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Cal flung her hands in the air and tossed a glare at Relian. This language barrier sucked. She’d lost all understanding of Elvish a few days ago. Seriously, how were they to communicate, especially when he was being a dumbass? It wasn’t any one thing he was doing. But even without words, it was apparent that he thought he could commandeer her life.
In a tall stand of trees just outside the palace, they both gestured wildly, trying to get their respective points across. So far, they hadn’t been successful. She wasn’t sure when it had become a one-upmanship of gesticulating hands and forceful expressions. But this was the only method at their disposal. For now. She wanted to strangle him. She wanted to knock him to the ground and relieve the desire that kept her body wound tight. The tight leggings he wore hugged every inch of his strong legs, and his tunic was thankfully short. His backside called to— Damn him!
Relian glared back at her. Suddenly, the situation overwhelmed her like a crashing wave and swept her away in peals of laughter. They couldn’t talk, and her frustrated hormones were driving her bonkers.
At first, Relian crossed his arms, throwing her an affronted look. He thought her audacious, did he? What a pleasing thought. Was it her imagination, or did his mouth quirk up at the corners? She didn’t want to be the only one who’d succumbed to the hilarity. Otherwise, she might appear a little demented because her laughter was still spilling out.
Gasping, with tears of mirth starting to trickle down her cheeks, she grabbed at Relian’s hand for support. She didn’t know what was so funny, but she couldn’t stop. As he pulled her nearer, the telltale quaking of his body gave him away. The skin around his gray eyes crinkled. A thrill of victory shot through her. Relian was about to lose the battle himself. He fought it but appeared perilously close to joining her in the abyss.
His laugh rang out clear and light as he hugged her to him. He had crumbled.
Struggling to take in air, Cal realized this was what she’d needed. She’d forgotten how little she laughed in the last year. Even Relian looked less careworn, lighter somehow. Mirth must’ve been a missing outlet for him, too.
This revelation, though melancholic, gave her joy that they could bring laughter to each other’s lives. Over the past week and a half, his actions revealed so much more of the man he usually locked away. Yes, she’d call him a man. Even by his own words, he was one—just not a human one. Such titles did help with normalcy. It was hard to keep thinking of him strictly as an elf. “Man” broadened the scope of what he was and made it more familiar to her.
Relian stilled and gazed over her shoulder at something. Cal turned. Talion, standing at the edge of the tree line, stared right at them, his eyes distant. She closed her eyes. Not the impression she’d wanted to make, laughing like a loon and having Relian’s father catch her. Oh, well, this was who she was. If someone didn’t approve, it was their loss.
Talion snapped out of his reverie, and a smile spread across his face. He made his greetings to them before stepping near Relian to whisper in his ear. Whatever his father said, Relian answered it with a dirty look, apparently not deigning it worthy of a response.
What was his father teasing Relian about? If she could only understand the language better.
Smirking, his father left. Relian watched his retreating back. Only once Talion had disappeared from sight did he turn to face her. He gave a sardonic smile before pulling her into his arms for a kiss that stole her breath away.
***
Cal’s hands were becoming sore from clenching onto the pommel. “I really don’t think this is such a great idea.”
As expected, Relian didn’t answer the way she would’ve preferred. In fact, he didn’t answer at all. Since he could only understand a few words of English, it wasn’t surprising when he merely gave a ghost of a smile and motioned they continue.
Continue? Surely, it wasn’t safe for a novice like her to be on a gigantic horse. Okay, she exaggerated the height. And Relian, without a doubt, would only give her the most docile of mares. These facts only helped marginally, though. He was giving her way too much credit. The handful of times she’d been on a horse before had done nothing to convince her otherwise.
Relian held the lead to her horse, so she had to follow. Unless she wanted to jump down. She glanced at the ground and gulped. No, she’d stay glued to the saddle. At least the horse’s walk was smooth, not jarring.
They wound their way down from the stables, through the palace’s main gates, and then down a wide, paved path to the village below. With the sights that surrounded her, her glares soon morphed into awe.
She’d known that the palace and village were nestled among the mountains in a large valley, but she’d never appreciated that fact until now. Though she’d seen a little of the town on her initial arrival, it hadn’t prepared her for what awaited. Majestic mountains soared in every direction. The gently winding flagstone street was definitely a different route from the one they’d taken on her first day here. In comparison, the previous path had been sorely lacking in view, for it hadn’t let slip a hint of what now lay before her.
Bemused, she shook her head. Even the suite of rooms she and Maggie shared didn’t boast a scene of this magnitude. Their accommodations only afforded them with a pleasing view of a terraced garden that leveled out into a relatively flat expanse of land that served as an orchard.
