“I’d be lost without you.Withoutallof you.”
I lifted my mug toward Callan, who winked at me as he continued to sing.Settling against Ryker, I sipped my ale and tried not to make a face at the bitter taste before passing it to Ryker.He chuckled as he took it from me.
Soon dancers filled the clearing, and poltergeists floated in.Farley glided by to say hi before going to bob amongst the dancers with his friends.They spun in circles and flapped their hands as Callan continued to play while joining in with the dancing.
After an hour, the celebration started to ramp up, and with food in my belly and some rest, I felt a lot better.Maybe it was a little morbid to celebrate someone’s death in such a way, but I was up for the party.
“I need a bath and some fresh clothes, but though I’m a little disgusting right now, would you like to dance with me?”I asked Ryker.
“Your wound.”
“It’s healed enough for a dance.”
“Ellery….”
“Really, it is.I feel a lot better, don’t you?”
He studied me before capitulating with a bow of his head.“I do.”
I shifted away as he rose and held his hand out to me.I took it and let him help me to my feet.
Despite sitting for so long, my legs were steady beneath me, but weakness lingered in my muscles and joints.My side only stung a little, and when I pulled on the gash, it only produced a dull ache instead of a breath-stealing stab of pain.It didn’t open again or bleed.
When Ryker pulled me into his arms, strength seeped through me as I rested my head on his chest.I relished the familiar beat of his heart and the strength of his corded muscles.
He hadn’t changed either after the earlier events; I doubted he’d left my side after I passed out.But it didn’t matter that we were both battered and bloodied; all I cared about was the love he’d brought to my life.
No one liked to think about what was happening outside these woods with the aristocrats… and the duke.Reality could return tomorrow, but tonight was for rejoicing with each other.
When Callan played an upbeat song, we didn’t join in the fast-paced revelry of those surrounding us, and I was happy about it.I wanted to stay in Ryker’s arms.
As the others danced around us, I tipped my head back to look at him.I marveled at how handsome he was, with his strong jaw and deep brown hair falling in waves almost to his shoulders.
The firelight emphasized the silver flecks in his mercury-colored eyes.Love radiated from his eyes, and even before he killed Ivan to save me, I’d known there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for me.
At six foot four, he towered over my five-six height, and while I felt small in his arms, I didn’t feel weaker.Henevermade me feel weaker.
Rising onto my toes, I kissed him.“You killed the king for me.”
“I’d do anything for you.”
When I slid my arms around his neck, he lifted me off the ground and danced around the clearing.I kissed his neck before whispering in his ear, “I’d do anything for you too.”
“Nothing reckless.”
“And killing Ivan wasn’t reckless?Did you have any plan for what happened after that?”
“I did.”
“What was it?”
“To get to you.”
I chuckled.“That’s not much of a plan.”
“But it worked.”
“It did.”
