It was impossible to blink back her tears. She didn’t notice as they ran down her cheeks. In his relaxed state, Diamond realised how young he looked. There was no tightness in his jaw or anger to age his features. For the first time since she had sat beside him in the forest cave months ago, Diamond considered that he was only two years older than her. He always seemed so in control, so powerful and so much more experienced in life than she was that he gave the impression of being older.
Her violet eyes left his face and roamed over his ravaged body. A hiss escaped her lips. A wad of dressing covered the arrow wound in his side. Pressing her mouth into a tight line, she looked over the rest of his bare chest to old scars that created a horrifying pattern on the contours and ridges of muscle. Her blood boiled at the sight of them. He had suffered such pain at the Queen’s hands. She curled her fingers into fists, even as she continued to scrutinise his body.
Strange silver and blue markings curled from the back of his neck down his shoulders and out across the defined muscle of his chest. She gasped, they were beautiful. They mirrored the markings and whorls that had glowed across the sapphire and silver dragon.
Her bones turned to water, and she trembled. The shift had marked more than just his neck. The Queen would never let him go if she saw those marks. It would only make the immortal fae monarch more determined to keep him enslaved to her.
No one, not even Hugo, knew why the Queen had kept him alive—not when she had outlawed magic almost a thousand years earlier, not when she murdered other fae who possessed it.
Diamond shuddered. Her own father had told her tales of the Queen’s genocide, of how she had eradicated any green- or red-winged fae and taken their magic. Now it was unheard of to see coloured wings in the fae kingdom of Avalonia. Diamond’s father had been gold-winged, as warriors were, but he had not been Avalonian. Her father had been Rhodainian. It hurt to remember her strong, kind father. She had never really known what or who he was. He had hidden it from her to keep her safe.
A small sigh escaped her. She hoped her father would be proud of her.
Diamond bit her lip, wondering if Jack was still alive. He had left the safety of the wall to save her and lead the army of two kingdoms to war. Despite her worry for her friend, Diamond really only wanted to think about Hugo right now.
Large bruises covered most of Hugo’s torso, reaching from his collarbones right down to his stomach and around his ribs. She wondered if his ribs were broken too. The old scars seemed stark and white against the livid black and purple welts.
The sight of his wounded body made her heart squeeze so tightly she found it difficult to breathe. Wringing her hands, Diamond suddenly found herself unsure. She had thought Hugo dead. Only the knowledge that he wasn’t had given her the determination to heal, both her body and her soul.
She debated the risk of disturbing him by sitting near him on the bed or the benefit of staying away. Her eyes drifted to the chair. Perhaps it is best to sit there until he awakes.
When she looked back at his face, her heart jumped. He was studying her too, his body so still she wondered if he’d stopped breathing. They held each other’s eyes. Diamond drowned in his sapphire gaze until she could no longer stand the distance between. Her footsteps thudded on the bare wooden floor as, with a strangled cry, she rushed to him and wrapped her arms gently around his waist. She carefully laid her head on his chest. Hot tears dropped against his skin.
“Hey,” he rasped, his voice tired and weak.
That tone was so unlike him, she cried even more.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, smoothing her hair comfortingly with a big hand.
She lifted her head, even though she could have stayed forever with her cheek against his warm skin. “Nothing now,” she hiccoughed. Tilting her head to gaze at him, she smiled through her tears.
“Oh, good. For a moment there I thought I was mortally wounded,” he chuckled and then winced.
Diamond sank to her knees beside the bed and gulped, her cheeks still wet. “I thought you were dead,” she choked, her voice breaking. To hide her anguish, she dropped her forehead onto his chest.
“But I’m not,” he whispered, slipping one hand under her head and tilting her to face him. “Diamond, I’m very much here,” he said, brushing tears off her cheek with his thumb.
She closed her eyes, her breath caught in her throat now that she knew how precious that touch was to her. He tried to lift his other arm to reach her, but winced.
Diamond frowned. “Where else are you hurt?” she asked, her eyes scanning him anxiously.
