Page 19

Arianna

Cara arrived shortly after and led their entire group through the trees. None could hide their excitement at the prospect of soaking in a hot spring. They paused at a bathhouse along the way to clean the grime from their bodies. Rion helped her sit, but Arianna washed quickly, not wanting to make the others wait.

She wrapped herself in a plush robe and met her companions outside. All were dressed in a similar fashion, but none had left their weapons behind.

Cara paused at the entrance, a looming cavern with sconces flickering inside to light the way. “The halls might seem daunting, but everything is marked.” She addressed Rion first. “Take the first right, then the second tunnel beyond that. It has the biggest pool. Just flip the little sign in front to indicate it’s taken and no one will disturb you.”

Arianna scented the air wafting from the cavern and crinkled her nose at the smell. She stepped forward, intending to follow the others inside, but Rion’s body didn’t move when she tugged on his hand. His heart began pounding and she turned to find him staring at the walls as if they might close in around them.

Arianna studied the cavern entrance again. It was tall, taller than any Fae and wide enough that four could have walked through shoulder to shoulder and still had some room to spare.

Even so, her mate balked, staring at the stone walls as if they were an enemy he couldn’t conquer.

Arianna squeezed his hand and Rion looked down at her, his eyes slightly glazed over before they shifted into focus. “We don’t have to.”

Cara was the only one who lingered, but the half-breed attempted to busy herself and turned away.

Rion, despite his trembling body, offered Arianna a gentle smile before stepping forward without a reply.

Sunlight peeked through crevices in the rocks above and sconces that had been nailed into the wall chased away the looming shadows.

The air grew thicker. Water ran off the walls, trickling onto the floor before disappearing again into tiny cracks in the stone.

There were several forks in the road ahead. They followed Cara’s instructions and veered right before pausing in front of the second tunnel.

A tiny wooden sign hung on a loose nail that’d been driven into the rock. Arianna flipped it around so it read occupied, then Rion pulled her down the narrow passage.

She might have been more nervous under so much rock were it not for the knowledge that her mate could quite literally lift the entire mountain by himself. He’d held a falling city, after all.

Or maybe that had been too much. His magic had been worn down for nearly a week afterward, barely rising to his call.

The tunnel opened to a circular room and Arianna’s eyes widened at the site of the steaming pool of blue water. It was far from uniform, bending and dipping with the natural stones. A large section of overhanging rock stretched over the backside of the pool with a small waterfall trickling down its smooth surface. Arianna stepped forward to peer up through a gaping hole in the ceiling that revealed traces of the cloudless sky above.

She released Rion’s hand and knelt at the edge to test the temperature. “This is incredible. I never thought I’d get to see one in person.”

Rion untied his robe and let the material glide to the floor. Arianna’s mouth went dry at the sight of his reforming muscles. She looked away, cheeks heating.

Rion seemed to ignore her reaction. “It’s about the most relaxing thing you’ll ever experience.” Arianna peered back over at him with her brow raised. “I spent time in Fiadh.”

Right, because he’d been hunting her mother’s murderer.

“It’s hard to picture you ever relaxing. Especially out on a mission.”

Rion smirked. “I’m not immune to the allure.” He said it with his gaze on her in a way that made her blood heat all over again. The truth was, there were still so many things she needed to learn about her mate.

Rion lowered himself into the water and a groan escaped him that shot straight to her core. He still didn’t turn. Was he trying to give her privacy? It wasn’t as if Rion hadn’t made it his mission to explore every inch of her.

You’re in control. She swore she could hear the words echoing down their bond. He always gave her a choice. Their bond still hadn’t solidified, but it was close. So close, she was certain it’d click over any moment.

Arianna let the robe fall from her shoulders and sat on the edge of the rock before jumping in. She hissed when the liquid hit her abdomen, the skin still new and pink. Without Sive’s help, the wound would still be open. She’d be bedridden … or dead.

It’d happened so fast. One moment she’d been smiling at her mate, certain their victory was at hand. The next, darkness had consumed her, pulling her under against her will.

Is that what dying would feel like? Or fading when her time came?

Once Arianna submerged herself, Rion turned. He leaned against the far wall opposite her and the pleasant sound of trickling water filled the space. The bottom of the pool was smooth beneath her feet, though whether that was natural, she had no way of knowing. Arianna hedged the ledge wrapping around the perimeter wasn’t.

She walked beneath the small waterfall and let the warm liquid cascade over her hair, rolling down the sides of her face. Arianna drank it in, staying there for a moment before emerging to find Rion with his head leaned back and eyes closed.

Steam curled up around his features and for once, she didn’t scent his magic. She wondered if the runes Sive had painted across his skin had something to do with it.

