eyes.
She couldn’t blame him for being exhausted. After what he’d been through, he was lucky to be alive. Never in all her life had she seen anything so brutal, or been so afraid for another’s survival.
Sighing, she rested her forehead against the bars and closed her eyes, her thoughts turning toward home. Was her father well? Was Artur still hunting for her? Had anyone heard from her mother? Was Annis still happy in the convent?
She glanced at her surroundings. Living here, in Serepta’s realm, was like stepping into the past. There was no technology here. No tele-screens or communications devices of any kind. Was that by Serepta’s choice? Now that she thought about it, she hadn’t noticed any Landskiffs or space ports since they left the bigger towns behind.
Suddenly homesick, she thought of Brynn Castle. Though it was ancient, it held all the modern conveniences she so missed - places of entertainment, luxurious bathtubs and showers with hot and cold running water, soft beds covered by thick quilts, kitchens with modern ovens and refrigeration.
A sound from inside the cell drew her attention. Looking up, she saw Gryff thrashing on the floor. “Gryff! Gryff, wake up! You’re having a nightmare.”
He woke with a start, his eyes wild as he jackknifed into a sitting position. He relaxed visibly when he saw her. Mumbling, “Sorry,” he stretched his arms and back, then stood.
Marri rose also. “I should go before Bellina sends someone looking for me.”
Gryff nodded.
Her gaze moved over him. Remarkably, his injuries had all healed, though the scars remained. “Are you all right?”
He grunted softly as he moved toward her. “I’m fine.” Reaching though the bars, he took her hands in his. In spite of the hours she worked in the kitchen, her skin was still smooth and soft. “How about you? Are you doing okay?”
She stared up at him, unable to speak. At his touch, warmth spread through her, settling deep within her.
“Marri.” He whispered her name as his hands slid around her waist, drawing her closer.
Leaning against the bars, she went up on her tiptoes, eager for his kiss. As had happened before, the dungeon, the bars, the ugliness that surrounded her, all fell away. There was only Gryff, his arm around her waist, his free hand stroking up and down her back while his mouth moved over hers, evoking thoughts and sensations she had never known before. Feeling suddenly bold, she slid her hand through a gap in the bars, let her fingertips explore the expanse of his naked chest, the muscles that bulged and flexed in his arm. She wished there were no bars between them, wished she could melt into his embrace and never leave.
She sighed with regret when he lifted his head.
“How brave are you?” he asked.
“Not very.” If she had any courage at all, she would have stayed home and confronted Artur instead of running away.
“You want to get out of here, don’t you?”
“More than anything. But how?”
“I haven’t figured that out yet, but you need make yourself scarce. She’s coming.”
Marri didn’t hesitate. Turning away from the cell, she ran down the corridor as fast as her legs would carry her. She ducked through the first doorway she saw, praying Serepta hadn’t seen her.
Gryff was hunkered down in a corner, eyes closed, when Serepta appeared. He didn’t have to see her to know she was there. He had heard her footsteps in his nightmares, smelled the faint scent of foxglove that clung to her.
Foot tapping impatiently, she said, “I know you’re awake.”
Heaving a sigh, Gryff opened his eyes. “What mischief are you planning now?”
“Mischief? Why, none at all. Because of your win today, I’ve come into possession of something I’ve always wanted.”
“Yeah? I thought you just conjured whatever you wanted.”
“In most instances, I do. But there are some things even I haven’t been able to conjure. A winged Pegasus is one of them.”
“Jarrod wagered a
She couldn’t blame him for being exhausted. After what he’d been through, he was lucky to be alive. Never in all her life had she seen anything so brutal, or been so afraid for another’s survival.
Sighing, she rested her forehead against the bars and closed her eyes, her thoughts turning toward home. Was her father well? Was Artur still hunting for her? Had anyone heard from her mother? Was Annis still happy in the convent?
She glanced at her surroundings. Living here, in Serepta’s realm, was like stepping into the past. There was no technology here. No tele-screens or communications devices of any kind. Was that by Serepta’s choice? Now that she thought about it, she hadn’t noticed any Landskiffs or space ports since they left the bigger towns behind.
Suddenly homesick, she thought of Brynn Castle. Though it was ancient, it held all the modern conveniences she so missed - places of entertainment, luxurious bathtubs and showers with hot and cold running water, soft beds covered by thick quilts, kitchens with modern ovens and refrigeration.
A sound from inside the cell drew her attention. Looking up, she saw Gryff thrashing on the floor. “Gryff! Gryff, wake up! You’re having a nightmare.”
He woke with a start, his eyes wild as he jackknifed into a sitting position. He relaxed visibly when he saw her. Mumbling, “Sorry,” he stretched his arms and back, then stood.
Marri rose also. “I should go before Bellina sends someone looking for me.”
Gryff nodded.
Her gaze moved over him. Remarkably, his injuries had all healed, though the scars remained. “Are you all right?”
He grunted softly as he moved toward her. “I’m fine.” Reaching though the bars, he took her hands in his. In spite of the hours she worked in the kitchen, her skin was still smooth and soft. “How about you? Are you doing okay?”
She stared up at him, unable to speak. At his touch, warmth spread through her, settling deep within her.
“Marri.” He whispered her name as his hands slid around her waist, drawing her closer.
Leaning against the bars, she went up on her tiptoes, eager for his kiss. As had happened before, the dungeon, the bars, the ugliness that surrounded her, all fell away. There was only Gryff, his arm around her waist, his free hand stroking up and down her back while his mouth moved over hers, evoking thoughts and sensations she had never known before. Feeling suddenly bold, she slid her hand through a gap in the bars, let her fingertips explore the expanse of his naked chest, the muscles that bulged and flexed in his arm. She wished there were no bars between them, wished she could melt into his embrace and never leave.
She sighed with regret when he lifted his head.
“How brave are you?” he asked.
“Not very.” If she had any courage at all, she would have stayed home and confronted Artur instead of running away.
“You want to get out of here, don’t you?”
“More than anything. But how?”
“I haven’t figured that out yet, but you need make yourself scarce. She’s coming.”
Marri didn’t hesitate. Turning away from the cell, she ran down the corridor as fast as her legs would carry her. She ducked through the first doorway she saw, praying Serepta hadn’t seen her.
Gryff was hunkered down in a corner, eyes closed, when Serepta appeared. He didn’t have to see her to know she was there. He had heard her footsteps in his nightmares, smelled the faint scent of foxglove that clung to her.
Foot tapping impatiently, she said, “I know you’re awake.”
Heaving a sigh, Gryff opened his eyes. “What mischief are you planning now?”
“Mischief? Why, none at all. Because of your win today, I’ve come into possession of something I’ve always wanted.”
“Yeah? I thought you just conjured whatever you wanted.”
“In most instances, I do. But there are some things even I haven’t been able to conjure. A winged Pegasus is one of them.”
“Jarrod wagered a
Similar Books