“I’ll be fine, my love. And though I love that you are worried about me, you have to stop.” He smiled and pushed her silver locks back over her shoulders. “And no, you cannot heal me,” he informed her gently but firmly.
Holding her shoulders, he held her slightly away from him. It was his turn to look her up and down.
Ophelia, Elexon’s mother, had found Diamond clothes and soft boots to cover her damaged feet. Walking for miles and miles whilst exacting her revenge upon the Wraith Lord had flayed Diamond’s feet raw.
A prickle of heat tinted her cheeks. A small smile curled his lips, his eyes resting on hers as he stroked the soft skin of her cheek. “This is the loveliest sight I have ever seen,” he said solemnly. “And I love that I belong to you now—that I am not in Eternity and that I can spend my life with you. But these beautiful eyes look far too tired and far too sorrowful,” he admonished gently, even as Diamond’s stomach clenched. “Especially when there is no need,” he finished quietly.
He’s mine!
Her whole body jolted at that realisation. Hugo had become her mate just hours before Ragor had struck the Rift Valley wall with the full force of his army.
Knowing it would save her life, Hugo had gifted her his blood to drink. An attack by Sulphurious, the black dragon, had nearly killed her; with no hesitation or regret, Hugo had declared his love and pledged himself to her forever.
Diamond swallowed the ache in her throat. She had wanted to declare herself his too, but she had been too weak and too focused on the taste and feel of his blood running across her tongue to even try. Even now, she could feel their bonds renewing. They were joined in so many ways that she could not imagine her life without him in it. Believing him dead had nearly destroyed her.
The thought of becoming his lover, of speaking those binding, fae mating words, nearly overwhelmed her. A shudder trembled down her spine as he brushed a finger over her lips. All she needed to do was consent to him drinking her blood once more and consummate their bond, then they would be bound together; even death could not sever a true soul bond.
Diamond shifted her thoughts away from that subject. Instead, she gave him a knowing smile. “Don’t you try and change the subject or distract me,” she scolded gently.
“Fine,” he chuckled, then winced. “I was trying to change the subject—and you are very distracting.” He coughed. “I mean what I say, though; you are too tired to heal me.”
She growled her displeasure at him. “Hugo, just tell me about your injuries.”
He sighed, clearly not wanting to argue.
Diamond frowned uneasily. He never gave in this easily.
“All right, both of my wings are broken, they are utterly useless. I have six broken ribs and a stinker of a headache where I smashed my head on that damned wall. My shoulder was dislocated, and there is a bloody great hole in my side and my thigh. Not to mention that Elexon thinks the arrow was poisoned. Apparently I have an assassin after me too. Apart from that, I’m perfectly healthy. Satisfied?” he finished wearily.
“No,” she breathed, horrified at such injuries. And poisoned? She would deal with that later. It was too much to process. He should be dead; in fact, he had been dead. She wasn’t stupid enough to believe otherwise. “Sit forward,” she ordered quietly but firmly. Her eyes flashed when he tried to argue that she was exhausted and far too weak to use her magic on him.
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��Fine, stay there then,” she said stubbornly when he didn’t budge an inch. “But I’m going to heal you anyway.”
He grabbed her arms and pinned them to her sides, clearly determined to ignore the pain that move caused him. “Not if you can’t use your hands, you’re not,” he replied with a grim smile. “Diamond, you’re too tired. I know you. Remember, I am your blood-bound mate; I can feel your emotions. But what I can’t feel right now, which scares the shit out of me, is your magic. Where is our Nexus? My magic is weak, but it’s still there. Yours is no more than a flicker. I can feel how much that worries you. Besides, I will not let you become ill for me.”
“But—” Diamond desperately wanted to take away his pain; however, he was right that she was too weak. That thought alone had her clenching her jaw. She hated not being able to help him.
“No buts, just rest with me—please?” he asked, releasing her arms enough so she could climb over him.
