“Matthew, you will not lose me. I am here. We are all here—”
I shook my head, cutting her off. “It is foolish to assume we will all make it out of this alive, Eva. And the thought of losing you? I could not bear it.”
She shook her head. “You will not lose me, do you understand?”
“But what if I do? What if the gods take you away from me and all of this has been for nothing?”
Eva gripped my face tighter. “Listen to me, Matthew, and listen well. You will not lose me. Ever. For even the gods do not have the power to render our love undone.” She leaned in and pressed a soft, salty kiss to my lips. “There is not a force in the world that could take me away from you. Not even death.”
* * *
As the morning sun rose,I basked in the early light. Eva lay next to me, breathing deeply, our legs intertwined. We had hardly slept. Instead, we let our bodies find solace in one another.
Many tears were shed, many promises made. Perhaps during the night, we had placated whatever beast hummed inside my chest, champing at the bit to be released. However, those promises had faded with the morning sun; the beast reemerging to rage once again. It wanted vengeance and blood. It wanted to protect that which belonged to it, and the beast had no qualms about crushing those who got in the way.
I sat up, brushing strands of hair out of my face, and stumbled into the bathing chamber. Filling the tub quickly, I sprinkled in some of the lavender oil I watched Eva use. Her enchanting aroma filled the room, and I inhaled, filling my nostrils with her scent.
Climbing into the basin, I sank beneath the water. My mind was too loud, and I could barely think. I hadn’t felt like this in decades. I kept constant control over the monster which lay beneath my flesh, but I could feel it ripping at my seams. I didn’t know how much longer I could contain it.
Now, I had something to live and fight for.
Something to die for.
And my monster would not stand idly by and watch his mate suffer. Nor would he lose her to the evils of this world.
I opened my eyes and looked through the water above. Eva sat on the lip of the tub, staring down. Her lips were pursed into a thin line—a sign that she was not pleased or that she was worried. I would not blame her if it was a combination of the two.
I lifted my hand for her and she grasped it, pressing a kiss to my soaking skin, before she stood and disrobed. My lungs fought for air. I had lost count of how long I had been holding my breath.
Eva stepped into the water, heating it as she sank in between my legs. I sat up with a gasp, trying not to spew water in her face as I gasped for breath. “What are you doing?”
Still, she said nothing, turning in the bath until her back was pressed against the marble of the tub across from me. Her hazel eyes softened, and I saw no judgment there as she studied me closely. She could read every emotion on my face, the fear I was hardly holding at bay.
With a tip of her head, I was moving toward her. She opened her arms, pulling me into her embrace. I laid my head on her chest, centering myself with the beat of her heart. This was all I needed, the proof that she was real.Alive.
We lay there for an immeasurable amount of time, her fingers creating patterns on my skin. I had never been so vulnerable with someone before, letting them know the true fears in my heart that I couldn’t bear to speak out loud. “Thank you,” I whispered.
Her movements faltered slightly. “You never have to thank me for bringing you comfort, Matthew. I love you, and I would do anything for you. If you need time alone, tell me. If you need me to hold you while you cry, tell me. The point is, my darling, that you are not alone.”
As I moved to sit up, Eva leaned forward and kissed me deeply, chuckling as I groaned when she put distance between us. “Unfortunately, I received word from my father. He’s called us to his chambers at our earliest convenience.”
We both sighed. “Which means right now.” I kissed her again before standing and wrapping a soft towel around her body.
We dressed quickly, Eva weaving her hair into a braid so she did not have to fuss with it. The guards at the door bowed as we walked out. Luka was waiting for us, leaning up against the pillar.
I bowed my head. “Good morning, Luka.”
He barked out a laugh and ran his hand through his hair as he pushed himself off. “I wouldn’t say that. It’s been a bit shit, actually.” We headed toward the banquet hall, the palace unusually chipper given the early hour.
“What happened?” Eva asked, toying with the end of her braid nervously.
“Alistair left in the middle of the night. He caused a scene, as usual. A maid was assaulted as she delivered his evening tea,” Luka said quietly.
“How did that happen? Were there no guards posted in that wing?” I asked.
Luka nodded. “Of course there were. According to the maid, she heard raised voices inside the room. When she opened the door, Alistair was standing above Vana with a cane in his hand. She was curled into a ball, crying, and there was blood on the floor. The maid tried to scramble away to get help, but Alistair caught her and was able to hit her twice before the sentries intervened.”
“Fuck,” Eva and I swore at the same. Alistair was a piece of shit. He was like my father in the way they both lusted for power and would do anything to get it.
