Page 82 of Heart of the Cursed
Amberly placed a hand on Dain’s arm to stop him from saying anything more, then she turned to Arun and asked, “How is she?”
“She’s in a lot of pain, but her body is healing,” he told her. “She just needs a bit more rest.”
“How long do you think it will be before she’s back on her feet?” Natalia asked.
Arun sighed heavily. “It could be a couple of days, or a couple of weeks. I won’t know until she wakes up again.”
His magic had gone a long way in helping with the healing process. Closing open wounds, mending broken bones, and giving a boost to her immune system so that it stood a better chance at fighting any infections. But ultimately, it was still down to her body’s natural healing abilities.
“Is there anything we can do to help her?” Amberly asked.
“Unfortunately, no,” he said. “I’ve done all I can. Now, she just needs rest.”
He felt like a broken record, repeating himself over and over again, but nobody was listening to him. How many times did he have to tell them that she just needed time to rest before they took the hint? He wanted to tell them to fuck off and leave him alone, but he knew they were only there because they cared about her.
“I’m sure we can give her time,” Natalia said, looking up at Taredd.
He gazed at her with so much love and affection shining in his eyes. It was good to see he had finally found his mate. When he nodded in agreement, Natalia’s smile was wide.
“In the meantime, we could all do with some time to ourselves,” Taredd said.
It was likely to be the last time they could be alone with their mates. When they leave the bunker to search for the spell, it was unlikely they would get the chance to be alone, and then once the spell was performed, they might never see each other again. All of them were thinking about it, but none of them wanted to say the words out loud.
Arun didn’t want to think about what would happen after Selene performed the spell. It was hard enough knowing that he might never see her again, but if he kept thinking about it, he might do something stupid and try to talk her out of it. He knew she wouldn’t agree to that, and he didn’t want to make her choose between him and the rest of the Human race. So, as much as he wanted to stay with her, he wouldn’t ask her not to do the spell.
Dain didn’t try to hide his emotions when he looked down at Amberly. Arun knew exactly how he felt, because he felt the same way about Selene.
“Go,” Arun said. “Enjoy what time you have together. I’ll let you know when Selene is well enough to leave.”
Taredd nodded before taking hold of Natalia’s hand and leading her out of the room.
“If you need anything, just shout,” Dain said before following Taredd and Natalia out of the room with Amberly.
Arun sighed in relief when he heard the door click shut behind them. He’d been expecting more of an argument from Taredd and Dain, and they probably would have given him one if their mates hadn’t intervened. It was better they spent that time with their mates instead.
None of them wanted to be separated from their mate, himself included. But it was about more than just them. If something wasn’t done soon, there would be no more Humans left alive in the realm.
Guilt ate at him anew. He had dealt enough killing blows with Taredd and Dain by his side. They were far from innocent. Yet Natalia, Amberly, and even Selene had forgiven them. The least they could do for them in return was make sure it was safe enough for them and their kind to live in peace in their own realm.
Arun’s mind turned to the spell. He didn’t think it would work the same on the females. Natalia was safe anyway, since she was fully Human. But both Selene and Amberly were halflings. There was a chance they could also get expelled from the realm, but he didn’t think that was going to be the case.
What he didn’t understand was Selene’s need to be the one to perform the spell. She was adamant it had to be her. It was so strong; it was as if she was under a spell herself. One that compelled her to search out and perform the other spell.
It didn’t matter if she was prepared to do it all on her own, he wasn’t going to let her. No matter what was to come, he would be right by her side the entire time, whether she liked it or not.
There was no doubt in Arun’s mind that they had a long and difficult journey ahead of them. Not only did they have all the beings in the realm that didn’t want to leave trying to stop them, but they also had his family gunning for them thanks to him killing his brother.
Arun didn’t feel any remorse for what he’d done. After all the years of standing by and watching what his brother was doing to the females in his harem, Arun couldn’t do it any longer. Kidnapping and harming Selene had been the last straw. If he hadn’t gone after her, Arun wouldn’t have had to retaliate.
He knew his family wouldn’t heed the warning he’d given them. They would come after him, and anyone he was associated with, looking for retribution for what he’d done to his brother. It wouldn’t matter to them if Agnarr deserved what he got. He was part of their family.
Arun hadn’t been part of their family for a long time, and now he never would be. He couldn’t care less if they disowned him. He didn’t want to be part of their family, anyway. What he did care about was Selene and his friends and their mates. They were his family, and always would be.
He’d been through so much with Taredd and Dain over the years, they had become closer than brothers to him. He would lay down his life for either of them, and he knew they would do the same for him. That’s what family was about. Being there for one another no matter the cost.
None of his blood relatives would do such a thing for him. They had always seen him as the outsider, and he was happy to be seen that way.
“What has you frowning so deeply, handsome?” came Selene’s sleepy voice from the bed.
