“You betrayed me.”
“What? No, I—”
Her mother stumbled back. “He’s here to bring me in, isn’t he? Because I know about Torva, and I’m on Earth. You think I’m a danger to Torva, that I’d reveal the portal locations.” She spat another foreign word.
Evelyn mutely shook her head, horror hollowing her chest.
Her mother slowly backed away, her narrowed eyes never leaving Evelyn. “Even if we’re linked by blood, you’re no daughter of mine.”
Evelyn should have been pursuing her, tugging on her arm, trying to explain. But instead she could only stand there as the words pelted her skin. No daughter of mine. Each word was an arrowhead, passing bone and parting flesh before settling inside her.
“And when I move this time, I’ll make sure you won’t find me again.” Her mother glanced behind her and spewed another curse before unlocking the door and darting into the kitchen.
The door clunked shut behind her, and the lock snicked into place.
“Mom!” Her limbs thawed, and she darted forward. An empty soda can crunched beneath her before her feet rolled out from under her.
She fell forward and her knees crashed into the concrete, taking the brunt of her fall. Heat licked her scraped skin. She stared at the blurring pavement beneath her, shaking her head.
This was a nightmare beyond anything she’d imagined. Whenever she’d been hurt, she’d found comfort in the thought that out there, somewhere, at least her mother would love her.
And she’d been wrong.
23
Assassins
Evelyn had remained perfectly still since Alaric had cleaned her scraped knees and tucked her into bed. The only signs that she was awake were her open eyes and the occasional tear. He stared down at her for a moment, clenching and unclenching his hands with the need to do something, before turning to unpack their bags. If he only knew what else he could do for her, he would.
A few times, he nearly broke the silence with a question, but he caught it on the tip of his tongue every time. What if he asked something insensitive, inciting more tears? What if she wanted to be left alone?
Finally, she was the one who spoke first. “She doesn’t want me.”
Aside from inconsolable sobbing, it was the first noise she’d made in hours.
“She doesn’t love me.”
With a great amount of effort, Alaric eased the clenching in his jaw. “Evelyn—”
“She said I’m not her daughter.” Evelyn hugged the blankets to her chest. “What kind of a daughter isn’t loved by either of her parents?”
Alaric lowered himself to her side. He clasped one of her slender, cold hands between two of his, and the tip of his wing caressed her cheek. Once they’d returned to the hotel room and he’d locked the door and drew the curtains, he’d slipped the backpack off his wings. “What kind of parents are incapable of loving their daughter?” He leaned down to nudge her forehead with his. “It’s not your fault.”
Evelyn turned her head away. She simply needed more time to herself.
Alaric rose, ignoring the tightness in his chest, and entered into the bathroom. After a quick shower and changing into a pair of strangely loose shorts he’d bought earlier—“basketball shorts,” Evelyn had called them—he came back out and stopped at the foot of the bed. “Would you rather me sleep with you or on the couch?”
“Either.” She rolled onto her side.
Something had flickered in her eyes as she’d answered. She did have a preference, but what was it? Alaric suppressed a sigh. He’d best leave her be.
As he lowered to the couch, Evelyn sat up. “No. Wait. I–I’ve changed my mind,” she said.
“You’d like me to join you?”
She nodded, her face flushing.
Pleasure stirred in his chest at her words, and he permitted himself a small smile. Alaric approached the opposite side of the bed and slipped beneath the covers, his wings tight at his sides.
He’d never longed to reach out to someone so much as he did in this moment, but she was emotionally exhausted. Though last night he’d promised her that they’d talk about their kiss—and what came after—he doubted she was ready to do so. He’d save physical advances for another time. After a few minutes, he allowed himself to relax enough for his wing to brush her arm.
Evelyn pressed closer, her side flush against his. To his embarrassment, his breath caught. What would Evelyn think if she knew the only times he’d been this close to a woman were when he’d lain with her? That he was practically an inexperienced youth?
She nestled closer, and a strange warmth tightened his chest. He curled an arm around her shoulders before slipping his wing behind her. He was rather inexperienced when it came to women, but that didn’t matter. What mattered was that she was in pain, and he could help ease it.
Her sigh feathered his collarbone. “I love you, Alaric.”
His lips brushed her forehead. “I love you too.”
The Next Day
In the night, they’d slipped away from each other, and now Alaric was curled on the other side of the bed, his broad back facing her. Muscle curved beneath the scars ridging his tanned skin. His right wing was tucked beneath him while his left arced above him.
With sunlight glowing behind the curtains and Alaric sleeping beside her, Evelyn could almost pretend last night had never happened. She shifted closer before drawing her finger down the length of one scar.
Alaric’s breath quickened beneath her touch. “Evelyn?”
She replaced her finger with her lips. While his scars felt rough, the surrounding skin was tight and smooth. Alaric turned to face her, his wings creating a loose cocoon around them. When she pressed the curves of her body against the planes of his, the tips of his wings quivered.
