed me.

  I pressed a palm to his neck, and with it, I shared with him a feeling of love that had overwhelmed me, for him. He knew exactly how I felt, intensified as best as I could.

  I married him, Klaus. I married Wilhelm and Thorne as well. Shaytan stayed with us, in the big house in the inner city of the capital. I’d settled down and found where my place was.

  We stayed together until the very end.

  About the Author

  C. L. Stone likes :chocolate_bar: and #findingburiedtreasure. Her books are about :revolving_hearts: and @dark_themes and #chocolatechippancakes.

  * * *

  If lots of book boyfriends scare you…run. Run now.

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  Follow her on Social Media:

  http://clstonebooks.com/ https://twitter.com/CLStoneX http://www.facebook.com/clstonex https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6869072.C_L_Stone

  Also by C. L. Stone

  From The Academy Series

  * * *

  The Ghost Bird Series

  Introductions

  First Days

  Friends vs. Family

  Forgiveness and Permission

  Drop of Doubt

  Push and Shove

  House of Korba

  The Other Side of Envy

  The Healing Power of Sugar

  First Kiss

  Black and Green

  Love’s Cruel Redemption (Coming Soon)

  * * *

  The Scarab Beetle Series

  Thief

  Liar

  Fake

  Accessory

  Hoax

  Tempest (Coming Soon)

  * * *

  Other Books By C. L. Stone

  Smoking Gun

  Spice God

  Once Upon a Harem

  Forget everything you think you know about the classic fairy tales.

  * * *

  20+ authors have come together. Each with a fairytale to retell, reverse harem style.

  * * *

  Each story in the OUAH series is a standalone reverse harem with a fairytale twist. They do not need to be read in order.

  * * *

  Visit the website for the complete list of authors and more about the books. https://onceuponaharem.com/

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  After Glows Staff