Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 119846 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 599(@200wpm)___ 479(@250wpm)___ 399(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 119846 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 599(@200wpm)___ 479(@250wpm)___ 399(@300wpm)
“She’s gone… I lost her. It’s all my fault.”
“It’s not your fault,” Bright said softly, his voice carrying that same calm he always used when Burn started to spiral. “You didn’t do this, Burn.”
“It is my fault,” Burn growled, lifting his head, though he still couldn’t meet Bright’s eyes. “I never should have let her go. I never should have—”
Suddenly sounds echoed in the hall outside the cell.
His head jerked up and Bright’s did too.
They both heard the sound of footsteps now—two sets—coming down the corridor outside. Burn’s heart slammed into his ribs and he rose to a crouch in one fluid motion, bracing his hands on the bars. Bright rose beside him, both of them tense, waiting.
And then he saw her…Noelle.
Trailing behind that orange bastard like a ghost, her eyes wide and unfocused. Her skin was flushed, her hair newly styled in waves around her shoulders. She was wearing—fuck, was that lingerie?
Burn barely noticed.
All he saw was that she was still alive…still breathing.
Thank the Goddess.
“Noelle!” he shouted, surging forward.
She flinched at the volume of his voice, but her gaze snapped to his, and that dazed look broke slightly. Her lips parted, trembling.
“My lady,” Bright breathed, crowding against the bars beside Burn. “Are you well?”
“I…I think so,” she said uncertainly.
Burn clocked the difference in her right away—her scent was different, ripe, floral and… fertile. She looked different, too. Her skin looked softer…younger. The slight wrinkles she’d had around her eyes and the corners of her mouth had been smoothed away. But none of it mattered right now.
Burn didn’t care how she’d changed—he just needed to touch her—needed to reassure himself that she was well and alive. And he wanted to hold her without the fucking manacles shocking him.
The second the dwarf opened the cell door, Burn thrust his bound hands forward.
“Take these fucking things off!” he barked. “Now!”
“Ah yes, I did make some promises, didn’t I?” the dwarf said coolly. He appeared unbothered as he produced a small silver fob from his robes. “And Noelle here has been most cooperative. But just so we’re clear—if you try to harm me, this—” He held up the fob “—sends a direct signal to the guards.”
“Just take off the fucking cuffs,” Burn growled again, impatiently.
To his immense relief, the dwarf obeyed, slotting a small metal key into the manacle locks. The first cuff fell from Burn’s wrist with a heavy clink, and the second followed moments later. Bright was freed a breath after him.
Burn didn’t wait.
He pulled Noelle into his arms, wrapping her tight against his chest.
“Fuck, baby…” he whispered into her hair, his voice breaking. “You scared us so much. You don’t even know…”
She was stiff at first, then melted into him, her arms sliding around his back as though she needed to touch him as badly as he needed to touch her. Her head tucked under his chin, her warm, ripe scent surrounding him, and for a moment everything else—his fear, his rage, the memories—dissolved under the raw relief of just holding her.
She was here…she was alive. And for now, that was enough.
Bright came behind her and wrapped his arms around both of them. Burn shifted to make space so that the curvy little human was cradled between them. Ahh…that was even better. It felt right to have her between himself and Bright—perfect to hold her this way in their double embrace.
“My lady… Noelle,” Bright murmured, his voice tight. “Are you really all right? Burn and I—we had terrible feelings of worry about you while you were gone.”
“You did?” Her voice was small as she looked up at them.
Burn nodded.
“We had the feeling you were in danger,” he said. “That you might be…might be fucking dying.” He swallowed hard and closed his eyes. “And we couldn’t do anything…couldn’t get to you.”
He wasn’t crying—he wasn’t.
But his vision blurred and his throat burned and his whole body felt like it was finally exhaling after holding in the scream of a thousand losses for too damn long.
Noelle’s arms tightened around him and she pressed her face to his chest. Her body was warm and soft between them, but she was still trembling faintly.
“What happened to you?” Bright asked gently.
“Yeah, what did that little orange fucker do to you?” Burn added, his voice like gravel.
“I…I can’t talk about it,” she whispered. “Not yet. Please—I just want to rest.”
“Okay, sweetheart,” Bright said, brushing her hair back gently. “Then let’s rest.”
Burn guided her down to the floor, holding her close the entire way, and Bright followed. Noelle curled between them like she belonged there, her body pressed to Burn’s side, one hand resting on his chest.
He covered it with his own, anchoring her there and Bright draped himself against her back and threw and arm over both of them, his own hand landing on Burn’s abdomen.
As they settled into silence, Burn kept his eyes open, watching the cell door, his arm wrapped tightly around Noelle’s shoulders. He still didn’t know what had happened to her.