He hauled in a breath, a question in his gaze. “Do you know what you’re—”
She pressed her lips to his and drew her hands up his bare chest. His body tensed before heating beneath her palms. Every so often, his hesitation would hint at his inexperience.
He was new at this.
She bit back a smile. With the previous men she’d kissed, they’d all been more experienced than she was. Somehow, she found it sweet that Alaric hadn’t had very many kisses. It made this one special.
Alaric eventually grew bolder, slanting their mouths against each other before deepening the kiss. The motions were familiar, but this kiss was different than others. He wasn’t in a hurry to feel or taste more of her before the passion lost its luster. Instead, his lips caressed hers, as if he were savoring the moment. Savoring her. Loving her.
Unlike her mother.
She squeezed her eyes shut. Her mother had no place in this. In fact, it would be best if she forgot about her entirely.
When Alaric drew back, his breathing was jagged and tattered as he gasped for air. Concern streaked his expression as he touched her cheek. His fingertips came away wet. “Evelyn?”
She shook her head and brushed the tears away. “It’s fine. Keep going.” When Alaric hesitated, she drew closer, burying her fingers into his hair and hooking her ankle around the back of his. “Please.”
She could practically feel his desire, his body emanating a steady wave of heat. But then he grasped her wrists, tugging her hands out of his hair, and rolled off the bed.
She sat up, a chill invading her chest. “Alaric?”
He glanced at her, his expression softening. “Don’t be upset. I just don’t feel right about this.”
Her gaze dropped to the rumpled sheets. “About being with me?”
“About being with you at this moment.” He rounded the bed before sitting by her side. “What kind of a man would I be to take advantage of you when you’re still grieving?”
Her spine straightened. “Take advantage? But… I want you to.” The boldness of her words struck her a moment after they were uttered, and heat swarmed her skin.
“Only as a distraction. When we consummate our marriage, I
want you to be as emotionally ready for intimacy as you are physically. And until then,” he kissed her forehead, “I can wait.” He rose and began to walk toward the bathroom.
“Alaric?”
He stopped. “Yes?”
“Haven’t you ever been worried about an heir?”
“I only worry about what’s within my control. Your consent is not.”
“So you never considered forcing me to… you know.”
His gaze grew sharp. “No. I did not.” He nodded toward the bathroom. “Should you have need of me, I’ll be showering.” He entered and closed the door behind him.
Her chest squeezed, until she took a deep breath and forced it to expand. It hurt that he’d rejected her, but at the same time she couldn’t help but love him a little bit more. There weren’t many guys who would have denied their own desires for her benefit.
Evelyn sat back against the pillows. This was the first time she’d been alone since her conversation with her mother. The urge to go to her Room tugged at her, but Evelyn ignored it. She didn’t want a reminder of how the dream she’d idolized for years had been destroyed within a matter of minutes.
But there was no point in sitting here and feeling sorry for herself. She might as well get up and around before Alaric came out.
Evelyn dressed in her hiking clothes and began tugging a comb through her hair. Alaric emerged from the bathroom in a burst of steam, a towel wrapped around his waist, his firm skin shining with water.
Her mouth dried, and she couldn’t quite manage to tear her gaze away.
As Alaric rummaged through his backpack, he caught her staring. Though his face was already flushed from the heat, she was certain his cheeks grew a touch redder. “I forgot to bring a new pair of clothes into the bathroom. I’m sorry.”
“I’m not.”
To her delight, his face grew redder before he retreated back into the bathroom. When he reappeared, he was dressed in jeans and a form-fitting nylon Under Armour shirt.
He perched on the edge of the bed and leaned forward to rest his forearms on his knees, his broad back arching. “What would you have us do, Evelyn? Stay? Return to Torva?”
“I’d like to return to Torva.”
He turned to face her. “I know you’re still hurting, Evelyn. If you’d like time to stay and heal—”
She was already shaking her head. “No, Alaric. I just want to go home.”
At the word “home,” warmth and heat flared in his gaze. “If that’s what you want.”
After an hour-long drive, Alaric parked by the visitors’ center at Mueller State Park.
She slipped out of the car, shut it behind her, and leaned against its side. In front of the car, yellow grass rippled down a slope until ending in a cluster of trees. Last time she’d been in this parking lot, Alaric had been deathly sick and unbearably grumpy.
“Alaric.”
He slammed the trunk and locked the car, his backpack slung over his shoulder. “Yes?”
“Do you think that was really poison? In the bread you ate earlier?”
“Possibly. It was rather strange and sudden to be an illness, and it seems the symptoms only appeared after I ate the Manya.”
“And do you think the Scorpio are responsible?”
“Likely.” He leaned against the car at her side.
“Then where are they? Why would they poison you, appear to be looking for us, and then vanish? Surely they would have at least tried to capture or assassinate us at this point, but I haven’t seen any sign of them.”
“You think they might try to follow us to the portal?”
“Or follow us until we’re alone, and they can deal with us without witnesses.”
He drummed his fingers against the metal. “I think you’re right.” His gaze scanned the parking lot, his brows low.
