Total pages in book: 218
Estimated words: 205594 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1028(@200wpm)___ 822(@250wpm)___ 685(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 205594 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1028(@200wpm)___ 822(@250wpm)___ 685(@300wpm)
I move the cloth over his fingers, my heart stuttering when I come across the bite on his palm. Mine hasn’t the sharp outline that his does on my skin, but he’s always been so proud of it. If he was truly using me, he’d have never had me give him my bite. He could have omitted it from our mating and I would have been none the wiser.
All the signs have been there all along that he truly has loved me. I lean in and press a kiss to his knuckles, then continue.
“Second of all, your brothers are probably in the Gray God’s realm as we speak. All the more reason to stay here with me a while longer.” I gaze down at him, but he’s so very still he makes my heart ache. Why won’t he wake? It’s been three days. Most that die of the plague die within a day or two. The fact that he’s survived over three days with the sickness is a good sign, I hope. I won’t know for certain until he opens his eyes and smiles at me.
So I continue.
“Third, the Gray God loves storms, and I know you do not.” I sit down next to him, tired and a little defeated. I towel his chest, forcing a smile to my face that I don’t feel. “Remember when we were back in the tower and you heard storms for the first time? You were convinced we were under siege and you were going to take me captive as leverage.” My voice breaks, and I catch a ragged breath. “You were so unnerved, and I never stopped to think that a storm might sound different above ground. Here I thought I was being so very brave and I never stopped to think how difficult it might be for you, too. That you were getting pressured by your family over me. You could have let me die a half-dozen times and solved the problem, and yet you always took care of me. You always looked out for me. If you were sent to seduce me, you did a shite job of it, love. I seduced you, remember? I was the one that pushed for us to have sex. For us to play together. For us to just enjoy each other’s bodies. And I guess that leads me to the biggest reason why you have to stay.” I suck in a ragged breath. “You can’t leave me behind.”
A knot forms in my throat, tight and hot, and I clutch his hand in mine, waiting for the stupid tears to pass so I can speak. I swallow hard and try to continue.
“I know it’s been tough since we’ve arrived here in Darkfell. I know you kept some secrets from me. But you’re not allowed to leave me behind. You’re not allowed to leave our child behind. I love you. I love you and I need—more than anything—to talk to you right now. So I’m going to need you to come back to me as soon as possible. I’m probably going to stomp my foot at the secrets you were keeping, and you’re probably going to tell me that you had no choice, and then we’ll fall into bed together and kiss and we’ll be together again.”
That stupid knot in my throat returns. What if the last memory he has of me is that awful scene at the dinner? What if he dies thinking I hate him? Tears spill down my face and I press desperate kisses to his knuckles.
He’s not allowed to leave me behind. That was never part of the plan.
“Don’t…cry…”
I gasp, clutching his hand tighter. Nemeth’s eyes are open, just a slit. “Oh! Nemeth!” His eyes flutter shut again, and I want to yank them back open, want him to sit up and talk to me. Something. Anything. “Nemeth?”
“This…is the part where…I should…be groveling at your feet…”
A sob escapes me. “You should, it’s true. But I’m in a magnanimous mood.” I cradle his hand to my chest. “You look like shite, love.”
He grunts. “Candra…”
“I know. Don’t spend your strength trying to explain to me.”
Nemeth frowns. “But…”
“You need to explain? Let me try to help you.” I bring his hand to my cheek, pressing a kiss to his thumb. My heart overflows with joy. “Your brother Ivornath concocted a plan with Meryliese to destroy the Liosian army and they triggered the curse and sent you to the tower anyhow. Am I right?”
He shakes his head. “Didn’t know…never saw your sister. Just knew Ivornath was up to something.”
I pat his stomach. “Then we amend that. All right then. Your brother was up to something. He sent you to the tower with instructions to seduce me and win me to Darkfell’s side. And when you met me, you hated the idea.”