***
Ava scrambled up once Snyder was knocked off her. She had a moment of fear for Carrick but it was fleeting. He had killed Snyder so quickly, she almost didn’t see it. And then he was walking toward her, a hard look on his face.
Ava watched him cautiously as he approached and realized that she was trembling. He looked mad as hell and she wasn’t sure if any of it was directed at her. Probably some of it was, just for the mere fact she had been captured and Carrick didn’t want her to go fishing in the first place.
Instead, Ava was stunned when he reached out to her and pulled her into his arms. He wrapped his arms completely around her and pressed her whole body to his, tucking her head into his chest. She automatically wrapped her arms around his waist. He whispered against the top of her head in an unsteady voice. “Are you okay?”
Ava was reveling in the feel and sound of Carrick. All she could do was nod her head up and down. He put his lips against the top of her head and gave it a light kiss. Then, with his mouth still pressed to the top of her head, he mumbled, “I was so scared I had lost you.”
His arms tightened a little more around her and Ava’s heart soared. She squeezed him back. Stars, she had forgotten how good it felt to be held by this man. But her elation was short lived as Carrick released her and stepped back to look down at her. He took her shirt and pulled it together so her breasts were covered.
“Hold your shirt together while I get a piece of rope to belt around it.”
Ava grabbed her shirt and just nodded. She watched him walk up to Greta and pull a thin piece of roping from his saddle pack. He pulled the knife that was holstered at his waist and cut off a length. Carrick walked back to Ava and gently tied the rope around her waist, keeping her shirt closed. He then unlocked the iron around her neck and threw it to the ground. Ava looked up at Carrick, trying to judge what he was thinking. As he returned her look, she saw the distance in his eyes once again.
CHAPTER 11
Ava rode behind Carrick on the way back to Clairmont. Carrick’s soldiers made quick work of the remaining members of Ralina’s Army.
Ava had shared with Carrick what she had learned about the bounty on her head and how the Cloak had been manipulated. Carrick assured her the Cloak would be secured again and warded against future attempts. He also let her know Quentin was alive. But then after that, there was nothing but silence.
Wrapping her arms around Carrick’s waist, Ava laid her cheek against his back. She was so tired, and now that she had a moment to think clearly, she realized she was very sore and extremely hungry.
Riding back into Clairmont, Ava was surprised to see most of the town had turned out to cheer her return. Carrick made regrets to everyone who wanted to talk to Ava, telling them that she needed to rest. He made his way quickly to his cottage.
Carrick dismounted first and helped Ava down. He handed the reins off to someone but Ava found she really didn’t care who it was. Her legs were a little shaky and all she wanted to do was go to bed.
Keeping a firm grip on her elbow, Carrick helped Ava as she walked up the porch. Once the door was opened, Bing came barreling at Ava who immediately sunk down to her knees so that she could wrap her arms around him. She put her head in his furry neck and just stayed that way for several seconds. Bing always had a way of soothing her worst emotions.
“Ava,” Carrick said gently. “Let’s get you to bed.”
He held out a hand to her and she took it to help her stand up. She winced from the pain in her muscles. Between the fall she took from King, and being slammed to the ground by Snyder, she knew she would be hurting for a few days. Carrick must have noticed her face because he led her straight into the bathroom.
Leaning over the tub, he waved his hand over the faucets to call forth the elements of water and fire. Soon, steaming water was filling the tub. He reached in a cabinet and pulled out a wooden box. Opening it, Ava saw it contained a light purple, salt-looking substance and she watched as he poured a generous amount in the water. Ava immediately smelled lavender.
“This will help ease your sore muscles.”
Carrick looked over at Ava and must have noticed her slightly weaving back and forth. “Can you get in the tub by yourself without falling over?”
Ava nodded and started untying the rope around her waist.
“I’m going to be in the kitchen fixing you something to eat. Just soak in the tub for as long as you want. The water will stay hot until you are ready to get out.
