“Then stop having sex with her, Bro,” Art said simply, but there was a hint of humor in his voice.
“I wish I had the strength to accomplish that.”
I chuckled and covered my mouth again, hoping they hadn’t heard me. I felt bad for Cyn. I could understand where he was coming from but that answer was too funny.
“There is also the matter of this secret I have kept from her. I cannot in good conscience marry her while hiding something like this from her.”
What the hell? My breathing pretty much stopped, and I got closer to the door. Cyn didn't seem like the kind of guy that lied. What wasn't he telling her? I needed to hear this as if my life depended on it.
“I know, Bro, but she can't find out. This is different. He has only gotten more violent, and desperate with every day that has passed. Even if he can't really hurt her, we can't allow her to see him.”
“That is not my only concern, Art. I am fearful. She has finally left the anger and pain behind. I dread what might happen once she realizes he has awoken, of what she might do when she sees Felix again.”
I gasped and threw the door wide open. Their startled eyes fell on me.
CHAPTER 8. QUESTIONS
CYNWRIG
* * *
Dread filled my every cell as the seconds stretched. My eyes searched Lia's face as her complexion became pale. She had heard us. She knew Felix was awake and the mere mention of his name had the effect my brother and I had feared. Her chest rose and fell sharply as her breathing increased. Her gaze was both alarmed and lost, and I harbored no doubt of what that meant. The memories, the pain, the screams, everything she had endured at the hand of the Romans had rushed into her at once. Her hands began to tremble. My intention was to go to her, but before I could move my brother was by her side.
Art raised his hand to cup her cheek, and she jumped away from his touch startled. “Hey, it's ok. It's just me. Chewie.” He said attempting to touch her again while looking into her eyes. Her gaze settled on him but her eyes seemed unfocused.
“He’s awake...” She asked in barely audible voice.
Art nodded. “Yes. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.”
Lia shook her head and crossed her arms as though trying to resist the pull of the trauma she had suffered. She shut her eyes tightly and held herself, taking deep breaths.
“I'm here for you. I'm here.” Art said reaching for her, she moved yet again out of his grasp, and backed herself against the wall. She was trying desperately to be strong, yet her body slightly shook from the images she was reliving. I knew the exact moment she lost the battle with her mind. Her hands flew to her thighs, and she began anxiously rubbing them as though to assure herself that the pain was not truly there, that the cuts on her skin were gone. Her eyes opened, and she looked straight into my eyes.
“Don’t tell her.”
The words were almost lost when her sobs took over, and she covered her face, crying. Nevertheless, I heard them.
Art pulled her to him, and embraced her fiercely. “It's ok I'm here. He can't hurt you. No one can hurt you. I'm here. I won't let them.” He carried her in his arms, and she clung to him, he laid with her on the bed. Art caressed her back as he repeated his vow to her, over and over. “I won't allow anyone to hurt you, Lia. I'm here for you.”
I walked to the secret entrance of our waterfall while Lia’s reaction remained in my mind. The pain in her eyes had gone right through me. I feared how Briana would take the news if she were to find out. Was I really capable of keeping this secret from her for much longer? How long would it take before she saw in my eyes that I was hiding something from her? Before she felt it through our connection?
I stopped outside the hidden entrance when another thought entered my mind. Amongst everything that had transpired since Briana and I met, was asking her to be my wife something that would strain her transition into this life? Or rejoice her? We had both endured much in the past months, if there was one thing we were certain of, and could rely on without a shadow of a doubt it was our love. We were two sides of the same coin. Two halves of the same essence and although I had not courted her properly, I knew that what we shared could never be held to traditional principles. Furthermore, could I be capable of holding myself back much longer? I thought not.
I began to climb the boulder and stopped when voices reached me. There was someone with Briana. I pushed myself up and jumped so high I cleared the rock. When I landed on the other side Bri was standing right before the pool of water. She was alone. She whirled around startled.
“Who is here with you?”
I asked alarmed, walking towards her, and pulling her to me. I looked all around us, but I could not detect anything, though I could feel the remnants of an essence. My eyes flew to my forearm while Briana talked, but I could not hear her. My eyes searched every inch of my skin, but the map was not present. It had not warned me of anyone's presence. I looked at Briana, and she sighed. Her hand caressed my chest, and she kissed my lips softly.
“There was no one here, baby. Please calm down. It’s just me, waiting for you. Well, and Tullia.”
My eyes went to the boulder near the cascade, and I saw Tullia laying there, watching us. If someone had found a way through the wards that protected this place in an attempt to harm Briana, Tullia would have taken care of it. My thoughts and fears had gotten the best of me, after seeing Lia in that state over Felix, I presumed.
“You forgot about me, baby. It’s really late. Where were you?”
Briana asked cupping my cheek and making me look at her. My eyes settled on hers, and I saw the worry in them. “I am sincerely sorry, my Goddess. I had to take care of a few things with Art and time got away from me.” I kissed her lips and stared at her once more, wondering what I should do. Lia's words interrupted my questioning.
“Don’t tell her…”
“Hey, what’s the matter?”
