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When they went through the town, her mood took an even greater spill. Cal stiffened under the combined stares of hundreds of eyes and used Relian’s back as a target for her glares again. Only after they’d made it out of the town did her shoulders droop. There was nothing quite like a lone human in the company of an Elvish royal that grabbed the attention of every elf in the vicinity. She really could do without these displays. They only intensified the unshakable feeling humans didn’t belong here.
As if sensing her discomfort, Relian twisted around and flashed her a comforting smile. He repeated this process over the course of their journey through moderately forested rolling hills and valleys. The horses’ ambling gait broke the silence, along with the birdsong that floated from the trees. She didn’t have a functioning watch, but probably about forty minutes to an hour had passed since they set out. How much longer would they ride? Her rear was already a weird combination of sore and numb.
Just then, the horses slowed, and the tumble of water drifted on the wind. Her breath stilled. Thick foliage and trees gave way to a grassy expanse that met the banks of a small pond. Cascading water from a cliff fed the shallow pool. A crystalline stream flowed from the pond and glistened in the light.
Her gaze meshed with his. “It’s beautiful.”
Though he couldn’t have understood her words, an awareness sparked across his face. His smile grew, and his eyes glittered in the early afternoon sun. He murmured something to the horses and brought them to a stop just inside the clearing. After vaulting off his mount, Relian came to stand before her. A barely discernible hesitation played over his face before he reached up and settled his hands around her waist.
An involuntary tremor ran through her. God, had he noticed? Though his face gave nothing away, his touch felt knowing, intimate.
His eyes darkened as he slowly lifted her, unresisting, from the saddle. Neither looked away, and when she slid inch-by-torturous-inch down his body, time crashed to a halt. His lips were so close to hers. Infinite moments ticked by before her feet touched the ground. Some part of her mind shrieked at how he encroached on her space. That she should try to pull away.
As if reading her thoughts and deciding to stop any possible retreat, he tugged her closer—and then as if not yet satisfied, nearer still. His hands, while gentle, didn’t loosen. His thumbs drew lazy circles at the sides of her waist, branding through the riding habit she wore.
Relian lowered his head, and her lashes fluttered closed. His breath caressed her lips. She opened her eyes after untold seconds passed. Or was it minutes? A burning intensity in his gaze, that both titillated and frightened, set her heart hammering. He drew one of his hands away and trailed a fingertip lightly across her cheek. She shook from the electric sparks zinging through her. Tension hummed between them.
Suddenly, she wanted his kiss more than anything. More than returning home, more than finishing college. The first light touch of his lips against hers was the most blissful sensation she’d ever felt. His tongue slipped inside, dancing along the recesses of her mouth. Hers met him in a sultry tango. He deepened the kiss and pulled her tight against him. Not even a shadow could sneak between them, and the proud flesh jutting against her stomach proved how much he wanted her. Heat flooded the apex of her thighs. He could lay her down and have his way with her right now. Their worlds could wait.
Worlds. The dichotomy of that word burrowed into her brain, and brutal reality hit. She groaned. If she wanted to go home, she’d better not screw things up further by having sex with Relian, no matter how her body burned for him. Though every instinct rebelled against it, she pulled away, shaking her head.
He closed his eyes as if in pain and pressed his forehead gently against hers. Then he sighed and released her. As he turned from her, his back hunched slightly.
The bitter disappointment on his face haunted her, causing her throat to close. She swallowed. Had she mirrored the same emotion? She somehow knew she had. As he strode away, she watched him in a daze. Why did it feel as if her world was walking away?
He led their horses farther into the clearing but didn’t tether them. Apparently, they stayed put wherever an elf placed them. But she knew nothing of horses, much less of the elvin variety.
She stood where Relian left her, not sure if she wanted to follow. It wasn’t so much a matter of not wanting to follow as it was one of prudence. For her to be alone with him risked any impartiality she maintained, not that she truly had any left. Their kiss, their earth-shattering kiss, proved that. But she couldn’t ignore him, not when he’d sought to please her by bringing her to this paradise.
Only half-aware of what she did, Cal walked to Relian. He gazed out over the stream, which soon meandered out of sight. She remained beside him until he looked down at her questioningly. A wry smile tugged at her lips. Now he was the hesitant one.
Her actions must’ve overcome his resistance, for his hand found one of hers. He pulled her to stroll along the bank. The soft grass cushioned their footfalls. After a while, they descended toward the water. He bent down and scooped out a handful of water, letting the liquid slip between his fingers. “Atin.”
Cal started. That word sounded familiar. Wait, she knew it. It meant...water. “Atin,” she repeated back to him before adding in English, “Water.”
He nodded. The word apparently sounded familiar to him, as he repeated it back to her with no hint of puzzlement or confusion. Maybe he’d learned it from Henril, their instructor of all things Elvish so far. Relian had attended only a few of the many language lessons, even though she thought he’d desired to become fluent in English.
Now it appeared he’d been busier in that regard than she suspected. Henril had to be passing on what he learned to Relian and perhaps even to the king. She’d have to mention that possibility to Maggie. If the king indeed was learning the language, Maggie would have to stop insulting him in English. She smiled. Her friend would be disappointed to lose that perceived edge over him.
“Atinve.”
Relian’s voice brought her back. Huh, what did that word mean? It contained the Elvish root word for water in it. Following Relian’s gesturing hand proved that she’d drawn the right conclusion. Waterfall.
“Atinve.” She cringed at her accent. The few words he’d said in English sounded wonderful, their cadence pleasing. She couldn’t say the same when she spoke his language.
If Relian thought her accent atrocious, he didn’t show it. He only gave a smile of encouragement before leaning down to cup another handful of water. Relian let it rain down from his fingers. When it was all but gone, his fingers undulated gently as he mimicked the motions of a waterfall, causing droplets to cascade down his skin. How different he was from most men she’d been acquainted with throughout her life. So many of them would’ve scoffed at Relian’s graceful movements. Coming from the elf, though, it looked natural and wasn’t the slightest bit effeminate.
No, there was nothing womanly about him. Even with his waist-length hair braided down his back, his warrior braids woven throughout that longer braid, his unmistakable maleness hit her. While he could never be termed rugged in the way of some human men, femininity was the last thing she thought of when she looked at him.
“Ves atin.”
His husky voice sent a shiver through her. The blue pupils of his eyes glowed with an intensity she shouldn't name. When he lifted his still damp hand, flicking his fingers to dislodge a few errant drops that clung to his skin, her throat grew dry. Those same drops landed on her cheek, where Relian tenderly traced their path with a finger. He moved a step closer, bringing their bodies mere centimeters apart. Somewhere in the recesses of her mind, the meaning of ves atin swam into her bloodstream. Yes, like falling water, his voice fell upon her, trickling through every particle she was made up of.
A few remaining droplets reached her lips, and she would’ve fainted if not for all the electricity firing through her synapses. His roving finger left a burning path in its wake. As he neared his destination, her eyelashes fluttered down.
