Page 7

CAMBION

Mercenary Stronghold

Sunlight spills over the horizon and I watch the colors of the sky change with each passing moment.

The city is bustling with activity. I’d nearly forgotten the sound of laughter before I came here.

King Galmer has built something I can only hope to give my people when this fight is over.

Those who dwell within the walls of the stronghold live in peace and prosperity, guided by a firm but loving hand of a ruler who thinks not of himself, but of the good of the people.

We could all learn something from the great centaur king.

When the sound of clashing swords reverberates from the training yard, I hop down from the wall and make my way over to where Eilish trains with some of the mercenaries.

It fills me with awe to see just how far she’s come.

Before, Eilish fought with inexperienced fumbles and a rare flash of luck, but now she’s a warrior.

Each step she takes is carefully measured.

Each strike is unpredictable and performed with great skill.

Eilish has consumed my thoughts for a long time, but now the fantasy of her that once lingered in my meditations no longer slakes my lust or eases my weary heart.

When she catches me watching her, she turns that vibrant blue gaze my way and I’m helpless.

I approach her as she fights, appreciating the way she tosses her dagger from her right to her left hand depending on where her opponent stands.

The way she throws her weight into each block and the way she uses her surroundings to her advantage are something to be admired.

“You’re very talented with your blade,” I say. “You’ve made much progress.” I think for a moment that she’ll be offended by my words, but she isn’t. Instead, she finishes her training and I see that faint glow surround her, just like it did before I left the Veil to find Theren.

“Thank you,” she says and smiles but I can see she’s still guarded with me. She doesn’t trust me—as well she shouldn’t, owing to the things I’ve done. The mistakes I’ve made.

“Can we talk?” I ask.

She walks closer to me and I see the sweat that beads on her forehead and her upper lip. “Is everything okay?” she asks.

There’s a strange formality that exists between the two of us now that wasn’t there before. I suppose it’s better than outright hostility or anger, but it feels disingenuous all the same.

“Yes, everything’s as okay as it can be, given the circumstances, I suppose,” I say as we start away from the mercenaries and the tents.

“What’s on your mind, Cambion?” she asks.

I look over at her and inhale deeply, not appreciating the heat of the air that enters my lungs. In the fae realm, the air is much lighter, cooler and entirely more comfortable. The heat in this place is nearly unbearable. “I need you to know the truth,” I start.

She smiles up at me. “Haven’t we already had this conversation?”

“No,” I answer.

We move to a bit of shade to escape the sun. She leans against the wall, and I watch a bead of sweat trickle down her neck and get lost in the crease of her ample breasts. I lick my lips without thinking and lose myself in her blue eyes.

“Okay,” she says, “What truth do I need to know?”

“You always thought I didn’t desire you,” I start. “But I’ve wanted you from the moment I saw you. I just had to fight my feelings because I didn’t want you to learn the truth about who was responsible for your family and I didn’t want you to find out I’d lied.”

She frowns at me. “I’m sorry if I find that hard to believe,” she says. “One thing of which you’ve been strict about is your disinterest in me.”

“It was all a lie, Eilish.”

She nods but doesn’t appear convinced. “You treated me like I was less than a person,” she starts and I see the anger in her eyes. “Then you erased my memories when you failed to protect my family… a subject which I still don’t have all the details for.”

“I’m willing to explain what happened and why I didn’t uphold my end of our agreement,” I start but she silences me when she holds up one hand.

“I’m not ready to hear that just yet,” she says.

“I’m still working through the details of everything I’ve come to learn just recently.

And with Morrigan and Variant to worry about, I don’t think there’s much more my brain can handle.

” She takes a breath. “So, if you don’t mind, can you keep that information to yourself for now? ”

“Of course,” I answer with a nod. “Whenever you’re ready to hear what happened, please come to me and I will explain it all.”

“Okay,” she says. “So going back to the conversation we were just having… in all the time I’ve known you, you’ve done nothing but treat me as if I’m the bane of your existence...”

“I know,” I say and nod. “I can’t deny any of it. It’s all true.”

“Why would you treat me like that?”

“Because I wanted to push you away for the reasons I already mentioned and, more than that, I was jealous.”