“So what do we do?”
“Proceed carefully. We can’t allow them to prevent us from returning to Torva.”
“Aren’t there other portals we can use?”
“Yes, but they’re much farther. If the Scorpio are following us, we’ll only lead them to a different portal. We might as well use this one and try to enter Torva as quickly as possible. Once we’re on the other side, the guards should protect us.”
She pushed off the car. “I guess we’d better get going then.” She jabbed a thumb back at the car. “And what are we going to do with that? Leave it?”
“For the time being. I’ll arrange for someone to come through once it’s safe and relocate it.” He strode past her.
They reached the edge of the pavement, and Evelyn’s steps slowed. “Wait.”
Alaric stopped.
She fumbled with the clasp on her necklace. Once it loosened, she cradled the empty locket in her palm and read the words one last time:
Dearest Evelyn, I’m sorry.
-Your Mother, Veralyn
She would always love her mother, but she had to let go of this need to have her mother love her back. And that meant letting her mother go. Evelyn cocked her arm back and flung the necklace into the forest. It glittered gold before disappearing beneath the foliage.
After all, loving someone meant giving without expecting anything in return.
Evelyn lifted her backpack higher and gripped the straps with clammy palms. The forest bristled with sounds—the murmur of wind against the trees, the muffled padding of their footsteps against the dirt, and the occasional chirping. Just thinking of a pair of eyes boring into her back caused her to quicken her pace.
Alaric suddenly veered off the trail. “This way.”
She slowed. “What if we get lost?”
“I know where the portal is. This will take longer, but we won’t be as easily tracked. We’ll go over as many rocky outcroppings as possible to hide our footprints.”
She stepped into the forest and waded through the brush to reach his side, hoping none of the greenery below her was poison ivy. “Will we reach the portal before dark?”
“No.”
She slowed. “No?”
“I told you this route would take longer.” He picked his way through the forest, his footsteps surprisingly delicate and graceful given his size. “Careful where you walk. We don’t want to leave a trail for them.”
Evelyn followed directly behind Alaric. “Do you think they followed us to Earth? And that they could already know where we’re headed?”
“Possibly. But if they haven’t approached us yet, then let us hope that they’ve lost us or given up.”
Unease tightened her chest. Given what she knew of the Scorpio, neither seemed likely.
Alaric stopped over a flat swath of grass, stretched between two trees. “Perhaps we should rest.”
Evelyn’s face flushed with heat. What he really meant was that they were stopping because of her. Given the high altitude and how difficult it was to breathe, she’d kept falling behind.
Alaric’s thumb stroked her cheek. “You needn’t be embarrassed.”
She slid her backpack onto the turf and rolled her aching shoulders. “I know you said we wouldn’t get there before dark, but I just don’t like the delay. And I hate that I’m the one causing it.”
Alaric turned her so her back faced him, before planting his calloused hands on her shoulders and massaging her sore muscles. “I know.”
She tilted her head back and closed her eyes as her body melted beneath his touch. Alaric bent down and kissed her jaw.
“Alaric?”
“Hmm?”
“I want to get married.”
He glanced down at her, smiling. “We are married.”
“But neither of us really wanted to be married, and now we do… right?” She caught her breath and peered up at him. He’d said that he loved her, so surely that implied that he wanted their marriage now, but she wanted to hear it from his own lips.
“Of course.”
“Then maybe we could have another wedding ceremony, one that means something to both of us. And this time
, I could make my vows to you with my real name.”
“If that’s what you want.”
She plopped down onto the grass, the blades feeling like strands of ice against her bare palms. “If it’s what I want?”
His face creased in confusion. “Yes…”
“What about what you want?”
He seated himself next to her, drawing her into the V between his legs. “I want to please you and love you as best I know how. If that involves a private wedding ceremony, then it will be done.”
She smiled. “You know, you really can be romantic when you want to.”
He leaned forward, so she could see him wink. “Anything for you.”
Her lips parted, but before she could release a laugh, he clapped a hand to her mouth. He’d gone completely still, his gaze fixed on something in the distance.
She followed his line of vision, and a chill washed over her limbs. Two man-shaped shadows slithered through the trees.
Alaric bent close. “Assassins.”
24
Downed Dragon
Alaric slowly removed his hand.
Evelyn twisted toward him, keeping an eye on the assassins. “Do you think they’ve seen us?”
“If they haven’t, they will in a few moments,” he replied.
“What do we do?” Each beat of her heart rattled inside her chest.
“Help me remove my backpack. Now.”
She crawled to his backside, and the two shadows suddenly stilled. Likely they’d seen her move. Her hands trembled so hard they nearly vibrated. She gripped the top of the backpack and tugged.
“Harder.”
As she pulled again, the assassins broke out in a sprint, heading directly toward them. As her hands grew clammy, the backpack slipped from her grasp and she fell back into the grass.
“Evelyn.”
She pushed herself into a sitting position and, with a few more pulls, tugged the backpack off.
Captive and Crowned Page 28
