Page 47 of The Stolen Throne
And that is the moment I finally figured him out. His obsidian heart is as fragile as glass. It would break into thousands of shards… for me. If I tried to put it back together, it would cut me so deeply—so thoroughly—that pieces of him would forever be embedded. Forever a part of me… And that scares me. Because this is bigger than love. But as I watch him now, his body vibrating with emotions he isn’t sure how to process, I realize that this is his version of love. He loves me but doesn’t know how to voice it.
I take another step forward and reach for him. I caress his cheek, and his eyes close. Resting my trembling hand against his chest, I whisper, “Tell me.”
“Eira…” he pleads.
“Tell me what you are holding back.” I can see it. In the depths of his dark eyes, I can see he’s holding something back.
His hand engulfs the one I have against his cheek. His whispered words are almost too soft for me to hear. “You are my obsession. My everything. I would kill for you… bleed for you. I would capture you within a cage, Little Raven. To keep you forever.”
I can’t help but smile as I rise on my tiptoes to brush my lips against his. Pulling away, I chuckle softly. “So you missed me?” I tease.
He groans and glares at me. “Must you always be so difficult?”
I shrug as I step away. Turning to Ash, I see him holding out a hand for me. “May I have the cape back now?”
He arches a brow. “Will you go to the healers?”
Groaning, I nod. I clearly am not going to get out of a trip to the healers, but maybe having them with me will help settle some of my unease. “Okay, I’ll go to the healers.”
He takes a step closer to me and wraps the cloth around my body. He stays there for a moment, staring down at me. I arch a brow in question. “Do you have something to say, Ash?”
His brows knit as he continues to stare. Worried about my happy-go-lucky man turning grumpy on me, I reach for his hand. Threading my fingers through his, I give it a squeeze. “Ash?”
His eyes jump to Dax before meeting mine. “I… I…”
I tug on his hand again as I begin to walk. “Walk me to the healers.” He nods and follows. I have a feeling he needs to speak to me but doesn’t want the others around. I look over my shoulder to find them still watching us. I yell, “I’ll meet you all in my room.”
They hesitate for a moment but seem to take the hint and begin heading in the opposite direction. I huff out a sigh as we turn the corner. I’m about to ask Ash what’s wrong when I’m unexpectedly engulfed in his arms.
I wince at the suddenness of it, but wrap my arms around him, so he doesn’t pull away. His voice is muffled when he grumbles, “I told you not to run.”
I hold him close. “I knew you would chase me.”
His grip on me tightens as he mumbles into my neck, “I will chase you forever, Snow Bunny. You are my greatest hunt.”
I grin when I realize this is his way of saying ‘I love you’. My chest tightens, and I whisper back, “I hope so.”
He pulls away with a soft smile on his lips. “Let’s get you looked at. I don’t like seeing all those wounds unless they are from one of us.”
CHAPTER 26
Now I know I shouldn’t be walking around the castle by myself… at night… when I’ve finally returned. But food. I’m so hungry! I tiptoe down the hallway, the guards giving me arched brows as I pass.
I didn’t want to bother any of the guys, considering the dark circles under their eyes. I’m sure this is the first time they have slept since Dax was stabbed, and I was taken.
My foot hits a creaky board, and I hiss, “Fuck.” I wait for a few moments to pass before quietly continuing my walk.
I stiffen when a guard asks louder than I wish, “What are you doing, miss?”
I press my finger to my lips and shush him. “Shh! I’m trying to be quiet here.”
He rolls his eyes, asking again, “What are you doing?”
My eyes narrow. “I’m getting food. Now be quiet, so I can be stealthy.”
“You should be guarded, miss,” he insists.
Growling, I point up and down the hallway. “There are guards all the way to the kitchen. I am guarded. Now, if you would kindly shut the fuck up, so I can sneak that would be grand.”