Ava nodded again, working at the knot in the rope. She wasn’t making any headway. With a sigh, Carrick took her hands and removed them from the rope. He quickly untied the knot and set the rope on the sink. He took her hands and put them back over her shirt so she could hold it closed.
Then Carrick led her to the edge of the tub and told her to sit down, which she did. He knelt down and removed her boots, then her socks.
“There. You should be able to do the rest yourself. Just come out when you are ready to eat.”
“Thank you.” Ava’s voice was tired.
Carrick gave her a last worried look and walked out of the bathroom.
***
While Carrick was fixing some stew for Ava to eat, he literally had to stop a few times as his hands were shaking. Emotions coursed through his body and he was livid over what that man had done to her. I shouldn’t have killed him so quickly. I should have beaten him to death.
It saddened him seeing Ava so weak and helpless in the bathroom. That just wasn’t Ava. He should have stripped her all the way and helped her into the tub, but he knew her ego and she would hate being made to feel that needy.
Of all the emotions running through him, the worst was the fear that Carrick now carried for her life. Ralina knew Ava was back and there was a price on her head. It sickened him with dread. It reminded him that there had been a time once before when Carrick had been fearful for Ava’s life.
It was just days before Ava’s 18th birthday. A huge celebration had been planned and several of the surrounding Royal Families were coming in for the event. Ava had been sitting in the stable while Carrick was saddling their horses, telling him all about it.
Ava went riding outside the city walls a few times a week, but always with a Royal Guard. Sometimes, it was Carrick, who at twenty-three, was now a Captain in the Royal Army. But he was usually so busy with his duties that he hardly had time for Ava anymore. Carrick was glad he had the chance today to take her for a ride. It had been too long since they had been able to spend time together.
Ava was chattering away about her birthday party and he was only half listening to her as he saddled Greta. But his ears perked up when he heard her say the name Baynor Sorin. He was a royal prince of the House of Sorin and Carrick didn’t particularly like the man. His palace was in Croyden, about five hundred miles to the north of Kestevayne. He knew Sorin, as his family was a frequent guest of the Clairmonts and vice versa. He had also competed against him in some tournaments. While Sorin’s magical ability could beat Carrick from time to time, Carrick was able to whip his butt in all forms weaponry and hand to hand combat.
“What did you say about Sorin?” Carrick asked.
“Honestly. Don’t you ever listen to me? I said I was excited that he was coming to my party. I have it on good authority that he has wanted to possibly ask for my hand in marriage.”
Marriage? Was she kidding? She was just getting ready to turn eighteen. “You are way too young to be thinking marriage Ava.” Carrick tried not to sound stern but he failed.
“I know that dummy. It doesn’t mean I can’t have fun in the meantime.” Ava waggled her eyebrows up and down at him.
Carrick sighed. She was such an imp and gods help the man who finally landed her. He would need a very firm hand indeed.
Carrick finished with the horses and handed the reins of her gray mare, Fred, over to Ava. What was it with the way she named animals?
They both mounted and headed out past the city walls. Th
ey soon turned east, wanting to ride along the cliffs that bordered the coast. They rode in companionable silence a lot but from time to time they would talk.
Carrick had filled Ava in on all of his new duties as a Captain in the Royal Army as he now commanded his own regiment. Ava told him of some new healing spells she had perfected and couldn’t wait to try them out. Carrick was feeling more relaxed than he had in a long time. No one could doubt that Ava was good for the spirit.
But then, she shocked the shit out of him. “Carrick, will you teach me how to kiss?”
Carrick sputtered. “What? No! Kiss? NO!”
“Why not?” Ava asked petulantly. “You’re my best friend, and,” she said slyly, “I’ve seen you kissing Ralina so I know you’re good at it.”
Carrick just gaped at Ava. He couldn’t believe she had spied on him while he kissed Ralina. He’d done a whole lot more with Ralina other than kissing and he hoped to the gods that Ava had not seen any of that. He’d die on the spot if she asked him to teach her about sex.
