by B. C. Morin
He pulled out of her mind quickly, like stripping something from her grasp. Her eyes shot open and the sight before her was nothing but stone, the flames she felt consuming her, gone. Evyette dragged her arm to her line of sight to see that the Mark was gone, with nothing but seared skin in its place.
Maligo dropped to his knees in front of her, taking her arm in his hands and reciting healing spells, she tugged at her arm.
“I am trying to help you.” He begged, his voice shaking.
Samil sat slumped onto the stone bench, admiring the shadow Mark that now decorated his arm.
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Chapter 20
The moon shone exceptionally bright, filtering through the once full branches, which were now turning and purging their leaves in preparation for winter. The cold of the night bit at her cheeks and she was grateful to have covered her nose and mouth with her black scarf. Alannah tugged the hood forward, sure to cover her face, so that not even the whites of her eyes could be seen glimmering in the moonlight. Though it felt like hours, she was sure that it had only been a short while since she crouched down behind the trees near the house, at which she soon expected Isibeal to arrive.
It was difficult concentrating on the cottage and awaiting Isibeal when all she could think of was Brennus’s words and how they sliced through her, leaving a scar that, though he did not see it, hurt more he would ever know. She tried to put herself in his shoes, wondering if she would have jumped to the same conclusion and decided that perhaps she would have, though only because she loves him.
Could he love me that much, still? She thought to herself, as she adjusted her position once again.
The shadow she had been watching had crossed the window, yet again. She had watched the figure since she had arrived. On occasion, the shadow would cross the room and pull back the draperies covering the front window searching for the soon-to-be arriving guest. Twice, she could see where the shadow, she assumed to be a fae, sat by the window on the side of the small cottage. The draperies were lighter there and she could see that the fae was tall, with long hair that was pulled back, allowing its pointed ears to show.
It wasn’t too much longer before Isibeal came sprinting through the dense group of trees across from the cottage doors. She looked around nervously before she ran to the stairs. As she placed her first foot on the step, the front door swung open and the fae that had been expecting her, ran out to greet her.
Alannah watched carefully, wishing she had Kaleb’s expert vision to see more clearly. Isibeal jumped over half the stairs and lunged herself into the arms of the fae that awaited her. She released quickly, looking around.
I wonder if she suspects that I am here. Alannah thought, while looking around, ensuring she was truly alone. She did not want to have a goblin or any other such creature lurking around her. When she turned her attention back to Isibeal, her breath caught in her throat at the sight of Isibeal’s lips pressed against the fae that had emerged from the cottage. She released the fae and turned toward the door. Just as the fae turned to follow, the moon lit his features for just long enough to see that the person Isibeal was meeting was none other than a warrior fae, or so she judged him to be by his stature. He had chestnut brown hair pulled tight to the base of his skull, a sweet smile crossing his full lips, and a look in his eyes, which Alannah had seen before. Love.
As she walked toward the castle she wondered how she even managed to make it back since her thoughts were so consumed with Isibeal and her secret lover.
How will I tell Brennus? Surely he will think it is just a ploy to get him away from her. I cannot tell him. I will have to find a way to show him.
“Out for a late evening stroll?” Brennus’s voice cut through the cold air, slicing through her thoughts.
She looked at him for a moment before responding. His cheeks were red, indicating that he’d been out here for a while, she assumed. His eyes were not as glassed over as they had been earlier in the evening. The effects of the wine he had drunk had worn off. His arms were folded across his chest but she could not tell if it was due to the cold that surrounded them, while they stood alone in the courtyard, or if because he was guarded.
“Yes, a stroll.” She didn’t recognize her own voice as it came out. There was still affection hidden in it, but the evening’s earlier events hindered it.
“Quite an outfit for a stroll.” Brennus looked her over as he walked around her.
The long cloak hung over her shoulders, still showing the buckled corset, tight pants and black boots with a pattern resembling ivy pressed into the leather. The hood came down to her eyebrows, and the black scarf still covered her nose and mouth. Her green eyes peered at him as he made his way around.
He stopped in front of her and his mouth twitched at one corner as if he was going to smile but decided against it.
“What were you really doing, Alannah? You have been gone for quite some time.”
Alannah tilted her head back, realizing that the moon had not been so high in the sky when she had left. Must be the dead of night.
“How do you know how long I have been gone?” Her gaze landing once more on Brennus. She raised an eyebrow as she pulled down the scarf on her face with just one finger, revealing a smirk “Were you spying on me?”
Brennus continued gazing at her. His grey eyes momentarily fixed on her lips.
“That thought seems to appeal to you.” His lip curled up, making her knees weak. “Actually, I was looking for you earlier. I-“ He dropped his gaze to the ground between them before taking a step closer. “I needed to talk to you.” He said lowly.
“Well, I do not think now is the proper time, so if you would excuse me.” Her stomach twisted into knots as she side stepped him and continued forward.
“Alannah.”
He called out to her but she did not stop, only slowed. The hurtful words he had spoken echoed in her mind. As soon as she heard him catch up, she picked up the pace again. This time he said nothing, only followed her, as she walked up the stairs toward her room.
