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r /> He still couldn’t believe it himself. Yet even beyond how her blood had magically dispelled the residual poison in his system, he simply had no more pain.
From the time he’d become a mastyr so long ago, he’d lived with a terrible agony in his gut, unceasing and unending. The blood he received from his doneuses did little to allay the problem. He required a nightly supply, without which he would have died. But the pain in his abdomen had been with him from the time he’d risen to mastyr status.
Like most mastyrs, he’d trained himself to function as though nothing was the matter. Ever. Yet, sometimes the pain was so bad, it was like knives cutting him from within.
But right now, he had no cramps, no sharp slicing sensations, just … nothing.
And it felt like heaven.
He took a series of strong deep breaths, pulling his shoulders back and lifting his chest at the same time to further test what had happened to him. It took him a moment to realize that what he felt was what he remembered as normal before he’d risen to mastyr level.
He might be stunned that the Goddess had sent him a blood rose, just as she’d provided a like woman for each of the eight ruling mastyrs. But he wasn’t horrified, which Aralynn seemed to be. He couldn’t understand the strength of her reaction or why she would consider being a blood rose and servicing him some kind of ‘cruel joke’.
She wasn’t making sense.
“I can see this is upsetting for you.” He didn’t know what else to say.
She nodded in stiff jerks of her chin. “It is, though I think I should leave. I need time to think.”
He drew close and caught her arm gently in hand. Of course this simple touch alerted his mating frequency and he had to release her almost as quickly.
But he stayed close and held her gaze. “You don’t have to be my blood rose, Aralynn. You’re not obligated to me. This is an amazing feeling, to be free of pain after so long. But your life is your own.”
She shook her head. “I’ve read the blogs and the newspaper accounts. I’ve talked to Lorelei at length. I just can’t believe it. And I apologize for losing it.”
“But why did you call it a ‘cruel joke’? I don’t get that.”
Her brows rose. “Is that what I said? I think I was just so shocked. That’s all. Please just ignore it.”
He nodded. “Of course. We both need time to figure this out.”
“And…and I’d like to talk this over with Queen Rosamunde. She was the one who encouraged me to follow my first mission vision and help you with the troll children on the bus. But I’m sure she had no idea I was a blood rose.”
He couldn’t help but snort. “Of course.” He bit his tongue.
Despite the fact that he’d kept his opinion to himself, fire flashed in Aralynn’s brown eyes. “She’s a good woman, Stone, no matter what you say. She’s beloved here in Ferrenden Peace and others actually admire her for her commitment to protecting the Nine Realms from Margetta.”
He lifted his chin. “We’d better not engage in a discussion about your protector. My opinion of her will never change.”
A sad light entered her eye and her shoulders slumped. “Of that I’m certain.”
Chapter Four
Rosamunde reached the living room where Kaden had just taken a sip of brandy. “I thought Davido would be here. I was hoping to speak with him.” She’d known the old troll her entire life, Davido being the oldest person in the Nine Realms.
Joseph’s eyes widened oddly and Kaden turned to look at her with a funny expression. He choked on the brandy and begged pardon.
When Kaden wiped his mouth, he said, “Davido had to return home for a bit, something about Bernice. But don’t worry. He, uh, taught me how to support the mist.”
She looked away from him, chewing on her lower lip. “Fine. That’s fine.” She sensed Kaden was as good as his word. “When Davido returns, please tell him I must speak with him.”
“I will.” Kaden frowned. “Can I help?”
At that, her brows rose. She hardly knew the powerful elf. “No. I don’t think so. But thank you anyway. And now, I have to go.”
She thanked Kaden for his help in healing Stone and bid good-bye to her diminutive host. The pair watched her curiously, but said nothing more except that each hoped to see her again soon.
When she was in the woods once more, she breathed in the sweet, rich air which helped ease her sadness. She could have teleported back to the castle, but she thought a walk would answer much better.
