cage.”
She looked away.
“Nay, love. I need ye to trust me. The first day we met, I vowed to care for ye and protect ye, and I never break my oath. I’ll never let anyone harm ye, including yourself.”
A sob tore from her throat as she slid from the bed into his arms.
“I fear most that I am wicked,” she cried. “I do not wish to harm. But I have strength that I do not even know.”
He swiped at her tears. “Tell me this. Are ye still aware of yourself, of Cora, when the wolf takes ye?”
She nodded. “I am, but only if I don’t resist. ‘Tis still me, just a different me. But if I fight her and don’t win, then I am lost to pain and exhaustion. Only the wolf is left standing.”
“Have ye ever set the wolf free?” he asked.
“Nay,” she said abruptly. “Of course not. I fight her. I will continue to fight her until the day I die.”
He reached out and tucked a lock of flaxen hair behind her ear. “It occurs to me that it is not her ye fight but yourself. Ye and the wolf are one and the same. This is who ye are now.”
“But I do not wish it so. I want to go back to the way I was before.”
A sad smile curved his lips. “Of course ye do, so does anyone who has survived great loss. But ye can’t, Cora.”
“I know,” she whispered. “I accepted that long ago, but I cannot accept what I’ve become. I don’t know how?”
“When that wolf bit ye, he didn’t change your heart.”
He stood up then and pulled her to her feet. Her loose hair fell around her like a golden shroud. “I’ve spent my life surrounded by animals. Like people, what they long for most is love and respect. And would ye believe ye can give any living creature what it needs most, and all ye need is one thing—faith.”
“Faith,” she repeated.
He pulled her toward the door. “All ye need is faith.”
She easily tugged her hand free from his grasp. “Nay, Alex. I cannot go out there.”
“I do not mean to bring ye downstairs only to my room.”
“I’m wearing naught but a kirtle,” she said.
He shrugged. “We’re married, and I promise ye’re dressed right for what I have in mind.”
“Alex!” she exclaimed, blushing.
He smiled, his mismatched eyes glinting with mischief. “Have faith.” He held out his hand for her to accept. Slowly, she slipped her warm hand into his. They walked down the hall and into his room. He pushed through the door and crossed to the far side with her in tow.
“Look,” he said, pointing to a tapestry.
She shot him a confused glance. “’Tis mine.” She grazed her fingers down the mermaid’s hair.
“Look behind it,” he said.
She pulled back the fabric and uncovered a hidden door. He reached around her and pushed it open. “Follow me.”
They descended a narrow, winding stairwell. When they arrived at the bottom, Alex opened another door. “’Tis built into the castle wall and blends perfectly. Few know of its existence.”
She stepped outside, but he urged her back. “Remove your kirtle and set it on the bottom step.”
Her arms crossed over her chest. She looked at him as though he’d gone mad.
He grazed her cheek with the back of his fingers. “Trust me, Cora. Ye have to let go. Ye must let yourself feel again.”
His hands stroked the soft skin of her neck. He hooked his fingers under the straps of her kirtle and eased it down over her shoulders. Pressing a kiss to her lips, he tugged the fabric further, exposing her breasts to the night air and then her waist. Soon, the fabric lay discarded around her ankles. “Ye’re exquisite,” he whispered as he gazed upon her naked beauty in the moonlight. She blazed in his arms. Her eyes shone brighter by the second. With a smile stretching his lips wide, he backed away.
“Run,” he said. “Run the sorrow from your heart. Only do not go too far, and stay clear of the forest.”
“But—” she began.
“Nay,” he said. “Don’t think. Just feel.”
~ * ~
Surrounded by darkness and
She looked away.
“Nay, love. I need ye to trust me. The first day we met, I vowed to care for ye and protect ye, and I never break my oath. I’ll never let anyone harm ye, including yourself.”
A sob tore from her throat as she slid from the bed into his arms.
“I fear most that I am wicked,” she cried. “I do not wish to harm. But I have strength that I do not even know.”
He swiped at her tears. “Tell me this. Are ye still aware of yourself, of Cora, when the wolf takes ye?”
She nodded. “I am, but only if I don’t resist. ‘Tis still me, just a different me. But if I fight her and don’t win, then I am lost to pain and exhaustion. Only the wolf is left standing.”
“Have ye ever set the wolf free?” he asked.
“Nay,” she said abruptly. “Of course not. I fight her. I will continue to fight her until the day I die.”
He reached out and tucked a lock of flaxen hair behind her ear. “It occurs to me that it is not her ye fight but yourself. Ye and the wolf are one and the same. This is who ye are now.”
“But I do not wish it so. I want to go back to the way I was before.”
A sad smile curved his lips. “Of course ye do, so does anyone who has survived great loss. But ye can’t, Cora.”
“I know,” she whispered. “I accepted that long ago, but I cannot accept what I’ve become. I don’t know how?”
“When that wolf bit ye, he didn’t change your heart.”
He stood up then and pulled her to her feet. Her loose hair fell around her like a golden shroud. “I’ve spent my life surrounded by animals. Like people, what they long for most is love and respect. And would ye believe ye can give any living creature what it needs most, and all ye need is one thing—faith.”
“Faith,” she repeated.
He pulled her toward the door. “All ye need is faith.”
She easily tugged her hand free from his grasp. “Nay, Alex. I cannot go out there.”
“I do not mean to bring ye downstairs only to my room.”
“I’m wearing naught but a kirtle,” she said.
He shrugged. “We’re married, and I promise ye’re dressed right for what I have in mind.”
“Alex!” she exclaimed, blushing.
He smiled, his mismatched eyes glinting with mischief. “Have faith.” He held out his hand for her to accept. Slowly, she slipped her warm hand into his. They walked down the hall and into his room. He pushed through the door and crossed to the far side with her in tow.
“Look,” he said, pointing to a tapestry.
She shot him a confused glance. “’Tis mine.” She grazed her fingers down the mermaid’s hair.
“Look behind it,” he said.
She pulled back the fabric and uncovered a hidden door. He reached around her and pushed it open. “Follow me.”
They descended a narrow, winding stairwell. When they arrived at the bottom, Alex opened another door. “’Tis built into the castle wall and blends perfectly. Few know of its existence.”
She stepped outside, but he urged her back. “Remove your kirtle and set it on the bottom step.”
Her arms crossed over her chest. She looked at him as though he’d gone mad.
He grazed her cheek with the back of his fingers. “Trust me, Cora. Ye have to let go. Ye must let yourself feel again.”
His hands stroked the soft skin of her neck. He hooked his fingers under the straps of her kirtle and eased it down over her shoulders. Pressing a kiss to her lips, he tugged the fabric further, exposing her breasts to the night air and then her waist. Soon, the fabric lay discarded around her ankles. “Ye’re exquisite,” he whispered as he gazed upon her naked beauty in the moonlight. She blazed in his arms. Her eyes shone brighter by the second. With a smile stretching his lips wide, he backed away.
“Run,” he said. “Run the sorrow from your heart. Only do not go too far, and stay clear of the forest.”
“But—” she began.
“Nay,” he said. “Don’t think. Just feel.”
~ * ~
Surrounded by darkness and
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