Page 144 of The Chains You Defy

“Are you in pain?”

“Caution Dion, you sound as if you’re concerned.”

“Of course. After all, there’s nothing in existence I care more about than you.”

My retort died on my tongue, a phenomenon arising much too often recently. Lately, the manner in which Dion was showing his affection—or infatuation—thrust me into the deep end of uncertainty every single time.

But what had I expected? The fae male was intense in his entirety—of course, his courtship would be no different. His words were like knives, designed not to hurt but to sever the fibers of my resolve, one thread at a time.

Even imagining him as hideous wouldn’t change anything—his diligence stayed the same after all. Ugh.

“Close your eyes, Nayana.”

Alright, I’d indulge the bossy fae and do as he ordered. For a while, nothing transpired except Dion’s hold on me tightening before Cath slowed down and soon ceased his movement altogether.

“Can I open my eyes again?”

“Soon. Be patient.”

An infuriating chuckle followed my huff, but the curse I had at the ready died on my lips and was replaced by a squeal as I suddenly found myself lifted from horseback. Clutching the first thing I could grab and ignoring a pained hiss, I only relaxed as my feet met the ground.

“Ouch. There’s no reason to bruise my arm.”

“As if I could. That thing is made of steel.”

“Not only my arm, believe me.”

Blood shot into my cheeks as Dion purred his words with a velvety undertone and accompanied them with a warm draft of breath against my ear. However, I refused to acknowledge his double entendre, one he’d only used to embarrass me. “Can I see where we are?”

The charged, playful energy behind me shifted into something softer. “One moment. Hold Cath, stay here. I won’t go far.”

My forehead wrinkled as I accepted my fate and the reins, wondering what the unpredictable prince was plotting. There were faint noises, but when a painful expletive reached my ear, my eyes shot open.

Only, Dion must have expected me to sneak a peek, since my world was still engulfed in black.

What a bastard, not trusting me in this.

My stomach clenched. What if he’d cursed because something had incapacitated him? Would I be doomed to remain blind? “Dion? Are you fine?”

“Yes, all good.” Because he sounded rather gruff, almost pouty, I let it rest but pondered the next few minutes about how I could give him shit for applying a magical blindfold—of course, he hadn’t taken from my Potential, or else I could have penetrated his power—without admitting that I’d cheated in the first place. This was a conundrum, and as much as I chewed on the problem, there was no solution.

His evergreens and petrichors returned in full force moments before his powerful arms wrapped around me from behind, and his chin found its resting place on the crown of my head once more—but only after he’d placed a soft kiss on top of my tresses. Blessed Immaru, if he planned to be sweet, you’d better come and rescue me before I could melt into a puddle.

“Take a look, tiny female.”

One day.

One day, I’d find out why he insisted on calling me tiny all the time, but right now, another curiosity won out. The black blindfold had disappeared when I opened my eyes, and I stared at something straight out of a fantasy tale.

Fascinated, I leaned into Dion’s embrace and admired the clearing in front of me.

The forest surrounding us had been pretty enough already, with the foliage colored in different hues of purples, blues, and magentas—so unlike everything I’d known about trees—and those silent giants stood watch all around the slice of paradise Dion had brought me to.

The clearing, or meadow, was covered in light blue grass that glittered under the light—nature was crazy in Galanta—and on our right, solid stone reached for the sky, breaking up the enclosure of the forest.

But not just a simple rock face. No, water raced down the rugged surface, the flow broken in places because of some protruding overhangs, and when my gaze followed the falling, streaming water to the small basin it gathered in, my breath hitched.

The lagoon itself was so clear that I had no problem admiring the plethora of glimmering, multicolored stones forming the lake bed. Behind the waterfall, there was an opening in the cliff—a cave of some sort, I guessed. I couldn’t fully make out the hidden grotto, as the rushing water served as a natural curtain, hiding from view what lay beyond.