She asked concerned, and I shook my head slightly. I cradled her face and kissed her lips deeply. Once the kiss ended, I rested our foreheads together. “Let us go home.”
I opened the portal, and we walked into the hut. I looked around while she removed her shoes and clothes, realizing how small my hut truly was. It had been perfectly adequate for me while I was alone. However, I had Briana in my life now, and she deserved more than this. My gaze settled on her bed, which barely suited the area where my mine had been once.
“I have decided to ask my brother Art to build us a bigger hut. You need more space, and I want you to be comfortable here. Maybe I can even persuade my brother to bring you a few other things from the outside world. To make you more comfortable.”
She grinned turning towards me. Her beautiful bare skin glistened in the light of the fire. “Convince Art to go into the outside world? Who are you kidding? He asks me every day if I need him to go to Target for something. He needs convincing to stay here.”
I chuckled and wrapped my arms around her waist. “I love you. I hope you can understand how deep those words lay within my heart. There is nothing I would not do for you,” I declared, looking into her eyes and trying to hold the words that burned me inside.
“Well, I am very lovable.” She embraced my neck and kissed my lips.
“You are indeed.” I pulled back searching her eyes for an answer. She gave it to me. “Let us leave tomorrow and spend the day together. The two of us, away from here. No duties, no chores. I wish to spend some time together, where only you and I exist.”
Her smile widened, and I could see the sparkle of happiness in her eyes. “Let's.”
ART
* * *
“Shh, it’s ok.”
I said caressing Lia's back. She lay in my arms on the bed. Her head rested on my chest while she still held my shirt. Her fist was full of the fabric, and she was holding on to me for dear life. She had stopped crying, but her breath still caught every few minutes. Seeing her like this made me want to rip someone apart. A very specific someone, who
wasn't entirely out of my reach.
Lia was not a weak woman. She wasn't the type of girl that needed someone to hold her hand. She didn't get scared, and for what I had learned about her, she confronted everything head on, which made me worry even more during these moments. Her physical scars had healed, but the emotional ones remained, and I was afraid they might be deeper than I expected. Although I wanted to help her, there was not much I could do for her except be here when she needed me… like she did tonight. I kissed her forehead and gently caressed her back. My fingers traveled lazily up and down her spine, and with each stroke, I felt her relax next to me. I squeezed her.
“I'm going to make you some tea.” I attempted to move, but her grip tightened on me.
“Chewie, please don’t go.”
I smiled. “I'm not going anywhere. I'll still be here. I'm just going to make you some tea to help calm your nerves.” She shook her head. I took a deep breath. “Ok, what if we both get up and you come with me to the kitchen to make the tea?” She shook her head again. “What if we both get up, but I hold your hand while I make the tea?” another no. “I got it. How about this? I get up, and you climb on my back like Yoda so I can make you the tea?” I grinned looking at her, and she narrowed her eyes at me. I wiggled my eyebrows adding to the effect, and she pressed her lips together trying not to laugh. I could feel it in her body. She was almost back to normal. “Oh, come on! You have to laugh, that was a good one.” She chuckled, and I pumped my fist in the air triumphantly. She smacked my chest.
“Stop.” She said, in a whiny voice and I winked at her.
“It's tea time.” She shook her head and pulled my shirt open, just enough so that she could rest her cheek on my skin. Her fingers began to play with the small hairs between my pectoral muscles. “You know, I'm going to start charging you for snuggles. I'm beginning to think that you only like me as a pillow.”
“What gave it away?”
“Ha, ha!”
“A fuzzy pillow.” She corrected, and I looked at her in mock shock.
“Excuse me? I manscape ok! How dare you?” She laughed, and I knew I had her. I got up, and she sat on the bed still chuckling. “Ok. Tea time.”
She sighed and took the pillow from my side of the bed, hugging it. I removed my shirt and threw it in the dirty bin. It was wet from her tears. I pulled out a white T-shirt from the dresser, but I didn't put it on right away. Instead, I swung it over my shoulder and walked to the kitchen.
“Where were you today?” I asked turning to look at her while I opened the canister with the passion flower petals. Lia lowered her eyes to the pillow. She didn't answer. “You came home late. I don't like that, Lia. I was really worried about you.”
She rolled her eyes. “Hey! I was worried, ok? I looked for you everywhere.”
“Well, obviously not everywhere or you would have found me.” She smiled.
I sighed. “Where were you, Lia?”
“Around.”
I placed the small pot on the hearth to heat the water, and faced her with my arms crossed over my chest. “Were you with Seima?”
“No.”
“Then what were you doing?”
“Noneya.”
“What?”
“None of your damn business, Art! I was with a friend. You weren't here, Seima was busy, Bri was on her secret superhero lair, and I was bored out of my mind. So, I went out to visit a friend. I was in the village. I didn't cross any wards, or venture outside. I was here all this time. So lay off!”
I frowned. “Which friend?”
She slumped on the bed. “Cathair. I was with Cathair. Happy now, father?”
My jaw tightened. What the hell was she thinking? “You went to Cathair's home? Alone? What the hell were you doing with him?”