Arianna thought they might wash off, but whatever the Weaver had used possessed some sort of dye that’d stained Rion’s skin, giving him the appearance of a tattoo. If something so simple worked for him, then perhaps they should be permanent. If that was something he wanted, of course.

Arianna’s gaze slid down to his exposed throat. She paused at the pulse there and the muscles that flexed when he swallowed. Then her eyes dipped to his chest and the lines of muscle he’d been working to regain. He looked nearly the same as the first time she’d seen him shirtless. Only now, he carried far more scars, most Niall’s doing.

“You’re staring.”

“Am I not allowed to stare at my mate?”

He cracked open an emerald eye and Arianna’s body flooded with heat at the carnal desire in his gaze. Rion had refused to touch her while she was injured and while it’d only been a few days, it’d felt like months. Years.

“Come here.” It wasn’t an order. It couldn’t be with how breathless he’d gone, but Arianna obeyed the husky tone that promised to bring all her fantasies to life.

They could talk later. About the war. The mission. The future. But here, in this small space, they were free. It might only be a few moments, but she’d cherish them as if they were her last. Once they walked under that mountain and into enemy territory, there was no guarantee they’d ever come back.

Rion gently pulled her onto his lap. She ran her hands through his hair, wetting the strands.

“It drives me crazy when you look at me like that.” Rion pressed a kiss to the back of her hand, then worked his way up her arm.

“Look at you like what?” she teased.

The heat in his gaze told her enough. “Can I kiss you?”

“Aren’t you already?” Arianna leaned forward and Rion smiled against her lips. Then he devoured her. His hands traced up her back and he threaded one hand in her wet hair.

She wasn’t dragging it out today.

Their bodies joined and Arianna kissed him over and over, relishing the taste and feel of her mate. She ignored the faint tinge of fear plaguing the back of her mind when his teeth grazed her throat. She ignored the pain when his hands traced her scars and wounds. She ignored everything and let Rion consume her body, mind, and soul.

Something about having the most dangerous male on the continent beneath her, worshiping her, had a thrill of excitement shooting through her body. She was the reason his eyes were half-lidded. She was the reason his breathing had accelerated.

He was hers.

Her mate.

Her everything.

Another strand of their bond knit together and Rion gasped before pulling her impossibly tighter. She could feel his emotions now as if they were her own and it sent them both toppling over the edge.

Arianna kissed the side of his neck and Rion tilted his head to allow it, baring himself to her. Only to her.

“Arianna—”

“Shhh.” She didn’t want this moment to end. Not yet. Here, they were tucked away from the horrors of the outside world and everything that would come. Here, in one another’s arms, they were safe.

Rion kissed her again and Arianna settled into the crook of his arm. The pair basked in the silence as the heat chased away the tension from their bodies.

“When I was chained,” he started. “I wasn’t sure I’d ever make it out of there. It gave me time to think about every moment I’d regretted.” Arianna tilted her head to look at him, but he was staring at the water. Rion’s hand moved up and down her arm. “I’m sorry for what I’ve put you through. I kept pushing you away, hoping it might be better for you in the long run. Ellie helped me see otherwise.” Arianna’s heart clenched at her sister’s name. “I kept thinking you deserved someone with less darkness in their soul. Yet you’ve accepted that darkness over and over again.”

He angled his body toward her and cupped her cheek. “You’re mine, Arianna, and I’m yours. I’m committed now. I’m not letting you go.”

A wide smile broke across her face. “You think I’d let you at this point?”

A crooked smirk. “No, but before we go through,” he tilted his head toward the exit, “whatever we have to face out there, I wanted you to know I won’t disappear. I’ll never leave you. I won’t back down. As unbelievable as it still is, I’ve accepted that you want me.”

“Took you long enough.”

A breathless laugh. “I think Saoirse is rubbing off on you. You never used to be so … mouthy.” His thumb traced her lip.

She shrugged. “Or Raevina. Both females seem to have an edge to them.”

“I like it. The challenge is—” Instead of words, Rion leaned down and kissed her again, taking her lower lip between his teeth. “Enticing,” he finished.

“Glad I don’t bore you.”

“Never. Not if we live a million years.”

Arianna settled against him again, listening to his heartbeat as she watched the steam curl from the water’s surface. But Arianna couldn’t stop the intrusive images that followed. Steam turned to smoke and the fresh air shifted to a burning scent that left her throat raw. She closed her eyes to the memories, willing them away. No matter how much she wanted peace, they were about to encounter all those terrible things again. She wondered if she’d ever escape war or if it’d follow her for the rest of her life.

Arianna threaded her fingers through Rion’s and squeezed. “Do you think we can save her?” Arianna tried not to think about all the monstrous things Vairik might be doing to her little sister. She tried to push those images away too, but a memory of Rion when she’d first found him in iron and covered in filth refused to leave her alone. Ellie could very well be experiencing the same torment.