Other than to take his pain away, Diamond wanted nothing more than to feel his warmth against hers again. She took off her boots, wincing at her sore feet, then crawled onto the bed beside him, resting her head on the dip between his chest and shoulder.
Inhaling deeply, she leaned her body carefully into his, trying not to hurt him. He smelled of herbs and salve and magic, but underneath all that was his smoky scent, the one she loved.
Silent seconds ticked by.
Diamond gritted her teeth against the intense emotions addling her mind. She had tried not to think too deeply about this moment. Up until now, she had held herself in check, but relief washed through her making her whole body shake. It took tremendous effort for her not to grasp at him and weep uncontrollably.
Neither of them spoke, but Hugo must have felt her body shudder against his as she failed to hold back her tears. She silently cried and, despite her best efforts to hide them, her tears dripped onto his chest to soak his dressings.
He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and tenderly kissed the top of her head, holding her tightly. His voice was soft as he murmured soothingly into her hair.
Minutes passed before Diamond managed to control herself. His body heat and touch soothed her overwrought emotions, and she found herself relaxing against him. As if sensing her peace, Hugo relaxed too and his breathing steadied. It was no surprise when the weight of his arm and head dropped away from her.
Diamond rested against her mate, listening to his heart beating strong and steady. For a while, she indulged her need to be near him, then—careful, so she didn’t wake him—she pushed herself up and looked down on his face.
His eyes flicked under his eyelids as he dreamed. The fact that he was here, that she could watch him sleep, made her chest ache. Worry cut grooves across her brow; he was too pale and gaunt. The vicious scar, which marred his mouth and cheek before it slashed over his eye up into his hairline, stood stark against his skin. That old injury had been inflicted by the Queen as punishment for loving another woman. Only his too-stubborn jaw on the left side of his face remained unmarked. Diamond studied his silver lashes, which were at odds with his blue-black hair. Normally his hair shone like silk but it just looked dull right now.
She placed a gentle kiss on his mouth, lingering for just a moment, enjoying his warm and soft lips, which were not cold and covered in blood like the last time she had kissed him.
Diamond pulled away and swallowed. She was not a fool. They were both in more danger now than they ever had been. But they could not leave the Rift Valley. Hugo needed to be stronger, and they needed to come up with a way to destroy the phial of his blood the Queen held. As long as the phial existed, that woman could track his whereabouts.
Easing herself down next to him, Diamond snuggled back into Hugo’s warmth, wrapping her arm around his waist before curling her leg protectively across his thighs, as though he might be ripped from her again whilst they slept.
Hours passed before Diamond woke. With her head cradled against his chest, she listened to Hugo’s heart beating, happy to let more time tick steadily by. Unsurprisingly, sleep and his presence had replenished a small part of her magic. A smiled curled her lips.
Their Nexus.
She could feel it—that tug on her chest that went deep inside her soul to where an ember of magic glowed again. Her magic wasn’t strong enough to merge with his yet, but she could feel it trying. She raised her head carefully, so as not to wake him, and ran her warm hands gently over his damaged body. He stirred at her touch but did not wake.
Gods, he is going to be so angry with me for doing this.
With a tremendous amount of effort, she spiralled down inside herself to find that bit of magic. She grabbed that spark.
Ignoring the guilt of defying Hugo, she pushed through his skin with tiny ribbons of crackling energy and magic. Because the tissues and muscles of his chest were damaged and swollen, it was difficult to find the edges of his broken ribs; but find them she did, jagged breaks where the bone had snapped.
“Hugo? I’m sorry, but I have to do this for you,” she whispered and gripped the edges of one broken rib, forcing her ribbons of magic to permeate his bone, fusing the fracture back together.
Hugo gasped, his eyes flying wide open. “Diamond. Stop!” he uttered, trying to grab her hands.
Feeling guilty as she had not asked his permission to dig around inside his broken body, she hissed at him; she could deal with his anger but not his constant pain. “No. I can heal you, you know I can. Please…I need to do this for you,” she beseeched him through gritted teeth, still pulling and knitting the rib together.