Her room and Maggie’s must be facing in a direction not conducive to grand views. She bet only important people received chambers that offered up glimpses of this precious real estate. Important people like the royal family...like Relian. Her mind led her down the dangerous trail of what his bedchamber looked like, and she shot another glare at his back. Would the sheets of his bed caress her skin as they had in her dreams? She squirmed in the saddle. Worse yet, would the intimate press of his skin against hers unravel all her inhibitions, causing them to disappear like mist, as they had so many times before?
She tore her gaze away from his much-abused back and prodded her thoughts to a safer path. Did public spaces anywhere in the palace proper offer up a view like this? Perhaps in one of the many gardens sprinkled like colorful gems around the grounds? Other than their rooms, she and Maggie had spent most of their days in a handful of other places, and none had scenery to rival this. But then, taking in the local attractions hadn’t been on her list of priorities, either.
Cal shivered. On second thought, these views overwhelmed. The landscape was too majestic, too beautiful, making it nearly painful to keep gazing at. Kind of like the elves. Remote and pristine. Did the beauty here affect the inhabitants the same way? Or had they inured themselves to it, like they seemed inured to each other’s beauty?
The mountains looked next to impossible to transverse, which caused the hair on the nape of her neck to stand upright. Not that she would try to escape through them, but surely, the elves had a route that would allow easy passage. Cal took in a shaky breath, swaying in the saddle as nausea flared in the pit of her stomach. Like a speck of humanity, she was surrounded and trapped by giants. Did she mean the mountains or the elves, though?
Cal fought to moderate her breath and shut her eyes to ward off the looming mountains that closed in about her. How had she arrived at this period in her life?
They’d come to Eria nearly two weeks ago, and she already missed home terribly. The elvin language, just like its people, seemed out of reach, which made her homesickness worse. Elvish fought her all the way and was apparently winning. Previously mythological languages were a pain in the butt to learn.
And today, Relian, sword strapped to his hip, had strolled into one of the gardens outside the main library and interrupted any semblance of calm, leaving her as clueless as usual. All she’d understood at the time was something about a waterfall and a horse, but she hadn’t fathomed how the two related. Now she could guess, and happy didn’t describe her.
A waterfall—probably remote and secluded, with her luck—didn’t sound like a great spot to her, even if she survived the ride there. They’d be alone. Not good at all. She gripped the pommel even tighter, threatening to cut off all circulation in her hands.
She should’ve held onto that bench in the garden for dear life, instead of letting him pull her up. Like a toddler trailing behind her new favorite person, she’d followed him. Actually, in experience and years, she probably was that to him. Her spirits plunged further at that disquieting thought.
When they went through the town, her mood took an even greater spill. Cal stiffened under the combined stares of hundreds of eyes and used Relian’s back as a target for her glares again. Only after they’d made it out of the town did her shoulders droop. There was nothing quite like a lone human in the company of an Elvish royal that grabbed the attention of every elf in the vicinity. She really could do without these displays. They only intensified the unshakable feeling humans didn’t belong here.
As if sensing her discomfort, Relian twisted around and flashed her a comforting smile. He repeated this process over the course of their journey through moderately forested rolling hills and valleys. The horses’ ambling gait broke the silence, along with the birdsong that floated from the trees. She didn’t have a functioning watch, but probably about forty minutes to an hour had passed since they set out. How much longer would they ride? Her rear was already a weird combination of sore and numb.
Just then, the horses slowed, and the tumble of water drifted on the wind. Her breath stilled. Thick foliage and trees gave way to a grassy expanse that met the banks of a small pond. Cascading water from a cliff fed the shallow pool. A crystalline stream flowed from the pond and glistened in the light.
Her gaze meshed with his. “It’s beautiful.”
Though he couldn’t have understood her words, an awareness sparked across his face. His smile grew, and his eyes glittered in the early afternoon sun. He murmured something to the horses and brought them to a stop just inside the clearing. After vaulting off his mount, Relian came to stand before her. A barely discernible hesitation played over his face before he reached up and settled his hands around her waist.
An involuntary tremor ran through her. God, had he noticed? Though his face gave nothing away, his touch felt knowing, intimate.
His eyes darkened as he slowly lifted her, unresisting, from the saddle. Neither looked away, and when she slid inch-by-torturous-inch down his body, time crashed to a halt. His lips were so close to hers. Infinite moments ticked by before her feet touched the ground. Some part of her mind shrieked at how he encroached on her space. That she should try to pull away.
As if reading her thoughts and deciding to stop any possible retreat, he tugged her closer—and then as if not yet satisfied, nearer still. His hands, while gentle, didn’t loosen. His thumbs drew lazy circles at the sides of her waist, branding through the riding habit she wore.
