Page 57 of Ashborne Forged

“Grace. Stop.” There was an edge in his tone that sent a trill of unease through me, but when I turned back because he hadn’t released my hand, he got to his feet and pulled me to him. His eyes remained locked on my face and he stared at me, shaking his head.

“Sorry,” I whispered. “I’m just nervous. About going back.”

He nodded. “Next time you feel that way, you come to me.”

I was confused. “But, I’m already with you. You’re right here?”

“No, Grace.” He leaned down, so close his breath fluttered over my lips. “You come to me. You feel the feeling, you recognize it, and you bring it to me. Let me carry it.”

I let my head fall back, frowning. “I am not a child who needs—”

“No, you most definitely are not,” he said. And then he smiled, that slow, wicked, promise of a smile that made my heart race even faster. “I’m not telling you to be weak, Grace. I’m telling you, I’ll make you stronger.”

“How?” I blurted.

His lips quirked, but the smile faltered quickly. He stared into my eyes and my breath stopped. The bond pulsed, flared, flickered, as if it fought against a barrier. And then, it surged—warmth and tension and need washing to me as something within him shifted.

My breath caught and I drew my head back. I wanted to ask him, but his gaze was so intense. “Voski, how, when we can’t even speak of—”

“I need to show you something.”

I would have thought he meant a teaching, but his face paled and his eyes were dark.

“Show me what?”

He swallowed. “Take off your clothes,” he said hoarsely.

I huffed a laugh and put a trembling hand on his chest. “Yes, that will definitely help, but—”

He caught that wrist again and shook his head, his chin dropping. “Grace… are you ready to learn a… a new thing?”

And in the same moment I inhaled sharply, a little piece of my heart sang. And soothed. “Yes,” I breathed.

“Then take off your clothes. I have something to show you.” He released my hand and stepped back, watching me.

It was a strange moment. On the outside he looked stern. A little cold. I would have expected him to shut down the bond. But inside I could sense him. In detail. I still had trouble discerning details of him if we were separated by more than ten feet or so. But he was right there. I felt all of him.

His insides roiled and snapped. And thrilled.

“Do you trust me, Grace?” he asked hesitantly, as if he was uncertain of my response. Which made me sad.

“I do.”

“Thank you.” He said the words bluntly. Frankly. Like I’d shocked him. Then he swallowed. “You remember the safe words?”

“Of course.” I hadn’t had to use them since that first day, though I’d come close once when he chased me.

“Good. Then please, trust me now. I want to show you something. Something very important to me. Something… something difficult.”

I swallowed hard and started on the button at my throat. But went slowly, waiting for him to remove his clothing as well.

Except, he didn’t.

His eyes stayed locked on mine, until I had the third button of the shirt open, then his gaze raked down, his lips parted, and his shoulders rose and fell faster.

I’d taken off my jacket when we entered the hut. I only wore the cotton shirt, and leather trousers and boots. So it was mere seconds before the last button was open.

I hesitated. Except to tilt his head a little to the side, he still hadn’t moved. His arms remained folded. And he still wore his jacket, though he’d removed his boots earlier.