Alannah turned, with her hand on the handle of the door.
“Do you plan to follow me in?”
“Is that an invitation? You do seem to have quite the mind tonight…smiling at the thought of spying on you, inviting me into your bedroom.” He raised his eyebrow and cocked his head to the side.
Alannah smiled despite herself. The glimpse of the old Brennus was refreshing. Alannah let her hand slide off the handle and walked closer to him, tipping herself onto the balls of her feet, and putting one hand on his firm chest to steady herself. Her eyes were almost level with his and she could see the lights from the candles on the wall behind her flickering in his eyes.
“You would like that, would you not?” Her lips were so close to his she could feel his breath against hers.
Brennus leaned in to kiss her, but Alannah quickly stepped back, until she was against the door and her hand on the handle once more. He smiled wickedly at her.
“You know exactly what you do to me, Alannah. Of that I have no doubt.” He stepped forward, closing the gap between them. “You did not answer me, though,” He reached up, sliding the hood off her head, allowing his fingers, still cold from being outside to brush against her skin, sending shocks to every nerve in her body, waking each one. “Was that an invitation?”
Instinctively, she closed her eyes and pressed her cheek against one of his hands. He inclined his head forward, pressing his forehead against hers.
Alannah reached her shaking hand up, feeling his stubble grate against the leather of her gloves. She wanted nothing more than to give into him. To forget where they were, what was going on and what was said. Just for a bit, she thought. She pushed away thoughts of Isibeal and her lover and how she was to tell Brennus that the woman he was to marry was already betraying him.
“I am sorry, Alannah.” His lips so close to hers, she felt the heat of his breath.
The entire scene replayed in h
er head. His hurtful words, the way she slapped him, and the pain in his eyes as she walked away.
“I did not mean those things I said.” He held her face with both his hands, his thumbs making small circles on her cheeks. “I just,” He paused, pulling his head back so that she could see his eyes once again. His chest was rising and falling rapidly as if anxiety was consuming him, and perhaps it was. “I thought I could handle seeing you with him. I thought it would be best to bring him here, though I suspected he conceded to me when we left the Kingdom of the Magi.” His eyes searched her face. “When I saw him emerge from your bedroom, it was as if someone had taken the very breath from me. I could only think of the worst things. Dark thoughts of you and Kaleb consumed me. I felt like a beast had been unleashed inside of me and was tearing me to bits from the inside out. I tried to convince myself that it was for the best. That it was what I wanted for you. But I was lying. All I want for you is me.” He pressed his lips hard against hers, breathing her in.
Alannah turned the knob on the door before releasing it and bringing her hand up and around his neck. She kissed him back fiercely, hungry for his lips, his touch. He bent his knees as he wrapped his arms around her, pressing her to him and lifting her off the ground. He kicked open the door and walked them in, sure to kick it shut once he put her back down.
Alannah pulled back, taking a breath, her hands caressing his face. She looked down a moment before taking a step back and releasing him, her body trying to pull her back to him, like a magnet. He had a lock of hair that fell across his creased forehead, his shirt was open to almost halfway down his chest and she could not help but look at the Marks that crept out from beneath his shirt like serpents. She tried to sort through the barrage of thoughts in her head fighting for her attention. So much of her knew that this would end in the same way it always did. There were no words she could say to change his mind from following his father’s final request. No words. Words were ineffectual. Action. If he could see, if he could only feel the way I feel, she thought.
Brennus walked toward her cautiously, releasing the clasp at her collarbone that held her cloak together, she felt it slide off her shoulders and onto the floor behind her. Alannah stared up at him, silencing her thoughts as best she could. No words, she repeated. His touch was gentle, starting at her shoulders and gliding down her arms, until he held her trembling hands in his.
“You are uneasy.” His eyes searched her face for a response. “You have never been uneasy with me.”
Alannah released his hands, dragging her fingers along his arms, up to his neck, and around the back of his head, entwining themselves in his soft hair. She leaned up kissing him gently.
“No words.” She spoke onto his lips, kissing him again. The taste of his full lips made it easy to give in to pure emotion. Suddenly she realized that she was not going to care about Isibeal and her lover, she was not going to care about whether or not this will change his mind, and she was not going to care about anything but being with him tonight. Whether it would be her last night with him, or not, she no longer cared.
No words.
Alannah tilted her head back reveling in the trail of kisses Brennus left burning along her neck. She stepped backwards, bringing him with her until her legs touched the blankets of the bed behind her.
Alannah brought her hands down to the hem of his shirt, sliding her hands beneath it. The tight muscles of his abdomen were smooth beneath her fingers. She traced the grooves of his muscles, pulling a moan from his throat as he kissed her. Alannah grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled it up and over his head. She placed her hands on his chest, tracing the Marks that made their way across his skin. Marks indicating not only skill, but isolation from his family, training at the expense of friendships, lessons learned harshly, and of a life spent far away from the kind of touch he took pleasure in tonight. His eyes followed her hands down to his waist, and then back up to his shoulders and his neck where she pulled herself to him once more.
