Rhia awoke on her stomach. She opened her eyes and found familiar surroundings. She was in her old tower apartments in the Citadel.
Sitting up too quickly caused a wave of dizziness so wildly off-center it threatened to carry her back to the shadows of unconsciousness. She fought, but the pain was simply too intense. She lay back down and wondered at the dressing stretched around her torso and splotched with specks of dried, brownish-red blood.
Owwww!
Her back was on fire.
And where was RuArk?
Damn it, now she remembered. The fighting was done and he’d turned to leave her, believing that he couldn’t protect her. She’d tried to explain what had brought her to him, even giving him her sword arm, swearing to him.
He wasn’t here. Not his scent or his presence. Not daring to sit up, she rolled to her side and looked around. The curtains were open and the room was bright enough for her to see that none of his weapons or his clothes were there. He’d really left her. He must have, otherwise he would be here by her side, especially while she was wounded.
Energy spent, heartsick and sore, she lay quietly, not bothering to try to touch the bond with her husband, nor stem the tears that flowed hotly down her flushed cheeks. She’d known the consequences of her actions before she’d ever left Province Springs. Known that there was always the possibility that things wouldn’t work out as planned. She accepted those consequences, knowing that her coming had kept him alive whether he was still hers or not.
But what would she do without her lifemate? Without her RuArk?
A knock came at the door. She didn’t call out an answer. What was the point? It wasn’t RuArk, so she didn’t want to see whoever it was anyway.
Her father poked his head in.
“Rhia? Are you okay?”
“Fine.” Her voice quivered on a sigh. She took a deep breath and tried to compose herself. Making her father worry wouldn’t help any.
Tousling her hair, he said gently, “You’ve been asleep for two days now. How are you feeling?”
Two days? RuArk had a two-day head start back to Gaia? She wouldn’t go after him, though. If he couldn’t forgive her, then there was really no point. She turned her head to look at the High Counsel and noticed that his cuts and bruises were practically healed.
“Your face? How...?”
“The Sensuan are Gaian and some of them have been able to tap into the Gift of Healing. With so many injured during the fighting they have been invaluable. You were in pretty bad shape, Rhia. That son of a bitch, Rehn, had too good an aim. You had a punctured lung and a lot of internal bleeding. We thought we were going to lose you, girl.” With a watery smile, he cleared his suddenly dry-sounding throat. Ever the soldier, he refused to let his tears fall, but he didn’t fail to tell her the words she needed to hear the most.
“So, uh,” she stammered, trying to change the subject. “What happened to Rama Collaidh?”
“He’ll go to trial in the next few months. But right now, I don’t care about that at all. I love you, Rhia. I don’t know what I would have done if you’d left us. Sharyn saw to yours and RuArk’s wounds personally.”
So, that was why she was still alive? Sharyn. If she ever saw the woman again she would kiss her feet upon demand.
“I love you, too, Father,” she whispered, closing her eyes against the pain in her heart. Her father loved her, but she’d never felt so alone in all her life... which she honestly didn’t think was possible.
“Father, do you think you can send someone to the Queen of Gaia asking if I can see my children? Maybe she would agree to have them brought to me? Even if it’s only for a day or so?”
Another voice sounded from the door that she hadn’t noticed was still ajar.
“And what of their father? Have you no wish to see him?”
RuArk! Larger than life and right here.
“I thought you had gone. I mean...” She tried to get herself together. Even tried painting on her diplomat’s face. Besides, she didn’t want to put all her feelings out there in case he’d actually come to say goodbye.
“I could no more leave you than I could leave this world of my own accord.”
“I think I’ll take my leave,” said the High Counsel, pressing a kiss to Rhia’s forehead before rising making his way to the door.
RuArk came all the way into the room then, holding both Taté Icamna and Relaina Grey in his arms. How in the world had he gotten her children here?
“My mother and Sharyn have been watching over you. And yes, I have been here sleeping beside you as well.” RuArk laid both babies on bed.
“Really? You didn’t leave?”
“I told you, it’s not something I can do. To leave you would be to leave a part of myself behind. And our children are precious to me. As precious as their mother.”
Rhia stretched and turned her stiff neck to see Taté Icamna’s midnight black little head, barely visible among the thick bedding. He was contentedly stuffing the covers into his mouth, chewing on them. Relaina Grey had a handful of her brother’s hair in one hand, and her father’s finger in the other.
Rhia reached for the nearest baby, then changed her mind and reached for her husband instead. The movement caused her to wince. A dull ache creeped up the right side of her back, but she was so happy and fulfilled that she just didn’t care.
RuArk returned her hug, and much more as he leaned over to practically bury her with his body. He gathered her in his arms, careful of the silky gauze dressing covering her wounds.
“I love you, my wonderful warrior,” she whispered.
“It is said that warriors do not love, or at least they should not. But this one does, Rhia. With all my heart. I love you.”
“So, you’re still my Wind Storm?”
“I am. And you are my Fire Storm.” It was a statement of fact, without the slightest hint of a question.
Sealed with a kiss, there was no doubt that the Gathering of the Storms was an advent of nature, indeed.