“By the goddess, you are so damned stubborn! You never listen to me,” he growled, his eyes dark and clouded with pain.
“I know,” she answered, whilst pulling another fracture together, whispering more apologies as he bit down, grinding his own teeth together. “But I won’t let you suffer for days, maybe even weeks. Not when I can heal you now,” she told him breathlessly, a glint in her eye that told him he could not stop her.
Diamond healed his ribs first, then she made him roll onto his side. The silver and sapphire whorls tattooing his golden skin cascaded in an intricate and beautiful pattern from under his hairline, across the contours of his upper arms, back and shoulders, framing the twin v’s of silver and sapphire scales that marked the ridges of his spine beneath his wings, until they disappeared below the sheet that lay across his waist.
Heat invaded her cheeks and she was glad he couldn’t see her flustered reaction. She forced away thoughts of tracing those patterns with a fingertip all the way down his body and under the sheets.
She gently felt out the many broken bones of his glorious blue wings. The extent of the damage horrified her, and she couldn’t help but wonder if he actually knew how close he was to never flying again. I can fix this, she thought, setting her jaw. He will fly again, even if it takes every last drop of my magic to heal him.
It did take most of Diamond’s remaining energy to pull the broken bones and snapped tendons back together. Echoes of his pain resounded inside her as the barrier he had erected around his mind bloomed open. Sharing thoughts, emotions and even memories were an effect of his soul bond with her. He tried to keep it under control, and she admired his efforts, but locking his emotions away from her when he was so distressed was proving too much—even for him.
Her hands shook as she snapped one of the larger bones back into alignment. Hugo growled in agony before yelling. He fell forward, sweat beading on his skin and trickling down the muscles along his spine and shoulders.
“I’m so sorry!” she cried.
The mattress dipped, sending them both off balance as she quickly shuffled closer to kneel beside him, leaving his now-healed wing draped across the width of the bed. Light from the sconces flickered across the unarmoured feathers, making them shine like silk in a myriad of purples, greens and blues.
Wondering if he would ever trust her again, she tentatively reached out. Her fingertips grazed his shoulder, slipp
ing easily over his slick skin. When he didn’t stiffen or pull away, Diamond leaned over him, deliberately avoiding those powerful wings, and kissed the back of his neck. It was barely a touch against his skin, but the contact tingled through her lips.
“Do you want me to stop?” she whispered, her warm breath fanning his sweat-soaked skin.
“Yes,” he choked out. He swallowed hard. “Just for a while.”
Diamond nodded, ashamed beyond measure that she had hurt the one person she loved above any other. She remained silent, watching as Hugo gingerly folded his wings into his skin until they disappeared. Despite her guilt, a small sense of satisfaction bloomed. If they were not healed, he would never be able to do that.
Grunting with effort, he rolled onto his back. He looked up at her, his pupils large and dark, but surrounded by that sea of silver-flecked sapphire. She worried her bottom lip with her teeth, unsure now if he would want her near him.
“Lay down with me again?” A gentle request that, together with the softness in his eyes, let her know he was not angry with her, though he had every right to be.
Relieved, Diamond draped herself along his side and carefully wrapped an arm around his chest, pressing her warm cheek against his.
Their warm breaths mingled. They didn’t talk; it was enough to just be together, feeling their magic entwine.
Hugo nodded, signalling he was ready to continue. “Let’s keep going,” he said.
Diamond pushed herself up, steeling her resolve.
The jagged arrow wound in his chest was a tunnel of torn flesh and took an enormous amount of effort to heal. Cursing her own weak body, she fought to knit the layers of his torn flesh back together, though there was nothing she could do for the swelling from his dislocated shoulder or the contusion of his lungs. Both would have to heal on their own.
She breathed like she had run for miles. Her limbs shook when she scrambled off the bed and kneeled on the floor, waiting patiently as Hugo pulled the sheet to one side so she could reach his thigh. The puncture wound was close to another long pink scar.
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