Alannah pressed her body to his, melding against his chest even as they fell back onto the bed. She pressed her lips onto his chin and along his jaw line, the stubble on his face scraping lightly against her. Alannah pushed herself against him until he collapsed onto his back. His lip curled in mischievous amusement. She kissed him, biting his lip playfully before kissing him again on the chin and then down to his neck. When she reached his collarbone, Brennus tilted his head back letting out a moan. He brought his hands up to cup her face and brought her lips back to his as he sat them up. He kissed her neck and her shoulder, sending waves of heat pulsating throughout her body.
“My love.” He whispered onto her. Alannah responded with a moan. Her lips parting to speak, but nothing else would come out. Her arms were pulling her tighter to him, until she could feel his heartbeats resonating through her. He ran his hands along her back and down to her legs which were on either side of him. As he brought his hands back up, he stopped at the clasps on her corset. Waiting, she was sure, for an objection, a visible uncertainty, but it never came. Alannah stopped kissing him, sitting back on his lap.
Brennus ran his hands along her waist and her abdomen once more before stopping at the clasps. He undid the first clasp between her breasts, releasing a breath Alannah did not know she was holding. He slowly moved on to the second clasp and continued until he reached the last one, never taking his eyes off of her face. The corset sat open as Brennus reached his hands inside, on either side of her waist, pushing it off her, and onto the floor. The thin shirt she wore beneath it, hanging loosely on her now trembling frame.
Alannah could feel the hesitation in his touch. Unsure if he was going too far. She pulled herself close to him again, burying her lips onto his neck. His hands roamed every inch of her back, at one point sliding under the garment. The feel of his hands against her skin caused every inch of her to thirst for more. Alannah found her way back to his mouth, kissing him with a primal hunger she could not control. Brennus brought his hands down to her hips, squeezing them.
“Brennus.” She moaned against his lips.
“Love?”
His hands stayed beneath her shirt, exploring her back once more and moving to her abdomen, his fingers brushing ever so lightly along the bottom of her breasts; she wasn’t sure if she imagined it.
Alannah pulled her face back, only enough to look into his eyes when she spoke. “I want to feel you against me. Your skin against mine.” Her hands were roaming his chest, down to his ribs and back.
“Alannah, I want this. You have no idea how badly I want this. But-“
He took his hands off her body and placed them on her face.
No, her body begged.
“I cannot do this to you. I cannot make you mine tonight and then plan a wedding to another tomorrow.”
“I am always yours. It is not just tonight, it is always. Every moment, of every day, I am yours. ” She felt a pang in her heart at the truth these words were weighed with.
“And I am yours.” He quickly added, kissing her lightly.
“And Brennus, about Isibeal-“
Brennus lifted his thumb to her lips.
“No. I do not want to hear about her. She is the furthest thing from my mind right now.”
Alannah grabbed his hands, pulling them from her face. She watched as Brennus’s brow creased in confusion and hurt. She placed his hands on her waist, along the hem of her shirt, and his smile returned, his now smooth brow hidden below a few stray locks that had fallen against it.
“I still want to feel you against me.” Her gaze dropped to his hands. “I want you to stay with me. Hold me. Just tonight. If I lose you again tomorrow, then it will still be worth it. I will lose you a hundred times, if you would but hold me in your arms each time before my loss.” She saw his eyes water, but no tears emerged, if this was the only way to be with him, then she would accept it. For as long as she could, she would have him, he was hers.
He was hers.
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Chapter 21
The stabbing pain in her arm jolted her awake. Evyette sat up grabbing her arm, only to find it bandaged.
“I have put a salve on it.” The voice startled her, coming from the corner of the unfamiliar room. Hidden in the shadows, all she could see was a black robe, with two withered hands grasped in front of it.
Maligo.
“Where am I? What are you doing here?” She swung her legs off of the bed, and was about to stand when she was hit by a wave of dizziness, and thought better of it.
Maligo stepped out of the shadows. His hood drawn back, she was able to see him truly for the first time. His white hair with a yellow tinge was pulled back now, his long goatee reaching to his chest. His face told of the struggles he had endured in trying to regain his magical abilities. Unlike most fae who are beautiful and for the most part young looking, he looked old, ravished by the years. The skin on his face sagged a bit in some places and there were lines around his eyes and mouth.
“I asked one of the Dorchae to bring you here to my room when you passed out as it was closer and more comfortable than the hot underground cell, which Samil had you in when he first brought you.”
Evyette stood, swaying for a moment. “Why?”
Maligo’s brow creased in confusion.
“You were hurt and I-“
“No, I mean, why are you doing this? Why are you helping me? What? Now, that you know you are my…” The word sat at the edge of her tongue, leaving a sour taste in her mouth, and no matter how much she thought of the word she could not spit it out.
Maligo dropped his gaze to the floor.
“I do not know.”
“What now, then?” She folded her arms across her chest. “Am I to embrace you, despite all you have done? All you continue to do?”