It’s not that sex was a forbidden subject. Their culture was one of openness and freedom of self. Many girls younger than Ava were having sex, and it was not thought of as a bad thing in their culture. But he liked Ava being innocent and pure. He wasn’t ready for that to change.
“What’s the matter Carrick? Cat got your tongue?” Ava grinned.
He didn’t respond.
“I sure hope so, because I clearly won’t be having it today,” Ava muttered.
Ava then gave a huge belly laugh over her own joke. Carrick, like a dumbass, just continued to gape at her.
Finally, he found his tongue lost somewhere in his bewilderment. “What has gotten into you Ava?”
“Oh, quit being such a stick-in-the-mud, Carrick. I’m just having a little fun with you. Although, if you were willing to teach me, I wouldn’t mind learning how to kiss. I want to be ready, you know, for when Baynor arrives.”
The thought of Ava kissing Baynor caused Carrick’s blood to boil. It didn’t seem to matter to his brain that he was doing his own kissing—and other things—with Ralina. It’s just… Baynor wasn’t good enough for Ava. No one was, really.
“Okay, I give up trying to get a rise out of you. You look like someone just rubbed crap under your nose. How about a horse race instead? I’ll race you to the copse of trees over there.”
Carrick glanced in the direction Ava was pointing. “I don’t think a race is such a good idea, Ava. This near to the cliffs, there are a lot of rocks that could give the horses trouble.”
“Stick-in-the-mud,” she taunted in a sing-song voice. “Besides, if I win, you have to teach me how to kiss.” And with that, Ava kicked Fred in the haunches and took off toward the trees that were about a mile up the cliff line.
Carrick so did not want to race. He truly was worried over Ava’s safety as they were running right along the cliff, but he’d be damned if he’d teach her how to kiss. He didn’t think he’d be able to stop once he started.
Carrick gave a loud, “Yah” to Greta who jumped forward right into a gallop. Ava had a good head start but there was no way her little mare would be able to beat Greta. Carrick urged his stallion faster, gaining ground. He watched Ava just ahead, her dark hair flying behind her. She was almost standing in her saddle, leaning over Fred to urge her on. She looked back over her right shoulder at Carrick and was grinning. She faced forward again but he could hear her laugh with joy.
Then it seemed to happen in slow motion.
Ava approached a small ditch, something Fred should have been easily able to jump. It looked to be no problem but when Fred came down on the other side, her front legs buckled and she pitched sideways. Ava flew over Fred’s left shoulder, hit the ground and rolled. And then Carrick thought his heart had stopped. Ava rolled right over the edge of the cliff.
Carrick made it to the cliff’s edge no more than a few seconds after Ava pitched over. He had jumped from Greta’s back before the horse even came to a full halt. He ran the last few steps and dropped to his knees at the edge of the cliff.
He was terrified to look over but leaned forward anyway, expecting to see Ava’s mangled body lying on the boulders below. Instead, he was so shocked to see her grinning face just a foot away, he fell backward on his butt.
Pushing himself up, he crawled back to the edge. And there Ava was, hanging on to a tree root that was growing out of the cliff wall.
“Mind giving me a hand up?” Ava said with cheerfulness.
“By all that’s magical, Ava, you gave me a fucking heart attack,” Carrick yelled at her.
Even though Carrick had probably dropped fifty years off his life span with the fright he’d just had, he immediately reached down and grasped her arm.
“Of all of the stupid… idiotic… dumb… stupid…,” Carrick was sputtering in both anger and relief as he pulled her up.
“You already said stupid,” Ave pointed out.
Damn she was a smart ass!
Carrick stood up once he hauled Ava to the top and gave one last pull to bring her over the edge. The momentum caused him to stumble backward, pulling Ava with him. Clipping a large rock with the heel of his boot, Carrick found himself falling backward, with Ava falling with him. He hit the ground hard, a sharp rock digging into the middle of his back, but managed to hold Ava so that he took the full brunt of the impact.
All his anger and fear completely dissipated as he realized that Ava’s soft body was laying on top of him, her breasts mashed into his chest. He didn’t even notice the rock painfully gouging into his back.
