Page 156 of The Ranger

Maida glanced her way, then at Markhel. Without thinking she crawled to the hay bales and knelt before him. “Markhel?”

He looked at her dumbfounded. “Yeh ohlon uhle,” he said in surprise as he looked her up and down.

She shook her head as tears filled her eyes. “I don’t know what that means.”

He gave her the tiniest hint of a smile. “You sang for me.”

She nodded. “Yes, yes I did.” She wiped tears away then took one of his hands. The need to touch him was overwhelming.

Vale moved out of the way and gave her a gentle nudge to take his place beside Markhel.

She did and scooted close enough so their legs were touching. “Are you all right?”

He looked at Makama and Vale. “I am... alive.” He studied her, buried his fingers in her hair, and pulled her close. “Uhlm yahhna Maida.”

She smiled. “English.”

He brought her closer. “You are mine.” Without warning, his arm wrapped around her, and his lips descended on hers. Light shot through her entire body, soul, and mind. She didn’t know how else to describe it. It was warm, otherworldly, and it was coming from him.

He deepened the kiss, and she thought she heard her mother gasp but didn’t care. She had no idea what was happening but knew she wanted to enjoy every second of this. After all, this was her first kiss! Was it his?

When Markhel broke the kiss he looked into her eyes, both arms around her now. A string of words escaped him. He was speaking Muiraran, and though she didn’t understand him, part of her knew what he was saying, and her heart grewlarger.

She didn’t know if it was doing something physically, or if it was all in her head. She only knew that there was not enough room in it for this man. He was that much, thatbig, and... Lord help her, she was falling hopelessly in love with him. But the question remained. Could he,would helove her in return.

A tiny prick of fear wormed its way into her heart, and she sensed whatever was happening between them in that moment, falter a little.

Maida opened her eyes and fused her gaze with his. “Markhel.”

He looked her over, as if checking for damage. “I did not hurt you?”

She frowned. “How could you hurt me?”

He closed his eyes a moment, and when he opened them, kissed her again.

She heard a few gasps, along with some back slapping and giggles, but ignored them. There was only Markhel, and he was alive! She had so many questions, but for now, whatever words he’d just spoken were enough. He was Muiraran. She was human. And she would make this work if it was the last thing she did. The big question was, how? Maida had no idea. She also had a strong feeling that this whole heart to heart business wasn’t done yet.

* * *

He wanted to hold her.

Markhel sensed more than a few pairs of eyes on them. He loosened his arms around Maida and gazed at her but wasn’t about to relinquish his hold. “Your heart has saved me, Maiden.”

She gave her head a shake. “Maida.”

He smiled. “Maiden. My Maiden.”

She studied his face, and he knew she was seeing him for the first time as her future mate.

He put a hand over her heart. “This is where I will live.”

She looked at the hand and smiled. “How?”

He touched his chest, then hers. “My heart, once joined with yours, will be in both of us. We will share it.”

She gave him a helpless shrug. “I’m sorry, I don’t know how that works.”

He smiled. “You are not Muiraran. You were not raised to know.” He smoothed some of her hair. It was loose and flowed around her shoulders and down her back. And was perfect.