Page 69 of Heart of the Hunter (Band of Bastards #3)
A nora could not take her eyes from Hunter.
Her heart was in her throat as she watched him and waited for him to slump to the ground just as Payne had done.
She’d seen Payne raise the blade in the air and bring it down viciously on Hunter’s neck.
It was a killing blow, and Hunter shouldn’t still be on his feet.
She was afraid if she even blinked, he would fall to the ground, and she’d realize it was all a dream.
Hunter stumbled backwards but he stayed upright, his gaze still locked with hers. She dropped the bow in the mud and ran to him. He limped toward her and held his arms out to her as she came into his embrace.
“Angel,” he murmured in her ear as his arms tightened around her back. “You’re my angel.”
“You’re so cold,” she said as she slid her hands over his icy skin. “And you’re hurt,” she exclaimed as her fingers touched the slick blood that streamed down his back. She tried to pull out of his embrace to look at it, but he wouldn’t release her.
“It’s just a scratch. I’ll be fine.”
“We have to get out of here. There are archers on the wall.” She turned and put her shoulder under his arm for him to lean on her.
“It’s over, angel.”
Anora felt a pit form in her stomach. “What do you mean?”
“I mean the fighting,” he said as he tipped his head in the direction of the bailey as his gaze stayed on her face.
Men still yelled commands, but the chaos was over. Hawk and Bard, wet and bloody, directed Hawkspur’s soldiers as they rounded up the castle guard and helped the wounded men.
“Let’s get you inside and dry. Your wounds need to be dressed, and you need to rest.” Anora tried to nudge Hunter in the direction of the great hall.
“Stop, Anora,” Hunter said, his voice gentle. He pulled her into his arms again and wrapped a hand around the back of her neck as he looked intently at her face, as though he needed to reassure himself she was real.
“You came for me,” she said as she looked into his eyes. She’d been certain he would, but she’d feared it would be too late.
“I did,” he agreed with a small smile.
“And you almost got yourself killed,” she scolded as she tightened her grip on him.
“Aye, I did.”
“Why?” she asked. Her stomach lurched at the thought of how close she came to losing him.
“I couldn’t come through the tunnel and storm the castle with Red and only a few men. We’d have been outnumbered and dead before Hawk and his army arrived. But I was going out of my mind knowing you were in his hands. I had to take his attention away from you.”
“You obstinate fool,” she said as tears streamed down her face. “If you’d been killed, I wouldn’t have been able to breathe again.”
“But I wasn’t,” he said smiled at him, “because of you.”
She’d killed a man, and she should feel worse than she did for the horrible deed, but she couldn’t bring herself to regret her actions.
“I’m more capable than you realize,” she said with a smirk. It was what she’d been trying to prove to Hunter since the beginning of this ordeal, but it seemed unimportant now.
He chuckled weakly. “I knew you were capable, but I’ve been constantly terrified of what you might do next that would drive me to madness. Now tell me again.”
“Tell you what?”
“Tell me you love me?”
She quirked a smile at him. “I didn’t say I love you.”
He leaned his forehead against hers. “You said you couldn’t breathe without me.”
She laughed and closed her eyes. “I did say that.”
“That sounds like you love me.”
“And you said you are constantly aware of me.” She would remember his confession in the forest hut for as long as she had breath.
“I did.”
“That sounds like you love me.”
He pressed his lips to hers in an achingly gentle kiss. “I love you, Anora. I’ve loved you since the first day I saw you.”
“I love you, Hunter,” she whispered. “I’ll love you until I take my last breath.”
She kissed him deeply then and held him tightly as the rain and ruin around them faded away until nothing else existed but Hunter in her arms with his lips pressed to hers.