Page 90 of Journey to the Elderoak
“My feet are probably smelly and sweaty.”
“I don’t care. But you can rinse them in the pond if it makes you feel better.”
“Alright,” she relented, and took off her boots and socks, dipping her feet into the cool water. She placed them back on the grass and he took one in his hands, pulling it in his lap, and kneaded his thumbs into her sole.
A sigh escaped her as she let the tension leave her body. Eyes closed, she leaned her head back on the hill behind her. They stayed silent as he increased the pressure, focusing on her heel.
When she opened her eyes, he was staring at her with wonder.
“You’re…beautiful.”
The way he looked at her made her breath hitch. Like his world began and ended with her. He’d always had such anintense gaze when he watched her, but now…now it was so much more. Like he was finally letting her see how he truly felt.
“Did you bring me here to seduce me?” she teased.
“No. I promise. There will be no seducing until after the journey.” He rolled up her pants and his hands moved further up her leg, focusing on her calf muscles.
She relaxed into it as she bravely asked, “How long have you known?”
“Known what?”
“You know…us…” she said, blushing.
“So, they told you.”
She continued playing with the grass as she looked around at the butterflies. “Yes, they did. I thought you were going to kill someone last night, you know.”
“I wanted to,” he said with a hardness in his voice. She looked back and met his eyes. “When we face Andras, I will break every bone in his body and listen to him scream as I dismember him. Then I will find The Scourge and burn him from the inside out.” Her heart leaped in her throat at the violence in his words. “Anyone who wishes you harm will find themselves in utter agony. I won’t hesitate to end a life if that’s what it takes to keep you safe.”
“That’s…intense,” she whispered.
“It’s the soul-bond. Those who are blessed enough to have one will do anything to protect the other.”
She swallowed. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t want to scare you. I was waiting until after your transition to fae when you’ll likely feel the pull.”
“What does it feel like?”
“I don’t know how to explain it. Like my heart is on a tether, pulling me toward you whenever you’re near. My soul aches if I see you’re hurt or scared or upset. It’s primal. Protective.” They remained silent, staring at each other before he spoke again. “You asked how long I’ve known? I suspected the day I pulled you from the water in the bog.”
“What? We’d barely known each other for a week.”
“Fate doesn’t care about that,” he said. “Sometimes soulbonds know immediately and other times it takes years.”
“And it took you a week.”
“Yes. Well…I had a suspicion. When you disappeared and I realized you were being pulled under, I panicked. I didn’t understand why I was panicking over someone I didn’t know, but it clicked when I pulled you out…though I was in denial.”
“I remember asking why you had a strange look on your face. That was the moment, wasn’t it?” He nodded. “And we got into a huge fight later that same day,” she added.
“We did.”
“But you’re sure now?”
He stared at her with intensity as he finished rubbing her calf. “Yes.” He let go of her leg and started on the other. “I suspected that day in the bog, but the moment I knew for certain was when you fell asleep in my arms after Corvus attacked you. I knew then and there I would tear apart the world to protect you. It scared me.”
She swallowed as tears blurred her vision. “What now?”