Relian lowered his head, and her lashes fluttered closed. His breath caressed her lips. She opened her eyes after untold seconds passed. Or was it minutes? A burning intensity in his gaze, that both titillated and frightened, set her heart hammering. He drew one of his hands away and trailed a fingertip lightly across her cheek. She shook from the electric sparks zinging through her. Tension hummed between them.
Suddenly, she wanted his kiss more than anything. More than returning home, more than finishing college. The first light touch of his lips against hers was the most blissful sensation she’d ever felt. His tongue slipped inside, dancing along the recesses of her mouth. Hers met him in a sultry tango. He deepened the kiss and pulled her tight against him. Not even a shadow could sneak between them, and the proud flesh jutting against her stomach proved how much he wanted her. Heat flooded the apex of her thighs. He could lay her down and have his way with her right now. Their worlds could wait.
Worlds. The dichotomy of that word burrowed into her brain, and brutal reality hit. She groaned. If she wanted to go home, she’d better not screw things up further by having sex with Relian, no matter how her body burned for him. Though every instinct rebelled against it, she pulled away, shaking her head.
He closed his eyes as if in pain and pressed his forehead gently against hers. Then he sighed and released her. As he turned from her, his back hunched slightly.
The bitter disappointment on his face haunted her, causing her throat to close. She swallowed. Had she mirrored the same emotion? She somehow knew she had. As he strode away, she watched him in a daze. Why did it feel as if her world was walking away?
He led their horses farther into the clearing but didn’t tether them. Apparently, they stayed put wherever an elf placed them. But she knew nothing of horses, much less of the elvin variety.
She stood where Relian left her, not sure if she wanted to follow. It wasn’t so much a matter of not wanting to follow as it was one of prudence. For her to be alone with him risked any impartiality she maintained, not that she truly had any left. Their kiss, their earth-shattering kiss, proved that. But she couldn’t ignore him, not when he’d sought to please her by bringing her to this paradise.
Only half-aware of what she did, Cal walked to Relian. He gazed out over the stream, which soon meandered out of sight. She remained beside him until he looked down at her questioningly. A wry smile tugged at her lips. Now he was the hesitant one.
Her actions must’ve overcome his resistance, for his hand found one of hers. He pulled her to stroll along the bank. The soft grass cushioned their footfalls. After a while, they descended toward the water. He bent down and scooped out a handful of water, letting the liquid slip between his fingers. “Atin.”
Cal started. That word sounded familiar. Wait, she knew it. It meant...water. “Atin,” she repeated back to him before adding in English, “Water.”
He nodded. The word apparently sounded familiar to him, as he repeated it back to her with no hint of puzzlement or confusion. Maybe he’d learned it from Henril, their instructor of all things Elvish so far. Relian had attended only a few of the many language lessons, even though she thought he’d desired to become fluent in English.
Now it appeared he’d been busier in that regard than she suspected. Henril had to be passing on what he learned to Relian and perhaps even to the king. She’d have to mention that possibility to Maggie. If the king indeed was learning the language, Maggie would have to stop insulting him in English. She smiled. Her friend would be disappointed to lose that perceived edge over him.
“Atinve.”
Relian’s voice brought her back. Huh, what did that word mean? It contained the Elvish root word for water in it. Following Relian’s gesturing hand proved that she’d drawn the right conclusion. Waterfall.
“Atinve.” She cringed at her accent. The few words he’d said in English sounded wonderful, their cadence pleasing. She couldn’t say the same when she spoke his language.
If Relian thought her accent atrocious, he didn’t show it. He only gave a smile of encouragement before leaning down to cup another handful of water. Relian let it rain down from his fingers. When it was all but gone, his fingers undulated gently as he mimicked the motions of a waterfall, causing droplets to cascade down his skin. How different he was from most men she’d been acquainted with throughout her life. So many of them would’ve scoffed at Relian’s graceful movements. Coming from the elf, though, it looked natural and wasn’t the slightest bit effeminate.
No, there was nothing womanly about him. Even with his waist-length hair braided down his back, his warrior braids woven throughout that longer braid, his unmistakable maleness hit her. While he could never be termed rugged in the way of some human men, femininity was the last thing she thought of when she looked at him.
“Ves atin.”
His husky voice sent a shiver through her. The blue pupils of his eyes glowed with an intensity she shouldn't name. When he lifted his still damp hand, flicking his fingers to dislodge a few errant drops that clung to his skin, her throat grew dry. Those same drops landed on her cheek, where Relian tenderly traced their path with a finger. He moved a step closer, bringing their bodies mere centimeters apart. Somewhere in the recesses of her mind, the meaning of ves atin swam into her bloodstream. Yes, like falling water, his voice fell upon her, trickling through every particle she was made up of.
A few remaining droplets reached her lips, and she would’ve fainted if not for all the electricity firing through her synapses. His roving finger left a burning path in its wake. As he neared his destination, her eyelashes fluttered down.