Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 87731 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 439(@200wpm)___ 351(@250wpm)___ 292(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87731 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 439(@200wpm)___ 351(@250wpm)___ 292(@300wpm)
It took a moment for Kaelan to see that his wife was fighting for breath and he hurried off her.
“Easy, breathe easy,” he said, lying on his side beside her.
“That,” she managed to say, then had to stop, her breath too labored.
“Do not speak until you have breath to do so,” he said, a bit worried and a bit proud that his wife was more than satisfied. Then he recalled what she had told him. “You felt mine, as well as your own.”
Bria nodded.
Now he was really envious.
“Amazing,” she got out in one quick breath.
“It didn’t happen the other two times?” he asked, curious.
She shook her head. “More open.”
Kaelan thought he understood. “You are in a safe place and allowed yourself to feel more.”
She nodded, smiled, and tapped his chest. “You… because… you.”
“I pleasure you well,” he said with a wide grin.
Her smile grew. “More… then well.”
“I would kiss you for that, but you have little breath as it is,” he said and dropped on his back. Bria’s hand reached for his and he took hold of it and kissed the back of it. “We will have a good life, wife.” He chuckled. “And probably many bairns.”
Bria chuckled as well, agreeing.
They lay side by side in silence for a while until Kaelan could not keep in what he needed to say.
“I want to take you home to my tribe where you will be safe,” he said, turning his head to look at her.
Bria’s breath had returned sufficiently enough for her to speak, but she remained silent, letting him say what he needed to.
“But as much as I want to, as much as I want you away from here and safe, I know that would not be fair to you. We need to see things settled here before we can go home and start our life together. I will do whatever needs to be done for us to do that. And with war looming, Northland will not sit by and do nothing. If Drogath was victorious against Scotara, there is a good chance Tharne would not stop there. He would eventually come for Northland. We would never be safe.”
“I wish it were different,” Bria said, speaking slowly, “but I see that peace is not easy to come by when power is in play. I only hope that sane minds prevail and peace can be achieved before it is too late.”
She turned toward him and Kaelan took her in his arms.
“We have each other. That is what matters most,” Kaelan said.
“Aye, it does,” Bria agreed and yawned.
“Sleep,” Kaelan said. “Tomorrow will be a busy day.”
Kaelan fought sleep until he was sure Bria slept, only then did he allow himself to drift off, praying to the gods to keep him strong so he could keep Bria safe.
Bria woke suddenly. She lay on her side near the edge of the bed and turned to see her husband sprawled out on his back, snoring lightly. She dropped on her back relieved. Worry had woken her, but over what she was not sure.
Her hand suddenly went to her chest. The pendant wasn’t there. Then she recalled how she had rushed to disrobe, and she slipped out of bed and went to her garments on the floor. She dropped down and frantically went through them and sighed with relief when she found the pendant that must have come off along with her garments.
She had to be more careful with the pendant. She could not let it out of her sight.
“Bria!”
Kaelan called out, popping up in bed, his eyes searching the room.
“I am here,” she said, slipping the leather cord over her head as she stood. “I woke remembering the pendant.”
Kaelan tossed the blankets back for her to join him and she did, settling against him, his arm going around her.
“We must keep the pendant a secret and also how I came by it until we know it is safe enough to speak of it.”
“Aye, I agree,” Kaelan said, drawing her closer against him. “But I believe we would be wise to learn more about the woman.”
Bria rested her cheek against his chest, the steady beat of his heart strong in her ear. “You think she was a spirit?”
“I do not know what she was. Only that she appeared because of the pendant.”
Her fingers closed around it where it rested against her skin. The memory of the woman returned immediately.
“I can still feel her heartache,” Bria whispered.
Kaelan’s arm tightened around her. “That troubles me.”
“Why?”
“Because whatever happened to her was powerful enough to reach you through the pendant after all this time.”
Bria had not considered that, and the thought sent a chill through her.
“Then perhaps we should learn who she was,” Bria said. “Or who she once was, if she truly is a spirit.”
“Aye, and why the pendant mattered to her,” Kaelan said. “That matters most.”