Page 56 of Faeling (Monstrous World #4)

He couldn’t do nothing, though.

He saw her suffering and had to make it go away, however much he could.

“Tell me how to help you, love,” he begged.

A tear slid down her pale cheek, but she didn’t move to wipe it away. Everything inside him told Vallek to gather her close, to hide her with his bigger body from the evils of the world. He could protect her, keep her safe. His hand itched to wipe the tears for her, but he dared not move.

“I see their faces, and I—I know I’ve failed them,” she whispered.

Suddenly, she turned her head to look at him, the movement so unexpected, his stomach dropped. Moonlight glittered in her glassy eyes, and the breath hissed out of his lungs to see how close to the brink she stood. Not just on that wall with him, but within her own mind.

“Ravenna,” he groaned her name, “please.” He didn’t know what he asked for exactly, only that he begged for her.

Those haunting eyes of hers were strangely cold as she told him, “My parents died for me. To keep me safe. I saw them in my dream.”

Vallek nodded slowly. He’d guessed something tragic in her past; she never spoke of living family. The few things she’d said were of a childhood spent hidden away with her human mother—she hardly ever spoke of her fae father.

It was a morsel of information that left Vallek hungry for more. That was just like her, to reveal a little but keep back the most. He sensed far more to the story, but again, he dared not push.

“Such a sacrifice would leave its mark on anyone,” he told her gently.

His own parents had died fairly young, his father in battle, in service to Mordis in one of his petty feuds, and his mother just a year after.

Already weakened from the loss of her mate, his mother was easy prey for the sweating sickness that swept across Balmirra.

Were it not for Eydis holding the remains of their family together, fate would have been far less kind to Vallek.

His parents’ deaths had felt senseless, useless. As an angry youth, he’d often lashed out in his pain. How could he swallow his grief and loss when it was so meaningless. His father had been sent to his death for nothing, eventually taking his mate with him and leaving his younglings orphans.

That had left its own kind of scar, although he knew it to be different from the one his mate clearly bore. From just her few words, her parents seemed to have died for completely the opposite. Their deaths meant something. Sacrifice .

As the cold wind stung his cheek, Vallek realized what a burden such deaths would be.

Lips drawn thin, Ravenna shook her head. “They died for me. For nothing .”

“No,” he breathed. “They died protecting what they loved most. It is an honorable death.”

More tears spilled from eyes in earnest now, alarming Vallek. Gods, he was making a mess of this.

“I didn’t want their deaths,” she said through bared teeth. “I wanted them to live.”

“I’m sure, love. Such a choice wouldn’t have been easy. But you mattered enough to them for it to be worth the sacrifice.”

“But I’m not,” she whispered, breaking his heart. “I’m not .”

“You are ,” he growled, voice gruffer than he meant it to be. “You are worth every sacrifice. I would give my life for yours, love. Happily.”

It was the wrong thing to say.

Her eyes grew wild. A horrified gasp split her mouth wide, and she turned to clutch at his forearms, her nails digging into his skin.

“You won’t . Promise me you won’t!”

Her demand scored his soul, ripping across his very being like the sharpest of claws. He couldn’t promise her that, for it went against everything he was, everything he felt for her.

“ Vallek —”

“I can’t promise you, for I know it to be true. I would die for you, sprite. It would be my honor.”

A wail escaped her lips, a wordless sound of anguish that pierced his heart and resolve. Tears streamed down her face, and when her arms slumped to hang limply at her sides, Vallek put aside his stubbornness.

There was no need to argue.

He didn’t need to die for her tonight. He’d much rather live for her—and give her what comfort he could.

When he stepped closer to take her into his arms, she threw herself against his chest. Burying her face between his pectorals, her sobs came hard and merciless, wracking her small frame.

Vallek wrapped his arms around her, his soul finding a little peace to have her where she belonged, even as she wetted his skin with her tears.

He didn’t know what was wrong, but he stood in silence anyway, purring a soothing cadence.

Her cries were broken only by sobs of, “You can’t, you can’t.” Vallek held his tongue, not wishing to upset her more.

Sheltering her from the wind, he nuzzled her hair as he purred. Vallek held her for long moments, willing her to take his strength, his assurance. Anything at all she needed, he would give. She had but to ask.

“I love you, sprite,” he murmured at her temple. “That is why I would lay down my life for yours. Your parents loved you, too, I’m sure. You are alive and well, and so you cannot have failed them.”

“I saw you—” she choked on a sob “—I saw you —in chains.”

His blood ran cold at her garbled words, be he didn’t dare let on, didn’t let his purr grow into a growl nor immediately deny that he, Vallek Far-Sight, would never be held in irons.

Somehow, he held her even tighter. Gods, were some of these tears for him?

He wouldn’t allow it.

“In your vision, was I dead?”

“N-no…”

“Then don’t waste your tears on me, love. No chains can hold me.”

It was too much to hope that his confidence and poor attempt at humor would dry her tears, of course. Still, he grimaced when her sobs redoubled, shaking her body more than his purrs shook his.

“I can’t bear it,” she whispered. “I can’t let you die for me, too.”

Her words pricked his confidence, and Vallek again put it aside. She didn’t need that now but his assurances, his gentleness.

“I’m hard to kill,” he promised, “and I’ve far too much to live for. A kingdom to oversee. A mate to keep out of mischief.”

She sniffled against his chest, a far better sound than a sob. Cradling the back of her head in his hand, keeping her secure to him, he rocked them gently.

“I swear to you, before I do any dying, I will live a long, happy life for you.” He’d accept nothing less than decades with his fierce faeling.

He meant to see this kingdom they stood at the creation of flourish.

When it was time to leave it all behind for the afterworld, he’d do so old, fat, and happy. With her at his side.

She said nothing to that, but her sobs did seem to be reaching their end.

He couldn’t help the inkling he had that, as much as her parents and her vision were on her mind, so too was whatever secret scheme she kept from him.

It was clear that her own fears and burdens had sent her fleeing out into the night.

So much weighed on her mind…yet she still wouldn’t tell him.

His frustration could wait, though. As could her answers. He’d waited this long for them; he could wait a little longer yet.

Tonight, he would hold her. Tonight, he would gain a little more of her trust.

Until he had her full trust, Vallek would shelter her from the cold and dry her tears. It was a mate’s due, after all, to have the bad days with the good. Being king meant not only having a beautiful queen on his arm but carrying his queen when she needed succor.

“Come inside, out of the cold,” he gently pressed.

She offered only a single nod, but Vallek took his chance. Sweeping her up off the cold stones, he held her high on his chest and turned to head back into the citadel.

Ravenna drew her arms around his neck, her face burying in the crook of his neck.

That’s it, sprite. I have you.

He swiftly carried her inside, out of the wind, and back to the quiet safety of their bed. The watchful eyes of the guards followed them, their heads bowing to their king and queen as he and Ravenna passed.

It was a relief to enclose her away with him in their quarters. Placing her in the bed, he climbed in right behind her, throwing the blankets over them, even their heads.

In the warm cocoon, she curled herself into his front, her head tucked under his chin.

Vallek forwent words, keeping to a soft, steady purr. Arms secured around his mate again, he would keep watch over her tonight. No more visions, no more tears—he would see to that.