Callum heard Elise’s sharp intake of breath, and her eyes widened, startled by his confession. He flashed her a charming and seductive smile, which in his past experience had put every other court lady’s heart aflutter, and withdrew his hand.
He allowed himself the indulgence of taking one last look at her; taking in her flushed cheeks, swollen lips, heaving breasts, and enticing curves—almost preening with satisfaction he’d done this to her; before turning around and walking away.
Without him noticing, she’d somehow managed to burrow her way deep inside his heart…
He pushed out a weighty breath, feeling his chest squeeze uncomfortably from the realization. He could only hope that with time, he would come to mean just as much to her. For now, he’d have to be satisfied with knowing she was at least beginning to develop feelings for him.
CHAPTER TEN
Elise flopped down on her back onto the plush fur covers of her bed. She stared up at the ceiling, still in shock over what had happened. Callum had kissed her…and she’d actually kissed him back!
Even now, part of her was revelling in the memory of the kiss, while another part of her was berating her for her own treachery. Her actions and feelings were a betrayal to her original intention to escape from here and return back the human realm! Away from Callum…
Her heart squeezed painfully for a moment as the thought of being separated from Callum floated across her mind… It thudded loudly in rhythm with her rapid pulse and the blood rushing to her ears.
Throwing an arm over her face and covering her eyes, she groaned, frustration shooting through her as she thought of the implications of her muddled feelings…
On one hand, she wanted to go home—where she belonged—but on the other, she couldn’t bring herself to part with Callum. It seemed, while she wasn’t paying attention, she’d allowed her guard to slip around him, and now she was in red hot danger of completely falling heart, body and soul for the man!
She growled, not liking the situation one bit, and tossed around agitated on the bed. But that kiss was definitely something... she thought, heart racing. It had felt like a spark had been ignited between them, stoking to an outright inferno of flames as their kiss had deepened.
She’d felt her own body tremble in that intimate moment; Callum’s searing touch turning her insides to jelly as he’d claimed her lips and encased her tremoring body inside his strong, muscular arms. Her body had melted against his chest of its own accord, and a hunger like nothing she’d ever felt before had skyrocketed inside her!
Yearning, desire, lust and need had exploded within her—the intensity of the emotions flooding her, frightening! But even greater than the fear she’d felt, was her thirst for Callum…she’d wanted to explore and know every inch of him, intimately and in detail. To bury herself deep within the heart of his soul and find out if he also felt the calling she did… She wanted to know if he cared as deeply for her as she realized she did for him.
Or whether he saw her merely as an object he was owed—an item he had bargained for…if he simply wanted to possess her because he believed it was his right to…
Elise scrunched her eyes and groaned out loud, rubbing her lids with her balled fists. This was so unbelievably far from her original intentions and feelings, and she couldn’t help the frustration building up like a volcano inside her. She felt ready to erupt at this point.
A selfish part of her wished Callum had been human, and that she’d met him in her own world under normal circumstances—perhaps serendipitously during one of her shifts at the grocery store…
She imagined he was a customer who’d come to the checkout…he’d flash a charming smile at her while she rang his purchases through the cash register, and she’d smile shyly back. Their subtle flirting would go on for maybe a month or so, and eventually he would’ve asked her out…
Well, that’s how she pictured it in her ideal world anyway. Unfortunately, instead, she’d been used a bargaining chip by her father and given away without so much as another thought.
The reality of the situation burned through like a bitter thought to the surface of her mind: she was a captive, being held in the Fae realm against her wishes, and worst of all, Callum was her captor…
But of course, her life had always been a mess, and it’d only hurt more if she kept hoping otherwise.
Her throat suddenly became dry, and she found it hard to swallow. A horrible thought flickered across her mind: was she developing Stockholm syndrome? The very idea of it made her sick to the stomach. But after taking a deep, shuddering breath, and a few more after that for good measure, she considered her feelings and evaluated the situation with carefully and knew it wasn’t the case.
Callum had not once abused her, or tried to take advantage of her despite their marital status. He allowed her a fair amount of freedom in what she did during the day—as long as she remained safe and was accompanied by a guard, and the amount of support he’d given her in the case of Gideon…well, it had been much more than what she’d expected, and it was something she was very grateful for.
Not only that, he’d made her feel like it was okay for her to be selfish sometimes, and pursue things she wanted, rather than allowing herself to be burdened with the responsibility of trying to live up to the expectations of others. This had been the best gift of all, making her feel freer than she ever had!
