Page 37 of Soul of Fire

I shook my head, not sure what was happening. Warmth pooled beneath me, but I didn’t think it was the remnants of our lovemaking as I trembled and tried to breathe through the pain.

Arik ripped the furs from the bed and cursed. There was blood all over me, staining the sheets red. I couldn’t see a weapon or feel a wound to staunch the flow, and I reached for Idunn in panic.Can you find the wound?

She hissed in pain, recoiling inside me.There is none.

Arik cursed again as he scooped me into his arms in a fluid movement, his face ashen in the dull morning light as he carried me to the bathing chamber that adjoined our room.

Another wave of pain throbbed across my abdomen as Arik turned on the water that poured into the copper tub.

It hurts.Idunn’s voice was a hiss of pain through my mind as she hunted for the source of the injury.What is this human stupidity? Why does your body bleed, drageling?

“Fuck.” Arik lowered me into the tub, blood and all. My teeth chattered in the water, which made no sense. I was freezing, but the water filling the tub around me was definitely warm. “Where are you hurt, Eisa?”

I could feel him channeling Baldur’s power in an attempt to heal me, but I was fairly certain this was not an injury even dragonmagic could fix. The pain radiated out from my abdomen, and I knew what it must be.

I shook my head and curled around myself, wrapping my arms around my legs as I dropped my forehead to my knees. “I think it’s my cycle.”

Arik swore, one hand testing the water as the other scrubbed over his tired face. “Shit, I thought we had more time.”

It hadn’t even occurred to me to be worried about such a thing. I’d only had my monthly bleeding a few times before, likely because I was too thin and underfed for my body to risk losing so much blood. The few times it had happened, it had been barely noticeable, and it hadn’t hurt nearly this much.

Hearthmother save me, it fucking hurt now.

“I thought the drage couldn’t have children?”

“We can’t.” Arik soothed warm water over my knees and arms. “But you still have a human body. Revna told me her cycles are horrendous, but I hoped you might be spared.”

I was in too much pain to care about the sound of our door crashing open as both Branka and Jorgen came barreling into our room.

“Arik?” Jorgen demanded, at the same time Branka’s panicked voice called, “Eisa?”

“In here,” Arik said, his fingers combing soothingly through my hair as the tub continued filling. He shifted in front of me, hiding my naked body with his.

Idunn and I let out a simultaneous whine of agony, and Arik gave my scalp a comforting squeeze.

I glanced up enough to see that Jorgen and Branka had thrown on whatever clothing they’d stumbled over as they’d rushed from their room. Branka was mostly covered to the tops of her thighs in Jorgen’s shirt, but Jorgen was far less covered. It looked like he had tied Branka’s trousers around his waist in a sort of makeshift loincloth.

“This is certainly a choice,” Arik drawled.

“You’re one to talk,” Jorgen panted. Arik was completely bare, but I didn’t have it in me to notice how Branka was reacting. “You’re alright, Eisa?”

“She woke up covered in blood,” Arik answered for me as I replied with a whimper and dropped my forehead back on my knees. His voice was steady, but I could feel his pulse hammering in panic. “She thinks it might be her cycle.”

Jorgen made a noise of understanding, and I could practically hear the uncertainty in his voice. “Ah. Right. Well.”

“Oh, get out of the way,” Branka commanded as she knelt beside Arik. Idunn purred in relief at the warm pressure of her hand as she placed it against my lower back. “Why is she in so much pain if it’s just that?”

“Fuck if I know.” Arik’s hand momentarily left my head, and the water stopped. The pain had eased a fraction, but I was stilltoo cold despite the steam rising from the water. “Maybe because of whatever makes her bleed so easily.”

“Come on, love.” I heard Jorgen sigh. “Let’s leave them to it.”

“I’m not leaving her.”

“Arik will take care of her, love. Just like I’ll care for you when your blood comes. This is a matter for mates.”

“Yes, I’m sure men are experts at handling monthly cycles.” I felt her give my neck a squeeze. “You shout for Bryndis if you need anything, okay, Eisa?”

I nodded, tilting my head to blink at her in confirmation.