Page 47 of The Rake OR The Orca Who Met His Match in a Selkie Desiring Revenge
6. I was disappointed to find that there is not an actual club, they only joke.
Chapter fifteen
Elspeth
IN WHICH TIME SPENT IN COMPANY GIVES GLIMPSES AT DOMESTIC BLISS
Catrin led Elspeth upa set of stairs against the back wall of the home. The back wall was roughly hewn, bumping along Elspeth's touch as she trailed her fingers along the cool stone.
The stairs continued, but Catrin led Elspeth off at the first landing. Because their house was constructed into the side of the mountain, it had many floors but was relatively shallow. They stepped into a long hallway with a series of rooms that all had windows or balconies to overlook the city. At the end of the hallway, she opened the door to reveal what appeared to be a guest suite. Along the far wall was a large plush bed. To its right was a balcony that had a set of chairs and a small table for relaxing.On the back wall was an open door that seemed to lead into some sort of bathing chamber. Like the rest of the house, it was eclectically decorated, though sparse and impersonal in comparison.
Elspeth set her pack down on one side of the bed, and was surprised to see Catrin waving her toward the balcony. The white-haired woman sat down and motioned for Elspeth to do the same.
“It all seems as if it’s been quite the experience,” Catrin said.
Blowing out a breath, Elspeth sat down. “It certainly has. I scarcely feel I’ve had a second to take it all in.”
“I imagine,” Catrin wiggled in her seat, as if uncomfortable, clasping and unclasping her hands a few times before she continued. “Listen, Aegir is one of my dearest friends, so I don’t want you to take this the wrong way, but you’ve experienced, from what I can gather, several things that have been quite out of your control. I want you to know that if you don’t want to stay with Aegir, either in this room, or at all, Torsten and I would help you. I don’t want you to feel trapped, and I’m confident Aegir wouldn’t want that either. Regardless, I swear the offeris sincere.”
Catrin didn’t try to fill the silence that followed, and instead allowed Elspeth time to consider. It was true, there were several elements of Elspeth’s recent experience that had been entirely unexpected, and anything but what she would have chosen. If she had the option, none of it would have ever happened, but she had always been a pragmatic person, and Aegir had been nothing but distressed about her lack of choice. Never once had he complained about his own, and had only ever mentioned releasing her from her obligations. Perhaps that was simply his own way of phrasing it so that she didn’t feel guilty or unwanted. It was possible that he wanted to be released from their bond, but was spinning it as releasing her.
A thick, sticky feeling clogged Elspeth’s stomach. Further, she considered, Aegir might normally be desperate to be released from the situation, and it was only the influence of the bond that dampened those feelings, twisting them instead into concern for Elspeth. As she sat with it, she was more determined than ever they find a way to dismiss the bond. It made her question everything about her own feelings, let alone Aegir’s. If it were allowed to persist, they would never truly know their own feelings.
Was there anything worse? Could there be anything worse? She imagined them, living a life together, blissfully enraptured, but never knowing if any of it was real. The very thought of it made her sick.
Blinking back the stinging tears that threatened, she shook her head. Refocusing on Catrin’s current line of inquiry, “I feel quite safe with Aegir. In fact, I am increasingly confident that the bond won’t allow him to hurt me. We shared a room last night, and that was more than sufficient. I don’t want to impose or take up any more space than we need to.” Elspeth’s eyebrow whiskers twitched as she tried to suppress a blush. The idea of being separated from him was abhorrent. She’d enjoyed sleeping in his arms and waking to his adoring face. Perhaps none of it was real, but she also couldn’t deny the joy it brought her—fabricated as it might be. Inhaling deeply, she pressed on. “Further, Aegir seems dedicated to dismissing our bond, as am I, and rescuing my brother.”
She wanted to dismiss the bond for herself and her brother, of course, but the rage that boiled within her also hungered for blood. What did it matter if the bond could be dismissed, when it could also be dealt with by eliminating his captor? Elspethhad never truly been a violent person, but she was not ashamed of the way she was comforted by the thought of that evil, Pathian soldier’s death. Quite unbidden, she saw the sneer on his face as the elf had smeared his hand on Feann’s pelt. The sickly, smug satisfaction as he had leered at her brother. Yes, the thought of that evil elf drowning in his own blood warmed the cockles of her heart.
Across from her, Catrin noted her fidgeting calming, as she smoothed her skirts and stood. “Well, I’m glad to hear it. There are bathing facilities at the back, and Torsten and I should have supper ready in an hour. I’ll send one of the children to fetch you when it’s ready.” Though she seemed awkward about the conversation, Elspeth was nothing but grateful that Catrin had worked up the nerve to speak about it.
Ashort while later,Elspeth headed back downstairs to the sounds of giggles and shrieks of joy. The parlor they’d sat in earlier was empty, but a doorway at the side of the room had been opened to reveal a long diningtable and a kitchen beyond. Catrin and Torsten stood side by side in front of the stove, their backs to her. His large green hand rested on the small of her back, tracing lazy circles. Catrin’s shoulders shook when he leaned down to whisper in her ear, and the two seemed oblivious to the chaos that was ensuing behind them.
Aegir, with baby Bjorn on his shoulder, was chasing Halsten around the room with what appeared to be some sort of sea slug. From a distance, it looked slick and bulbous, bright orange against the black of his hand.
“Eeew, Uncle Aegir, get it away!” Halsten yelled as he ran. “That thing is so gross!”
“It’ll put hair on your chest!” Aegir said, standing on the opposite side of the room and waggling the slug.
“I can grow my own hair on my chest. I don’t need some slug!”
“Hair swug! Hair swug!” Bjorn chanted, smacking Aegir on the head with each word.
“I see, I see, well then, how about…” Aegir spun to where Ursule had been watching with a smug smile. “You! Ursule, you want to try my slug, don’t you? It’s so tasty!”
The girl shook her head, her white curls tumbling around her shoulders as she screamed and ducked behind Elspeth. Her small hands grabbed onto Elspeth’s waist, pivoting to use her as a shield. Elspeth suppressed a flinch, though she caught Aegir looking at Ursule’s hands intently.
“Oh, bad form, Suley, badform!” Halsten wagged his finger at her.
“None of that, now.” Aegir stood taller and sobered. “You fight your way. She fights hers, aye?”
“Yes, Uncle Aegir…”
“And Suley, remember, we don’t touch others unless they’ve told us they are alright with being touched. Aye?”
“Aye, sorry Auntie Elspeth.”
“It’s quite alright, dear.” She squeezed the girl’s shoulders.Auntie. The word gave her a rush in a way she couldn’t have anticipated… she quite liked being called Auntie.