Her face hovered just inches over his. Her dark hair spilled around them, almost as if they were being given privacy. She was gazing intently at his lips and she sighed. “Are you sure you won’t give me a kissing lesson Carrick?”
Carrick nearly groaned out loud but managed to hold it back. He could feel himself start to grow hard at just the thought of kissing her. He immediately tried to think of anything that would cause his erection to lose interest in Ava.
Her father is the King and will kill you if you kiss her, Carrick thought.
Nope, that wasn’t working.
Instead, Carrick pushed Ava off of him and stood up.
Talk about awkward. He knew Ava had felt his erection and he was so embarrassed. He offered her a hand up and with it she stood, wincing in pain.
“Are you hurt?”
“Just a little sore from the fall.”
“I can’t imagine why. You only flew off your horse at a full gallop and fell over a cliff,” Carrick said sarcastically.
Ava burst out laughing, giving him a warm smile and just like that, the awkwardness was gone. Carrick started chuckling with relief, and soon was laughing just as hard as she was.
In that moment, Carrick realized that he was in love with Ava.
Carrick had finished putting together some stew and rye bread for Ava to eat, along with some honey wine. His trip down memory lane wasn’t setting very well. He had started thinking about that day because of the fright she had given him, but how could he have forgotten that was the day his heart became lost to her? He didn’t want to revisit those feelings. There just wasn’t any room for them.
Carrick put the food on a tray and carried it into the bedroom. Ava was just emerging from the bathroom, and damn if she wasn’t wearing that same “Pink” outfit she’d had on that first night. But Carrick wasn’t even thinking about how sexy she was looking. All he saw was that Ava was tired, traumatized and hurt. She needed rest, not some horny guy thinking about how to get into her pants.
“Get in bed, Ava. I’ve got your dinner on a tray for you so you can eat in here.”
Ava crawled into bed, leaning up against the headboard and Bing jumped up beside her. Her face was pale and she looked very tired. Carrick placed the tray over her lap. “Eat up while it’s hot.”
Carrick watched Ava pick up the spoon and dip it in the stew. She stirred it around a bit, pushing a carrot back and forth.
She suddenly looked up at Carrick.
“Thank you. For saving me today. And also for not making me feel totally helpless in the bathroom. You know me well, Carrick.”
Carrick gave her a small smile and turned to walk out of the room. He did know her well. He just didn’t think he knew himself all that well anymore.
CHAPTER 12
The next morning Carrick got Ava up bright and early. He told her that he did not want her out of his sight given that there was a price on her head, so she would be spending the entire day with him. Ava was excited mainly because she had been bored silly, but she also wanted to see what Carrick did throughout the day.
Rather than wear some of the clothing she’d brought from Wyoming, she chose a dress that she had purchased from the clothing store. Only having the fact that she was royalty without a throne, Carrick had given her money on her first day to make whatever purchases she wanted. She had been buying the basic staples for the house, but she did splurge on a few traditional pieces of Vryonasian clothing.
The dress she was wearing today was made of a silky linen material in a light green color that made her eyes shine. It was sleeveless and molded well to her chest, accentuating her breasts. The skirt flared out and the hem was slightly higher than mid-thigh. It did a great job showing off her smooth legs. Thank you hair removal incantation. Ava certainly did not missing having to shave.
The citizens of Vyronas as a whole tended to show a lot of skin and had no qualms about wearing sexy clothing in public. Fashion ranged from showing a lot of cleavage to wearing material that was practically see-through. Not that the dress she was wearing would be considered “sexy” by Vyronasian standards, but when she had spent the last four years wearing jeans, flannel and cowboy boots, she felt practically naked.
The only problem was she did not have any sandals that would traditionally be worn with a dress like this. So she put on her cowboy boots and walked out of the bedroom. Carrick was sitting at the kitchen table eating some bread with honey when she came in. She watched him look her up and down appreciatively but all he said was, “Nice dress.”
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