The thought of this brought a warm, toasty feeling to wrap around her…reminding her of cold winter nights in front of a roaring fire. The knowledge that Callum accepted her for who she was, and not who he wanted her to be, made her feel safe and secure.
In spite of things not being perfect, she felt content…however strange that must sound coming from someone who was stuck in a realm she wasn’t supposed to be in! If she were to be honest, she was slowly becoming accustomed to the life here and she’d grown rather attached to Melody, Aiden and Gideon—she’d miss them greatly if she were to leave this place. Just the thought of no longer seeing them tugged uncomfortably at her heart strings.
She sighed. It didn’t matter much anyway… It wasn’t like she was any closer to finding a way to return home. It looked like she was stuck here for a good, long while; or that’s what she thought at least…
❖ ❖ ❖
The next few days went by without any signs of trouble. Suprisingly, it wasn’t very difficult for Elise to follow Callum’s request and avoid Lord Varian—he didn’t take any meals with them, nor did he come anywhere near Elise’s rooms, the archery field where she practiced, or the study where she tutored Gideon. Even as she travelled between locations in the garrison, she never seemed to bump into the lord.
A large part of this was probably due to Aiden. He was very cautious when selecting their walking routes, choosing the least busy paths for the time of day, to escort her down. He remained ever vigilant of signs of danger, and watchful in case Lord Varian happened to appear unexpectedly and potentially cross paths with them.
But the increased responsibility left its mark: Aiden’s mood turned noticeably sombre—his expression becoming solemn and even grave at times as he carried out the task of guarding Elise.
The change in the atmosphere between the two of them soon began grating on Elise’s nerves. It made her tense and put her on edge.
Without warning, she stopped mid-stride while they were walking together towards the archery field. She turned with an exasperated sigh to face Aiden, who stopped abruptly beside her.
“Is there something wrong, my Lady?” Aiden asked, his brow creasing in a frown.
“Aiden…” Elise began, puffing out a breath of air as she tried to search for the right words to say without offending him. Failing, she folded her arms across her chest and locked eyes with him, deciding to be direct instead. “You really need to relax. You’re driving me crazy with how serious and careful you’re acting! I mean, I understand why Callum and you are worried, but I don’t think Lord Varian’s going to try anything. He hasn’t shown his f
ace in front of me since the lunch, and I can’t imagine why he’d want anything to do with me, let alone harm me!”
Aiden nodded slowly, acknowledging her concerns. “Lady Elise, I can see why you would think that way…only you don’t know Lord Varian. He’s a very shrewd and dangerous man. He can’t be trusted; and from the amount of interest he was taking in you during the lunch, both his Lordship and I feel it’s better to be more cautious while he’s here.”
Elise sighed, a little defeated. “It’s not like I couldn’t sense something was wrong during that lunch,” she said, remembering the Fae lord’s sharp, penetrating stare. “But I really don’t see what he would gain in hurting me. I’m not an enemy of his, and I hold no power that would be of value or use to him.”
“I think you underestimate yourself,” Aiden said quietly, and Elise gave him a confused look. He continued to explain the situation to her in a kind, gentle voice.
“You may not be fully aware of this, but Lord Callum cares for you deeply…you are a very important person to him. Lord Varian has never gotten along well with Lord Callum, and I fear he may use you as a weapon against him.”
Elise stared at the Lieutenant with wide, startled eyes, her mouth opening wordlessly, ready to deny the implication of Aiden’s words, before she clamped it shut. Her heart thumped loudly as what he’d said to her sunk in. Did she dare to believe what Aiden had told her was true?
She chewed her bottom lip nervously, one of her hands bunching the material of her dress beneath her palm—as if the action and feeling of the fabric between her fingers was enough to remind her this was indeed reality.
“Perhaps you’re making more out of this than is there…” Elise countered in a soft murmur, still unable to bring herself to completely believe Aiden’s words.
He gave her a small smile; his keen, observant eyes looking at her compassionately. “No. I’ve known his Lordship for a very long time, and he hasn’t…,” Aiden paused, apparently wanting to say something but seemed to think better of it. “I’m sure your Ladyship will understand in due time,” he finished. “Shall we continue?” he gestured to the pathway ahead instead.
Elise gave him a small nod, and they resumed walking together in the direction of the archery fields. They both remained silent for the rest of the journey, and a few minutes later, when Elise looked up, breaking away from her deep thoughts, she found they had arrived at their destination.
Quickly setting up the arrows and bows, she placed four targets at different distances and began to practice. She went through the movements of her shots almost robotically, her mind clearly on other things.
