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He pressed his lips against the top of her head, his hands stroking down her back in a comforting motion.
“What happened to you?”
“I was desperately trying to wake them when I was captured by the vampires who’d sent the orcs to attack us.”
“Did they take you prisoner?”
“No.” At the time she’d barely noticed the leeches who’d seized her with a silver net. Not until she found herself being held down as the chief was using a flaming hot knife on her forehead. “They were too afraid of me. They carved this into my forehead and covered it in salt.”
Ryshi hissed as she reached up to touch the scar that was still rough beneath her fingertips.
“Damn.”
She shrugged. The mark didn’t bother her. It was a reminder that she had to control her powers or suffer the consequences.
“Then they bound me to a pole,” she continued, wanting to be done with the grim story. “They planned to have me watch my family being consumed by the sun before the dawn reached me and I was turned into ash.”
“How did you survive?”
“Styx. He found me just seconds before it was too late.”
This time her smile was genuine. At first she’d assumed the massive shadow approaching her was the grim reaper. The thought hadn’t brought fear. She’d just witnessed her clan being consumed by the approaching sunlight and she’d been deeply relieved at the knowledge her suffering was about to end. Instead, he’d cut through the silver bands that held her to the post and tossed her over his broad shoulder.
Ryshi brushed his lips over her cheek. “Thank the goddess.”
“I wasn’t thankful at the time,” she told him in dry tones. “I wanted the sun to end my agony.”
“Don’t say that,” Ryshi breathed in genuine horror.
“It’s true.” Sofie had fought and clawed as Styx had carried her into a nearby cave. She’d been desperate to join her clan. If the male hadn’t been so big and stubborn, she wouldn’t be alive. “I’m not sure I ever forgave him for rescuing me.”
Ryshi’s hands continued to stroke up and down her back, his cheek resting on the top of her head.
“And you punish yourself for surviving by imprisoning yourself in a mountain.”
She clicked her tongue at the ridiculous accusation. “I’m hardly imprisoned.”
“You live there alone and you never leave unless you’re forced. What else would you call it?”
“I went there to learn to control my powers,” she told him. It was true. She’d devoted centuries to discovering the best way to keep the deadly skill contained.
“And to punish yourself,” he insisted.
She shrugged. She didn’t call it punishment. It was common sense to avoid any conflicts that might force her into a battle.
“I’d done enough damage. I swore I’d never let myself get into a position where I would need to create such carnage again.”
“It’s not your fault.”
She tilted back her head, meeting the liquid darkness of his gaze. “I doubt the minotaurs would agree with you.”
“I’m not talking about the minotaurs, although they fully intended to kill both of us. Did you blame me for killing the guards to try to clear a path for our escape?”
Sofie stubbornly shook her head. “It’s not the same. I destroyed my family.”
“Because you couldn’t fully control your powers,” he insisted. “You didn’t intend to harm them. You were trying to save them.”
“It doesn’t change the outcome.”
