Page 53 of A Warrior's Heart

“I understand your fear,” Reif said, moving his gaze to the mountain in the distance. It looked closer from our spot on the ship, even though it was nearly a two-day hike. “I rarely speak of my past. There are moments when I wonder if it happened to someone else instead of me.”

“The story you told before, of the warrior falling in love with an elf. That was you, was it not?”

Reif’s shoulders tensed. “Yes.”

“You don’t have to tell me anything more if it’s too painful.” I knew all too well how much it hurt to remember the past.

“When I was captain of the Men of Shadow, King Triton sent me on a mission to kill the elf prince,” Reif said after several moments of silence. “It’s not our job to question his orders, and so, I traveled to the elven kingdom, snuck past their defenses, and found the prince near a stream. He was playing a flute, and the melody flowed through me. Touched a part of my heart I long since thought barren and cold. I stayed in the coverage of trees, listening until the final note rang out. When I finally stepped toward him, he startled. I had never seen anyone more beautiful than him, Malik. The palest shade of golden hair and sparkling green eyes that reminded me of spring. And when he asked for my name, his voice was even sweeter than the music he played.”

“What did you do?”

The faintest of smiles touched Reif’s lips. “I tossed aside my sword and dropped to one knee, bowing my head to him. The action went against everything I’d been taught as an assassin. We weren’t supposed to make our presence known. We were to kill the target and leave. But my heart had other ideas.”

“You fell in love with him,” I said.

Reif nodded. “I sat with him by the stream, and we talked for hours. But once he learned of my mission, he ordered the guards to capture me. I could’ve easily fought them off, but I didn’t. I let them take me to the palace and throw me in the dungeon. Storm came to visit me after a day passed. He felt betrayed and played for a fool. I said if I intended to kill him, he’d already be dead.”

I chuckled at that. “I take it he wasn’t fond of that answer.”

Reif mirrored my smile, though a deep sadness filled his eyes. “He eventually learned that I meant him no harm. I’ll spare you the details. But when I was with Storm, my very soul breathed easier. He made me feel more than I was. He made me whole.”

“And you lost him,” I said.

“Aye.” A single tear fell from Reif’s eye before he turned his face away from me. “Assassins came in the dead of night and took me back to Avalontis to stand trial for disobeying a direct order. I never even got to say goodbye. King Triton lashed out at me in his anger, giving me this pretty reminder.” He traced the jagged scar leading from his brow to his lip. “You know the rest of the story.”

“You were exiled,” I said, nodding. “You didn’t return to the elven kingdom?”

“No. I was afraid King Triton would set his eyes on Storm again and finish the mission I failed to complete. I wanted to protect him. Triton eventually sent word that I could return to Avalontis under one condition. If I ever disobeyed him again, he’d take my head.”

Why had King Triton wanted to kill the elf prince in the first place? For as long as I could remember, the elves had always kept to themselves, never harming any of our kind.

“Many of the assassins still respect you,” I pointed out.

“Aye, they do, though many despise me for abandoning the brotherhood.”

“Do you regret it?”

His dark eyes found mine. “Sometimes I think I do. But in truth? Loving Storm was worth any pain that followed.”

“Why did you tell me this?”

“Because you’re a damn fool.” Reif motioned to Troy’s cabin. “That boy adores the ground you walk on, and you feel the same for him. Every second you fight your desire is another second you waste with him. We’ve both lost ones we love, Malik. But if I had the chance to be happy again, to be loved, I would take it in a heartbeat.”

“I’m not you, dear friend,” I said, turning away from him. “Goodnight.”

I went to my cabin and sat on the edge of the bed, fingers linked behind my neck as I bent forward, elbows on my knees.

And I breathed.

Inhale. Exhale. Repeat.

When I finally settled down and closed my eyes to sleep, I saw Troy’s violet eyes staring back at me. I saw his smile as I traced the gold dust on his smooth chest. He was vibrant. Warm. Precious, just as Reif had said.

“Your light is not a blinding one that burns me up. It’s gentle. Soft. And guides me out of the dark.”

Little did he know that his light guided me too.

Setting my soul on fire.