She soon worked up a light sweat, and after about an hour of shooting, she took a rest. Lowering her bow, she placed it back on its stand. Then, trying to loosen her sore limbs, she pulled back her shoulders, rolling her tired muscles as she assessed the results of her training session.
She’d hit most of the targets within the center area, getting a bullseye every three or four shots. She smiled in spite of herself and the troubles occupying the back of her mind, pleased with her progress.
She was improving greatly every day; the advancements in her shooting and aim fruits of her hard earned labor. Her dedication and determination not to miss any of her daily shooting sessions had impressed even herself! She was proud of her achievements.
“Congratulations, my Lady,” Aiden called out, moving to stand beside her. “Those were some excellent shots,” he complimented, eying the targets in the distance. “I think Lord Callum would be very impressed…”
Elise flushed slightly from the praise, and gave Aiden a humble but proud smile. “It’s all thanks to your excellent teaching and guidance,” she replied. “I couldn’t have improved this fast without you.”
Aiden seemed flattered, but shook his head. “I did very little, my Lady. It’s been your steadfast resolve and efforts which have gotten you these results.”
Elise accepted the praise humbly. “Shall we go inside for some tea and rest?” Elise suggested, and at Aiden’s nod of agreement, the two strolled away from the training fields and back inside the keep.
They made their way into the private study Elise normally tutored Gideon in, and refreshments were brought in by a servant. A silver platter of cake, finger sandwiches and some small apple tarts were placed on the small round table Elise and Aiden sat down at, and they both settled down to eat with Elise pouring them each a cup of steaming hot, black tea.
“So, how are things going with Gideon?” Aiden asked after a while, wiping the crumbs away from his mouth. He’d taken a liking to the boy and had been regularly asking her for updates on how he was doing.
“His reading has improved dramatically,” Elise answered, her eyes gleaming proudly and with pleasure. “I’ve only been teaching him how to read in English, since I can’t read the old Elvish texts,” she explained.
It had come as a pleasant surprise to her that the Fae even wrote in the English language. But after she’d found a stack of books in the study written in the language, she’d learnt from Melody the Fae used both English and the old Elvish tongue, since historically, there had often been dealings between the Fae and humans—even though much of it remained secret.
Much like her father’s business with the leprechauns and Callum, Elise thought wryly.
“Perhaps I can speak to Callum about getting him a tutor to teach him Elvish…” Aiden said in consideration, his eyes becoming thoughtful.
“I think Gideon would be very grateful for that,” Elise replied positively. “He’s a bright child and picks things up quickly. Even the Head Cook has been praising him for how quickly he’s been learning and carrying out his kitchen duties.”
“Do you think he would be interested in joining the battle training?” Aiden said in a wondering voice.
Elise took a sip of her tea, hiding a dry smile before replying, “I think he would like nothing better. But I have my reservations. Maybe when he’s a bit older…besides I’m not sure his aunt would approve.”
Aiden nodded in understanding. “He’s her deceased sister’s only child. It’s only natural for her to feel protective and to want to keep him safe.”
There was a knock at the door. “Speak of the devil…” Elise stated, her eyes shooting towards the sound. “Gideon…” she called out, rising from her seat.
The young boy—now familiar with Elise and Aiden, bounded in excitedly and bent over in a small polite bow, not forgetting his manners. “My Lady. Sir.”
“Have you eaten?” Elise asked, as she motioned for the boy to come over. “There’s still two small apple tarts left for you if you’re hungry.”
Gideon’s eyes lit up in delight and he hurried over to the small table. Elise gestured to him to take the spare third seat, and he slid into it and began earnestly tucking into the remainder of the tarts; a look of pure pleasure and enjoyment on his face.
Elise waited for him to finish eating, then poured him a cup of tea so he could wash the remains of the food down.
“Now, let’s begin your lesson for today,” she said, after Gideon had eaten and drunk his fill. She led him to the couch and they settled in to finish the book they’d been reading over the past couple of days. It was only a short book—a fairytale of sorts that was similar to Rapunzel, but Gideon was enjoying the story immensely.
Immersed in the book, Elise lost track of time and the study session ended before she knew it. Aiden gently cleared his throat, alerting her of the time, and she glanced up catching his silent signal.
Elise closed the book and ruffled the boy’s hair. “You did well today, Gideon.”
Gideon beamed back at her, his small eager face full of energy and excitement. “I feel like the words are coming much more easier to me now—I’m recognizing them more quickly than before,” he said.
“And that’ll only get better,” Elise stated, encouraging the youth. “Now you better be off, or else Cook will have my bacon for making you late back to your kitchen
duties!”
Bartered to the Fae Lord Page 12