Only then I realized that the bag that Alina gave me was missing and I had no clue when I lost it. Before this moment, my only concern was surviving, but now that the immediate danger wasover, I realized that we had no food or water for the flight back. But that was a problem for tomorrow.
With a groan, I crouched beside Victor. His chest was rising and falling steadily, and his skin had returned to its natural tint. I sighed and reached to unbutton his suit. In the light of the candle, I noticed that his wounds were already barely distinguishable on his skin. His eyelashes flickered as he slept. He had the most beautiful skin tone, cool, with a slight pink undertone to it. When he laughed, a faint blush colored his cheeks and the combination of his light gray eyes and fairly dark eyelashes explained his never failing success with females. I pulled his leathers off, nearly exposing him completely. The fabric of his underwear slid below his hip bones, exposing some sort of an inked design on the side of his hip. Blood rushed to my face. If he knew what I was doing, what I was thinking, I would never hear the end of it.
I could still remember when I brought a guy I was dating to meet the others. Victor was with some loud mouthed tavern woman. Her dress was partially undone on top, poorly accommodating her watermelon sized boobs. She was laughing at something Victor said and everything about the sight irritated me. Sol was flirting with one of his girls, and Tynan was watching my date with his usual indifference. I was angry with them because they were always mean to my dates. At the end of the night, when I confronted Tynan and Sol about their behavior, Sol was the one who responded:
“Does he remind you of anyone?”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Look closer. Don’t you see the resemblance?”
That was the moment when I realized that all the men I was ever interested in were blond with light eyes. But, that did not mean that I secretly preferred them all to look like Victor. It was just something I found attractive. There was no harm in that. We all had a type. It meant nothing.
Once again, I glanced at Victor, his toned and beautifully proportioned body. His well defined, muscular shoulders and lean, well sculpted stomach. I had seen him without his shirt many times, but never before I could freely gaze at him without fear of being caught. At last, I removed the rest of his suit and carefully placed it on the floor beside mine. With all the magic the flying leathers possessed, I expected to find clean and dry clothes in the morning. I swathed Victor in the heavy, dust-scented folds of fabric and crept closer, pressing my hand against his chest. Just hearing his slow, well measured breaths brought me peace like nothing else could. I lied there listening to the sounds in the building, not fully believing that we made it to safety. Finally, I extinguished the candle and made myself comfortable.
CHAPTER NINE
ALINA
Ipaced the room for hours straight. At first, the sky remained coal black just like the darkest pigment in a set of watercolors. Then the intense shade started to slowly water down with a light purple hue. The morning stars already dusted the horizon but I was still as lost as ever. For hours I talked to myself; formulating plans, pleading and arguing with invisible opponents. What Sage suggested was a solid plan, perhaps the only reasonable solution, but I knew Tynan would never agree to it. I knew he would hate the idea of running.
Another hour passed while I stared out the window, not seeing the beauty of the ever changing shades in the morning sky. When a knock came from the door, I shuddered, too overwhelmed, too exhausted to think straight. The key turned in the lock, and a moment later, May stepped into the room.
“Milady?” she called quietly.
I just stared at her, unable to think clearly after a whole day of debilitating, soul crushing pressure that was squeezing the lifeout of me, minute by minute. There were no good solutions, all I had was a tiny sliver of hope.
“Yes, May? Is something wrong?”
“Sage wants to know your decision.”
I glanced at Tynan. His face relaxed, his breathing steady and peaceful. The deep, reviving sleep was how his body was recovering from the multiple wounds and immense blood loss. He was getting better, but he was still too weak.
“Milady?”
May’s voice returned me to reality.
“What’s going on outside?” I asked.
“More warriors arrived. They demand to see the clan leader. They threaten to storm the castle if he doesn’t come out to greet them.” May lowered her gaze.
So this is what it came down to. Everything Sage had warned me about came to pass. My remaining options were evaporating into thin air. If I wanted to get Tynan out of the city, I had to do it now, before the sun was all the way up. It could already be too late.
“What would be your orders, milady?” May asked.
I only looked at her, stupefied; so emotionally drained that I was unable to process even my own thoughts.
“Milady?”
May’s voice just barely pierced through my thoughts. I clenched the fabric of my shawl so hard that a sharp pain exploded in my knuckles.
“Milady?”
I will be gambling with both our lives, there could be no doubts.The time had come to make a decision.
“Milady?”
“Tell Sage we’re staying.” I was surprised my voice did not falter as I met the gaze of my maid.
