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“We’ll go together. It’ll only take a few steady flaps. When your feet are a foot or two above the edge of the roof, just lean forward. I’ll go first and will be right there to catch you, ok?”
Gradually, I managed a nod, pushing down any efforts this bond made towards putting any faith in his words. Nakoa’s eyes searched mine for a moment, hesitating.
“Do you know whatlohane thilimeans?” He murmured softly.
I shook my head.
“It’s Kahlohani for soulbound.”
“… But you’ve been calling me that since we met.”
A soft, sad smile tilted a corner of his mouth.
“I knew from the moment I saw you in the distance of that crowd. With or without the gifts the bond endows us with, I would have taken you. I want you foryou,Mareina. That has never changed. And… I am sorry that my actions have led you to believe otherwise.”
The weight of his attention… His affection… was too much for my shields to bear at this moment. I forced myself to take a step back.
“Let's see what these things can do, shall we?”
Nakoa hesitated for a heavy moment before acquiescing with a grin and giving his wings a singular, powerful beat that had him landing gracefully on the roof in under a second flat.
I scowled up at him. “Show off.”
Nakoa’s head tipped back with laughter.
My heartbeat throbbed so loudly I could feel it in my eardrums. My wings gave a powerful flap that launched me into the air like a rocket, and I screamed louder than ever before as I went sailing far above the rooftop. Fear had me locking up and the ground rushing towards me.
Strong arms caught me around my waist and scooped up my legs.
“I’ve got you, I’ve got you,”Nakoa soothed, murmuring against my neck as we hovered in the air above the inn’s roof.
My breath came in sharp, quick pants, and my nails dug into Nakoa’s shoulders like the claws of a cat resisting a bath.
“Please… No more. No more,”I begged.
Nakoa chuckled, clutching me to his chest. My adrenaline was pumping hard.
“Shhhh.It’s ok, Mareina. I’ve got you. Don’t worry.”
Chapter
Thirty-Seven
MAREINA
It took no less than 20 minutes for my heartbeat to steady after our flight practice. I’d also kept my head safely buried in Nakoa’s broad chest for the duration. I told myself it waspurelyout of my fear of heights.
Not at all becausethe feel of his thickly muscled chest and his scent filling my nostrils were tremendously comforting…
“You ok, lohane thili?”
My heart pinched at the endearment now that I knew what it meant.
It’s not an endearment. It’s factually what you are. It means nothing. Nothing but a whole lot of trouble,I chided myself.
“If by ‘ok’, you mean ‘traumatized’ - then yes. Thoroughly.”
Nakoa chuckled. “You know, for such a battle-hardened warrior, you’re awfully skittish when it comes to heights.”
