163 Dark Hours
Good news! To celebrate the new year, and because we only have a couple months of updates left before our story ends, I’m going to try to get more content to you this month—longer chapters, and double-chapters when I can (starting tonight!) I hope you enjoy them! Happy 2023!
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~ TARKYN ~
El and Gar left them in the evening after the decisions were made. She wanted to get back to the Tree City and find Lerrin and Suhle before they bedded down for the night.
Before they left, Gar clasped Tarkyn’s arm and clapped him on the shoulder. “You’re seeing clearly brother,” he murmured, both of them glancing at Elreth and Harth speaking quietly off to the side. “I’ll pray for your safe return.”
Tarkyn thanked him, but the truth was… what he truly, deeply wanted was for himself and his mate to exist together safely. Wherever, or however that could be achieved. Whatever it took.
He prayed for peace—for all of them.
When Elreth was finished speaking with Harth, Tarkyn could feel his mate’s unease tempered with growing hope. That was good. He’d have to ask what Elreth had told her. But first his Queen approached him.
For a moment he wasn’t sure whether to embrace her like the old friend and near-family that she was, or bow to the Queen and ruler as she deserved. But she solved the problem for him by throwing herself into his chest.
.....
Ah, this was the Elreth he’d known since her childhood—who’d crawled over him when he was a teen and a soldier, and tried to play games with him when he’d met with her father. And who’d mimicked him when he was in training.
He held her tightly, surprised at first that she didn’t speak.
He should have known she was only preparing herself.
When she stepped out of his arms, her eyes were shining and her face clouded with self doubt. “I’m sorry, Tark,” she whispered, swallowing hard. “I’m sorry I didn’t listen, and I’m sorry that I have to send you now. I’m glad… I’m so glad you found your mate. And every time I get too afraid, I’m remembering that. The Creator put you together. There has to be a reason for that.”
He nodded, relieved that she’d finally absorbed that, and all it had to mean. “We’re going to get through this, El. All of us.”
She gave a watery smile and shrugged. “Well, I hope you’re right.”
Then she put a hand to his chest, flattening her palm there, and staring at it, instead of meeting his eyes. “I’m just… it hit me, you know? You’ve been there for all of us, Tark. My mom. My dad. Me and Aaryn… Gar. The people. You’ve always been there for us, as long as I can remember. So please… please… come back safe. Please don’t leave.”
His breath caught when her chin trembled, but she cut a glance at her brother whose face was a blank mask—his scent a turmoil of confidence and fear, relief and hope… and an underlying sadness that matched his sisters, and yet somehow didn’t.
Tarkyn cleared his throat, doing his best to keep them both buoyed. “It’s been my honor to be there for you, just like I was for your parents, El,” he said softly, fighting his own roiling emotions. “Reth and Elia gave me a lot more than I ever gave them. So it’s my… my life’s purpose to be here for you and Aaryn. I’m not going anywhere… You know that. You can trust me with this.”
“I do,” she said with a wry smile. “What I don’t trust is myself to… see the way without you.”
Tarkyn’s brows popped up in surprise. But El didn’t let him explore that. With an awkward shrug, she patted his arm then turned immediately, tipping her head to Gar. “We need to get moving.”
Gar nodded. He cut a glance at Tarkyn, but only waved at Harth before following his sister off into the darkening night.
Elreth didn’t look back before they were enveloped by the shadows, and Tarkyn couldn’t decide whether that was a blessing or a curse.
What he did know was that as the Queen and her brother were slowly swallowed by the night, his mate appeared at his side, hugging his arm, and nothing felt as right as that.
They both watched the space where the two most powerful Anima disappeared for a long moment. Tarkyn uncertain how to even think about that conversation, but eager to try and solve the problems they were facing.
“Harth, when you said Zev—”
“Do we have to leave tonight, Tarkyn?” Harth said, her voice high and thin with apprehension.
Tarkyn understood the real question. He glanced at the sky and the progress of the moon, considered the hours of travel ahead, then shook his head. “I think we would be better to rest tonight, then leave early in the morning, don’t you? If we’re careful, we could be in their territory by high sun tomorrow.
Harth’s entire body slumped with relief. “I think that’s perfect,” she said, then turned her lovely face up to smile at him in the dark. “I think you’re perfect, too. You handled that really well.”
He shrugged, though her compliment made him want to puff his chest and see if El and Gar were close enough to hear it.
“And I think,” he said with a smile at his mate, “that I got very sweaty during my travels and I would dearly love the help of my mate to… get clean. Especially if we’re traveling early.”
The nervous expression fell from Harth’s features, to be replaced with a sly smile and dancing light in her eyes. “I’d love to help you… get clean,” she said, biting her lip when he waggled his eyebrows at her.
“I missed you, mate,” he murmured, pulling her into his side. “Even just a few hours… I missed you.”
She beamed and leaned into him. “I missed you too. Especially when you were in your beast. I don’t like that…” she said, shuddering. For a moment her smile was gone, the light gone from her eyes.
But Tarkyn pulled her closer, tipping up her chin to kiss her and bring the light back. And with a happy sigh and a soft kiss, she did smile again. And her body went loose, languid, leaning into his.
“Let’s go get clean,” he growled. “Together.”
She flashed a wicked grin, then reached around to tweak his ass before laughing when he jumped, and running away from him, towards the trail.
“Vixen!” he hissed.
But she just shrieked when she heard him sprint after her.
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