“Raids?”
Ejan grinned wickedly. “Me and Ragna are Norseman, Vikings. Raiding was in our blood and our way of life, amongst other things.” She must have seen the shock on Elora’s face and softened her grin to a smile. “We don’t raid anymore. We’re caretakers now. Keeping this place up and running takes all our time and energies.”
“You made a deal with Diagus?”
Ejan nodded. “The Pearly White can be persuasive.”
From the window Elora could see the stables, her mare happily grazing on hay whilst Jaygen brushed her down, chickens picking at the grass at his feet. Beyond the stables lay a pigsty, a large pink and black spotty pig wallowing in mud and enjoying the afternoon sunshine. Further out a trio of goats were busily munching apples that had fallen from the trees in a large orchard; fenced in by bramble and gooseberry bushes that separated the orchard from a lush green field where a heavily pregnant cow grazed on the grass. It rose its head as if sensing being watched, green blades poking out from its lips. Next to the cow’s field was a flatter ground, the trees of the forest surrounding its perimeter, Elora counted six horses, two of which sheltered beneath a large oak watching the rest playfully gallop about the field.
The canopy of the forest stretched as far as she could see, rising and falling in dips and troughs, a breeze stirring the leaves and giving the impression of waves breaking on a dark green ocean. Above the noise the animals occasionally made, she could hear the thump of wood being chopped, harsh and erratic, chipping away at the peacefulness of the surroundings.
“That will be Bray,” said Ejan, joining her at the window. “If I was ten years younger I’d try and steal him away from his Shaigun path myself. Such a waste.”
“What do you mean?” asked Elora, feeling another pang of jealousy towards the women who she knew could turn the heads of any man of any age.
“Shadojaks don’t feel love, they don’t take a wife or father any children. Once Bray was set on the path of becoming a Shaigun he had chosen to forsake the same things. If he can’t control his feelings, if he falls in love or strays from the path he’ll never be a Shadojak.”
Elora suddenly felt a chill - icy fingers clutching her heart and she tried to mask her feelings from Ejan as she realised that the love she imagined with Bray could never be. She inwardly berated herself for being so foolish.
“Why don’t you go down there, tell him to come and get cleaned up. I won’t have him dirty and sweaty for this evening’s meal. And you can put him out of his misery whilst you’re at it. He’ll probably think he’s seen a ghost.”
Elora nodded, it would be good to see him, even if only seeing him was all she could do.
Thump, went the axe, growing louder as she drew nearer; thump went her heart, faster and fiercer as she went over in her mind what she was going to say. Before she decided what to tell him, she rounded a fallen elm and stopped.
He was there, arms held aloft, axe in hand and half naked. Sun rays glistened from his back, a thin bead of sweat running down the centre above the dip of his spine. Shoulder muscles bunched, his slim torso twisting as he brought the axe down.
Thwack. He hit a log that stood on end upon a tree stump, striking dead centre and splitting it in two. He threw the halves into a cart and placed another log upon the stump.
Heat pulsed through Elora, her blood becoming hot as she watched him raise the axe again, arms thick with muscle, back arching, abs stretching. Thwack.
Wood chips shot into his dark hair, it went unnoticed, like herself as she guiltily watched him work, her hands feeling sweaty, her breath deeper. Thwack.
Careful not to snap a twig or rustle any leaves, Elora stalked further around to the front of him, her gaze taking in his large chest, pectorals working beneath bare skin, gorgeous face set in fierce determination; moss green eyes, alive, focused and beautiful.
Her heart was on fire; she could watch him chop wood all day.
Biceps tensed as Bray began to bring the axe down, his eyes flicked to hers at the last moment. The axe missed the log and struck into the stump.
Bray’s jaw tightened as he took her in, appearing as if he had seen a ghost.
“Elora?” he whispered, his voice sounding hoarse and choked.
She nodded, smiling as she stepped closer, noticing that his hands still gripped the axe, knuckles turning white.
“Hello, Elf boy,” she said, her voice coming out deep and throaty. Another step towards him, close enough to touch, close enough to lay her hands against his heaving chest. “I’ve got a small gift for you,” she said. Then placing her hands on his tensed shoulders, stood on the tips of her toes and kissed him on the lips, her chest pressing into his and feeling his warm skin against hers.
“That’s for saving my uncle.”
Bray stood still as if feeling the aftershock from an electrical charge, green eyes staring at her, alive with what? Fury? Hatred? Lust? An intense mixture of all three? Elora felt foolish and was about to apologise when his arm wrapped around her, his hand at the base of her back, pulling her towards his body once again. His other hand grasped her shoulder as he lowered his head to hers; briefly rubbing noses and the bristles of his stubble grazing her chin before their mouths touched.
This kiss was more passionate than the first, Bray pressing harder, his lips parting and tongue searching. She closed her eyes, kissing him back, leaning further into his embrace, placing a hand on his chest and felt his heart thumping. She had never kissed like this before, had never been kissed like this. His fingers grasped tighter as their bodies crushed as if becoming one. Then he pulled away leaving her feeling light headed.
His lips curled into a gorgeous smile, the unshaven face giving him a sexy edge. “That’s for being alive,” he said.
Her fingers entwined into his as she tried to slow her breathing and keep herself from toppling over. Then she noticed the red welts on his chest where her fingers had been. Angry red blisters in the shape of her hand.
“Did I do that?”
Bray chuckled and pulled her close, arms wrapping tightly around her.
“They say you’ve got fire in your blood. Play with fire and you’re going to get burnt.” He kissed the top of her head before letting her go and stepping away. His eyes softened, his smile faltering. “I thought you were dead.”
“It came close. Diagus judged me but was persuaded to let me live, in case I’m some use against Solarius.”
“Neptula had the same idea. She said you’re a powerful weapon of some kind.”
Elora didn’t know what to say to that, she didn’t feel like a weapon. Just a girl with an evil lineage. She hoped she didn’t let anybody down.
“I better be getting back; my uncle will be wondering where I am.” She reluctantly unwound her fingers from his and stepped away. “I’ll see you at dinner. Oh, and Ejan said you need to wash before we dine. A shame really, I like you all dirty and sweaty.” She gazed at his body once again, grinning at the handprint she had left. “And now I’ve marked you as mine.”
Bray looked down at himself, his grin matching hers. “Might be I’ll have to mark you as mine somehow.”
“Only if I let you,” she teased. “I am a powerful weapon, you know?”
He raised an eyebrow. “I’ll see you at dinner. Clean.”
She mocked an upturned lip but couldn’t hold it for long, she doubted she would stop smiling for the rest of the day.