“I’ll get your sister back.” His unwavering resolve floated down their bond. It strengthened something in her and Arianna was silently grateful for her mate’s confidence. Niall hadn’t killed Rion and Conall had already assured her that they wouldn’t kill Ellie either. But the torture—her sister had such a light spirit. Arianna feared that spirit could be crushed under the weight of too much darkness.

“Don’t think about it too much,” Rion said. “Just focus on getting her back.”

Arianna swallowed hard, fighting the emotion rising through her. “You and her really connected over the spring.”

A small smile crept to his lips and Arianna wondered which memory he might be reliving. “She’s the only one who’s ever treated me like a real person. Aside from you, of course.”

“Must run in the family.” He pressed a kiss to her hair. “Do you think we can trust Gavin? Do you really think Kirian is alive?”

“Talon made sure to strip Gavin of his magic before asking questions, so yes, I believe we can trust him. As for Kirian, I imagine they’re using the half-breed to keep Ellie in line.”

“Do you think they’ll be okay after—” Arianna didn’t finish her sentence. She didn’t have to. Rion’s nightmares were still a day to day struggle.

“I’ll make sure she is.” The words were a solid promise even if they felt hollow. He was always giving too much of himself, willing to help others before he was even whole himself.

How had the world ever branded someone like him as a monster?

Rion shifted and she allowed him to turn her around. His hands moved to her shoulders and she nearly moaned when he began working the tension from her muscles. She noted how careful he still was around the scar on her neck.

He’d gasped the first time he’d seen in and a fresh wave of overwhelming regret had washed through her. They’d both cried again, and he’d tried to kiss away the pain.

Arianna propped her elbow up on the rock ledge and rested her chin on top of her arm. “Tell me something.”

He paused for a moment. “What do you want to know?”

She shrugged. “Anything.” She knew they wouldn’t have time for simple conversations once they crossed into Ashling. Probably not until the entire war was over.

“You can ask, you know.”

She knew what he meant. But Rion relived those nightmares enough without her pulling at them too.

“It doesn’t have to be about that.”

Silence enveloped the space as he continued working her shoulders. His thumbs moved down her back, right over the scars from her past. He was careful around the thicker bands. “I want to tell you everything. But I’m not sure where to start without questions.”

Arianna studied a small pebble before her, staring at a swirl in the stone. “Did he … hurt you?” She inwardly kicked herself. What a stupid question. Of course he had. She could see the scars. Still, she hoped it’d been a one time incident. That perhaps Niall had merely been in a fit of rage when—

“Yes.” Rion paused a moment and his voice lowered. “Over and over. Every time he visited.”

Arianna’s jaw clenched. She’d kill Niall. She’d wrap her hands around his throat and watch the light leave his eyes herself. Or maybe she’d deliver him to Eimear and the two could tear off his limbs together.

“How did you meet Kaylee?” The young half-breed had been doing better with other younglings around, but she still clung to Eimear as if the female were her own mother. It’d made hiding Eimear’s current state impossible, but Kaylee didn’t seem affected by it. Perhaps Eimear had been the same way in her cell before Rion had released her.

“She was responsible for keeping the prisoners alive.”

“But she’s a child.”

Rion tensed slightly behind her. “I know.”

Kaylee was better now. She had more color to her cheeks and had gained a bit of weight. But Arianna couldn’t get the image of the frightened neglected child out of her mind. She’d been so frail too.

“At least she’s out of that animal’s reach now.”

“She told me she wanted to see the trees.” Rion said. “She doesn’t stop talking about them whenever I visit.”

A smile ghosted Arianna’s lips. Trees. Children were so simple in their delights. “Was she the one who told you about your mother?”

“No.” Rion began working on her other shoulder. “That was Niall. He—” Rion hesitated, and Arianna noted the way he tried to block his emotions from floating down the bond. He did that a lot.

“You don’t have to,” she whispered.

But Rion took a breath. “She was always screaming. Niall wanted me to know who it was.”

Oh gods.

“He never used her in his mind tricks though. That was always you.” Arianna froze. “I’ve watched you die a million times. In a million ways,” he admitted. “And my heart went with you every single time.”

“Rion.” She turned then and the way he stared at her had her own tears falling. Gently, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close. Rion’s arms circled beneath hers and he buried his face in her neck, breathing in her scent as if it might steady him.

The prospect of her death was the very reason he’d run. Why he’d panicked and trusted strangers when left with no other alternatives.

“When this is all over. We’ll go somewhere. Just us.” She pulled back and brushed her hand through his hair. “I want a life with you. When we finally come out, I want you at my side and we’ll rule this continent together.”

Rion tenderly kissed her lips. “Haven’t I already told you I’m yours?”