“Of what?”

“Dragan and Baron—of the way you got along with them so easily. The way they obviously and openly cared for you. I always wanted that… but I didn’t understand how to get it. Not when I was hiding these horrible secrets from you.”

“I know I should be angry with you and I am angry, but I care for you.” She pauses. “I always have.”

I reach down and take her hands, closing the gap between us.

She doesn’t fight me so I move closer. Pressing my forehead against hers, I breathe in the scent of her.

“I care for you, too, Eilish. I was wrong for what I did and how I treated you. And I don’t expect your forgiveness.

But the truth is I do care for you.” I take a deep breath. “And what’s more, I know you need me.”

“Need you?” she repeats.

“The light in you is dwindling,” I explain. “We can all see it happening. The darkness is taking over and the angel within you is suffering.”

“Yes,” she says and nods as she glances down at the ground and I see the black tendrils of her hair. Last I had seen her there were just a few strands but that number has increased to double, at least.

“I want to help you,” I say as I reach down and grip her chin, lifting her beautiful face so she’s forced to look at me. “Do you remember… do you remember what it was like between us?”

“No,” she answers. “I mean, I get snips of visions here and there of the two of us but I can’t recall the memories, themselves.” She grows quiet for a few moments as she looks up at me. “Did we just have sex one time?”

“No,” I say and shake my head. “After I took your memories, and realized I’d stolen all of them, I took you back to my palace and I kept you there because I was afraid you wouldn’t be able to care for yourself since you had no idea who you were or what happened.

And while you were in my custody, I came to you numerous times.

We spent most our nights together but it was always the same in the morning—you would never remember anything. ”

“That must have been… frustrating for us both.”

“To say the least,” I answer as I smile down at her. “You have no idea how much I’ve wanted to feel you again. There were so many moments when I wanted to come to you and I wanted to ask if you felt anything towards me.”

Something shifts between us and she lifts her face as if she wants me to kiss her. So I do, I wrap my arms around her and pull her into me, then I drop my face and take her lips. She opens her mouth and I push my tongue into her, loving the taste of her.

“I’ve missed that,” I say when I pull away.

My hands brush her sides, moving up to cup her breasts as she gasps.

I dip my head low and steal another kiss and this time, she thrusts her tongue into my mouth.

The kiss is devastating... slow and sensual, deep, and filled with so much emotion that her faint glow becomes almost blinding.

My hands slide higher to tilt her head to the perfect angle so I can taste her tenderly.

She’s exactly what I remember.

“I need you, Cambion,” she whispers. “I’ve needed you for a very long time.”

“To feed the lightness within you,” I say.

She nods. “I need you to keep me balanced.”

The light around us swells as the blood rushes to my erection.

It’s been too long since I’ve felt her heat, the wetness of her body.

Eilish’s arms wrap around my neck and I lift her higher, pressing her against the side of the watch tower.

She gasps, and I swallow down her sweet sighs.

And when she pulls away, I feel like I’m floating in a vat of raw emotion.

“I’ll give you whatever you need,” I say.

And just when I think she’s going to give in to the fever between us, she takes a deep breath and stalls me with one hand. She closes her eyes and I watch her pant.

“I,” she starts. “This is all happening too fast,” she finishes.

She pulls away, placing several feet of distance between us.

“Eilish?”

She shakes her head. “I need time, Cambion. All of this is so sudden and I can’t help but think of everything that’s passed between us and the truth behind…” she doesn’t finish her sentiment but I understand it, all the same.

She can’t give herself to me when she hasn’t forgiven me.

“There are things I need to focus on, and I can’t do that when my judgment is clouded,” she says but I realize the words are just an excuse. She can’t have sex with me when she’s still blaming me.

“I still have anger and pain where… you’re concerned.” She offers me a sad smile.

“I understand,” I say as I take a few steps away from her, to show that I’m willing to give her the space she asks for.

“Lady Fulthain!” someone calls, and Eilish leaves me standing there, feeling as if I’ve failed yet again. I don’t know how to make things right but I desperately want to. I need to make things right but I’m not sure if that’s even possible anymore.