Page 64 of Hearts on Fire
I held my breath, afraid to make a sound, praying that Elex’s wings completely concealed me from view.
The newcomer moved around the cave, the sound of his footsteps circled us. He appeared to be alone. At least I only heard one set of footfalls. But he kept talking, as if to someone.
“Would you look at that?”
He paused by the wall, probably standing over the pile of my discarded clothes. The shirt and the pants I’d worn were Elex’s. It wouldn’t be hard to assume he’d taken them off before the sun set. My robe was on the ground under us, and I hoped it looked simply like a blanket.
I kept quiet. There was no reason for the man to think Elex was hiding anyone inside his wings.
“Hm,” sounded right above our heads.
Then, I felt a firm tug on my braid.
Chills trickled down my spine. The freaking braid had draped over Elex’s shoulder with its end sticking outside from under his wing. I instantly regretted never having cut it off after all.
“My lady?” Another tug came, not strong enough to be painful but firm and persistent. “At least I assume you’re alady,” he added. “Come out here.”
Well, did I have a choice? Not really. He could literally pull me out from under Elex’s wings by my braid. The fact that he waited for me to come out on my own had to be a good sign. At least, I hoped it was. Still, I lingered, clinging to the illusion of safety, tucked against Elex’s chest, warm and comfy.
Another tug came. “I insist. Or would you have me break the gargoyle’s wings to free you?”
I couldn’t let that happen.
“No, don’t.” I pulled myself up Elex’s body and poked my head out through the opening between his wings. “Please, don’t hurt him.”
The man dropped my braid and stepped around Elex to face me. Dressed in black, he was tall, dark-haired, and pale. A few silvery strands glistened in his short, dark locks in the front. A large black bird, a crow or raven, was perched on his shoulder. That must be whom he’d been talking to.
In one hand, the man held a lantern with a thick candle burning inside it. In the other…my decimated underwear dangled from his finger.
“Get out.” He gestured impatiently. “I have questions to ask you.”
“Um…” I shifted out a little more, placing an arm over my bare chest. “Could you pass me my clothes, please?” I pointed at the pile by the wall.
“None of them are in a much better state than this.” He lifted the remnants of my underwear in his hand. “I doubt they would be of any use to you now.”
He tossed the shreds of the see-through fabric out of the entrance to the cave. It fluttered into the dark night sky like a remnant of a sexy dream before disappearing from view.
He put his lantern down on the floor, then pulled out the silver pin that held his long cloak at his shoulder.
“This will have to do for now.”
He removed his cloak and held it open for me.
The distance between me and the garment was about a foot or two. I’d have to climb out into the open, naked, before I could have it.
He sensed my hesitation and blew out an impatient breath.
“Fine. I won’t look.” He turned his head aside and demonstratively shut his eyes.
I climbed out from the tunnel formed by Elex’s wings.
“Thanks.” I awkwardly stepped into the cloak, allowing the stranger to drape it over my shoulders, then took the silver pin from him and fastened the fabric at my neck.
His cloak smelled like the wind—literally, a breath of fresh air in the world saturated with ashes and smoke. Though, I sensed the cloak’s owner was far from a benevolent savior.
He stepped away from me and folded his arms across his chest. As he gave me an assessing look, I did the same to him.
His hair was darker than Elex’s. Aside from the thin silver strands in the front, it was ink-black. His skin was light, but without the freckles or the ruddy undertone of King Edkhar’s. I couldn’t tell the exact color of his eyes from this distance, but they were light, too, gray or blue.