“Uh, excuse me, but that is not your problem, Pal.”
I took a deep breath removing the pot from the hearth. “It is my problem. You are staying with me, in my home, and I’m responsible for you, Lia. That already looks bad enough. Things are different here. Women don’t go into single men’s houses by themselves, especially in the middle of the day when everyone can see them.”
“Then I’ll go at night when no one can see me.”
I tried to calm, but I wanted to strangle her. “People will talk about you, Lia. Please understand. Most of them think you are with me.”
“In your Dreams.”
“Lia!” I banged the table, and she jumped. Her eyes widened.
I took a deep breath and turned around. I didn’t want to fight with her, especially after how sensitive she had been a moment ago, but she was playing at every single string of patience I had. Why did she have to be so infuriating?
“I'm sorry. It's hard for me to understand how things work here.” She said, standing behind me. Her hand rested on my back, and she caressed it. “I'm not trying to be difficult. You have done a lot for me, and I appreciate that. The last thing I want is people talking about you…”
I turned around and cupped her cheeks. “They already talk about me, Lia. I don't care, because I know why you are here. I know you need me, and I want to be here for you. It's you I don't want them talking about. I want to protect you, don't you get that?”
She sighed and looked away from my eyes. “I'm sorry. I just went to visit Cathair to ask if he could help me make some jewelry with my stones. Seima told me that he was a blacksmith, that he worked the silver and would be able to help me. I didn't think anything of it. Back home it means nothing to visit a friend. No one cares.”
“I'm sorry too, Lia. I didn't mean to yell.” I kissed her forehead and hugged her.
“Is Cathair not a good man?” She asked, suddenly nervous.
I looked at her, instantly regretting my previous reaction. “He's a great man and Warrior, a good friend of mine, too. Seima wouldn't have sent you to him if he wasn't.” I took a deep breath, measuring my words. “I didn't mean he wasn't honest or honorable, it’s how the village will see it that I'm worried about. I'm sure he'll help you with whatever you need.”
She nodded, pulling back. “He already did.”
She turned around and walked to the door, picking up a small basket I hadn't seen her carry before. She must have dropped it when she heard Felix’s name. She sat on the bed and opened it pulling out a ring. Her hand extended towards me, calling me, and I went to her.
“This one is yours.”
She said, holding my hand and sliding it on my middle finger. I looked at it closely. It had a square stone on it. There were different tones of blues and green in it, forming an intricate pattern.
“It's called Shatukitte. I like it because it looks like the earth was trapped in one stone. Mountains, oceans and all.”
She smiled, and I looked at the stone again. My eyes widened when I recognized the pattern. It resembled an image that I had seen in one of my trips. One, of the planet earth seen from space. “It really does.”
“It's for internal strength, and trusting your intuition. It helps you believe in yourself to make the changes you need in your life. To fight for what you want.”
I smiled and tugged at her hand pulling her into my arms again. “Thank you. It is perfect for me.”
“I know,” Lia said, hugging me back.
I turned and went back to the kitchen putting the petals in her cup. When I turned around she was siting on the bed, and looking at the stones but her eyes had become sad again. I wanted to kick myself. She had calmed down, she was even laughing and I just had to act like an ass.
“Will you please make it stronger tonight?” I nodded and saw her climb in bed, and get under the sheets. She didn’t even bother to change out of her clothes.
I took the small vial where I had the passion flower juice, and added a few drops to the tea. I placed it on the night table next to her, and helped her drink it. She turned and hugged the pillow again, closing her eyes.
I was truly a jackass.
The portal opened, and I found Eisha lyin
g in bed. She smiled and reached for me. Lying next to her, I wrapped my arms around her, lifted her chin, and kissed her. Our mouths moved in unity as I deepened the kiss and grazed her tongue with mine. My hand caressed the bare skin of her back, wishing I could go further with her. I needed her, yet I knew she wasn't ready. She pulled back from the kiss and looked into my eyes.
“I thought I would not see you today, a chara.”
I smiled caressing her cheek. “Nothing could keep me away. I was just waiting for Lia to fall asleep so I could come to you. All I wanted was to be here with you.”
I kissed her again and pulled back to look at her. She smiled and cupped my neck, pulling me back to her and kissing my lips. My body shifted, and I lay on her, feeling her breasts press against my chest. My hand moved to her waist while her arms wound around my neck. How many times had I wished to hold her like this, to kiss her this way, and feel her body under mine? She moaned on my lips, and my body began to respond to her. Her hand left my neck, and she touched her head. Her lips suddenly felt numb on mine, and her body became limp under me. I pulled back, realizing she was going into a trance.
“Shit!”
I said, getting up and laying her flat in the center of the bed. I rushed for the thick blanket I kept in her trunk, and draped it on top of her. I grabbed her arm, tucking it under the blanket. Her skin was already ice-cold, and her eyes were glowing that eerie white they usually did. I laid next to her and pulled her into my arms, holding her tightly against my body. I rubbed my hands on her arms hoping the friction would help her.
“I’m here, Mo Sgòthan. I’m here.”
Renewed Magic (The Ancient Magic Series Book 2) Page 14