Page 73 of Black Sea

Amlach huffed loudly, and I heard the dry straw creaking beneath the soles of his boots as he exited the cage.

Creaks that stopped suddenly.

Creaks that resumed a moment later, closer and closer, until my bed of hay sank under Amlach’s weight.

I had my heart in my mouth as his breath brushed against the hair at the nape of my neck, while his fingers traced abstract shapes from my shoulder blade to my elbow.

“I’m sorry,” Amlach whispered against my shoulder.

I said nothing as a solitary tear rolled down my nose. In a few moments, I fell asleep against my will with a single thought directed at the Spirits swirling in my mind.

Why can’t it be him?

44

I couldn’t move my arms. Something blocked them against my chest. Slowly, I opened my eyes. Amlach’s big arm was wrapped around me from behind, his large hand gripping my wrists in a possessive yet non-threatening way.

I vividly recalled what it was like to be embraced by my parents, by Araton. Still, Amlach’s hug felt different. It felt . . . complete.

It was my place.

My heart started pounding so fiercely against my ribs that I feared it would wake him up. However, he kept sleeping peacefully on my hair. Carefully, I disentangled myself from his hold and slowly turned to face him.

I moved my hair away from his face; his steady breath, escaping from his slightly parted lips, brushed against my chin. I contemplated his face, from the fine wrinkles around his eyes to the dimple on the tip of his nose. My index finger traced the outline of his full lips, then I brushed the back of my fingers across his bearded cheek.

Had he also slept so soundly next to Mistress Yrrek? Had she, too, woken up to look at him and caress him, just like I was doing?

I couldn’t stand it. I didn’t want to.

Because . . . because Amlach was mine. And I . . . I wanted the future that Roxior had described to me.

Yes, my family and my people were waiting for me, and I had obligations I couldn’t escape. But centuries of solitude also awaited me in the future. Soon, Araton would reunite with Serie among the stars. Eventually, my parents would set off together toward their Rest. And I would stay behind to reign.

Alone.

I didn’t want that to be my destiny. I wanted . . . I wanted to be happy. But . . .

What if he doesn’t want a life with me?

What if he rejected me?

Insecurity clouded my eyes as I brushed a wavy lock away from his forehead and . . .

Amlach blocked me just before I could tuck it behind his ear, moving so swiftly it seemed almost supernatural.

Startled, I watched as his fingers crushed my wrist like red-hot pincers. “Amlach,” I groaned.

He quickly relaxed his hold, his eyes remaining closed, and let out a contented moan. “Good morning, Elf.”

I watched his hand slip into mine in a natural, disarming way and held my breath as he placed our clasped hands in the space between our heads.

Yearning to hear his velvety voice once more and to be gazed at as only he could, I whispered, “Amlach?”

“Hmm?”

I bit my lip, uncertain about whether to continue. “Why did you never have a woman?”

His eyebrow went up as he smirked.