Page 2 of Ashborne Forged

Her eyes widened. That blade she’d laid against the cord that tied us hesitated, and with it, the singing pain in my chest eased.

We stared, both of us still. The threat faded slowly, and something hot and embracing crept up in its wake.

“Grace?” It was a plea. I begged. On my knees, just as I’d done as a child. Yet, that memory felt different. That had felt as if my life were on the line. This felt like my soul could be torn from me.

I hung, breathless, that blade hovering over the bond, waiting for her to choose. Begging God to let me fix this. To keep her—

“I’m scared.” Her voice was so small, but the blade began to retreat.

Relief scorched through me. “Me too,” I breathed the simple truth.

She stared at me, brows winging up. A rush of warmth and need in my chest swelled. I searched her shining, blue eyes and all my fearful resistance was scoured away by the pain in her gaze.

I didn’t want to hurt her. I wanted to heal her.

I had no idea how the hell this would work. But I resolved to try. And as I swayed closer, and she didn’t push me away, I couldn’t resist her a moment longer.

I took her mouth.

My heart flooded with sweet, undeniable relief to finally have her in my arms, and my lips on hers. Such overwhelming relief, I groaned.

In shock, Grace went still. But half a breath later, her lips parted in a hesitant welcome, and something warm, full, and healing crashed in my chest, as heavy and overwhelming as any wave on the Dragonmaw Cliffs.

She whimpered, and that little sound was so tiny, so precious, I wrapped her in my arms and pulled her up to her feet, holding her as tightly as I dared, panting, sipping, delving that sweet, uncertain mouth—

She sucked in and jerked her head back, eyes wide once more, one hand planted on my shoulder as if she’d push me away.

I went still, heart pounding—but the pain continued to ease, thank God. Did she know she’d walked a knife-edge of almost severing our bond? It was my fault. But I wouldn’t let her do it. I couldn’t. I shoved my fear beneath the need and held on.

“You… you’ve done this before,” she whispered, her brows pinching, her eyes welling again. “You kissed me. You’ve held me. You do it, and then I think—”

“I was wrong,” I croaked. “I was running—but not from you.”

“You literally ran from me!”

I grimaced and stroked her hair, but didn’t back away. She deserved an answer. A real one. I had led men. I had ordered dragons. I could make a single woman safe!

I swallowed hard. “Well, I’m not running anymore, Grace. I didn’t run because I didn’t want you. It was because I was afraid of me. But these last few days… I’ve been fighting the urge to run to you.”

Her forehead pinched and her grip on my shoulder tightened. “I want to believe that, but—”

“It’s true. I swear to you. I—”

“You show me care, then you go cold. You say I’m destined for this, then scream at me when I say the wrong thing, or—”

“I tied myself to that tree because I wanted you like an animal. I made myself stay away because I was terrified of hurting you.”

She blinked. “You… you get violent when… when you—?”

“No. No, it’s…” I winced. “There’s more than one way to destroy a person, Grace. Since we’ve been here, I’ve been strung tighter than a lyre-string, raging the second one of our brothers touched you, or smiled in your direction, even though I knew I had no right—”

“But you did have a right! If we’re mates—”

“I thought if I denied it, if I didn’t let it complete, it would fade away. I thought you’d be safer, and I’d be…”

I sucked in a breath as she stared, her eyes round and pleading. “You’d be what?”

She leaned back a hair to meet my eyes more fully, and my entire being shook with the urge to grab her, to hold her there, don’t let her go. But I knew. She had to understand.