Chapter 35

Chapter

Thirty-Five

GOVEK

" F uck." Govek paused halfway down the hill, his legs shook too badly to continue safely while carrying Miranda and he certainly wasn't going to set her down.

She clung to him as he loped over to a nearby rock and collapsed on top of it.

He pulled her closer, pinned her. He couldn't seem to get enough air into his lungs.

She'd nearly died twice this day. Twice . " Fuck, Miranda, you're going to be the death of me."

"It's been a lot, hasn't it?" Her voice broke as she began to ramble. "Too much. God, how many near-death experiences do we need in a twenty-four-hour period? In a lifetime. Goddamn, I've fallen off two cliffs already, Govek. That's two cliffs too many. I never even want to look at a cliff again. It's clear they have it out for me."

He relished the sound of her voice. Soaked it up. She was alive. She was all right. At least all right enough to jabber endlessly at him. He smoothed his hands over her skin. Over every scrape and cut. She was abraded in multiple places on her legs and even though they weren't bleeding, he wanted to heal them. To get tinctures on them.

"I need to get you home." He pressed his forehead to hers.

"I'm sorry."

He froze, moved back to search her face. Her eyes were flooded, and it made him want to crumble.

"I'm sorry, Govek. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to say that... about not being your mate anymore. I should never have said that. I'm so?—"

"I love you," he said, his chest tight from how full it was with relief. He pulled her into a tight embrace again. "I love you. I am sorry too. I should not have fought with you. I should not have left."

"You were scared... scared of losing me." She pushed away from him, and took a deep breath. "You have to tell me when you don't think something is right. Before you get to that point. Promise me."

"I... will." Fades, he would try. "I didn't want to push you away."

"I know." She rested her forehead against his chin. "I know you didn't. You have had a lifetime of being silenced, and I'm too stubborn and determined. You go quiet and I steamroll over you. We match so well in every other way but this one."

He tensed, gulped.

"But... we'll work it out. I want to be with you. It will be worth it."

"Yes." Fuck, he was so relieved. "Yes, we will work on it. Together. I swear it. "

She wrapped her arms around his neck. Kissed his cheek, his nose. His mouth.

She tasted like bliss and his blood heated up all over again.

When she pulled away, he whispered. "We need to get home." They had much to discuss now, and he wanted to get her clean.

"I don't think I can walk. I'm sorry. I want to. I'm just really shaky. Maybe in a few minutes I could?—"

"You should dredge with Evythiken."

She went still and so did he. He hadn't meant to say those words. It was the last thing that mattered right now.

And yet it was the strongest vow he had sworn to the Fades while racing up the hill to her. He'd raged at them. And lamented. And given them his word that he would stop fighting them in this if they would just save her. His mate.

He'd almost lost her again.

The sight of her hanging off that cliff, precariously close to death. Fuck.

The Fades had saved her.

"Govek?" She had moved her fingers into his hair. Stroked the sides of his face. Massaged and caressed and gifted him enough calm to finally speak.

"I vow"—he forced the words out past his fear—"that I will support you when you dredge with Evythiken." He squeezed his eyes shut. "I know it's what you need to do. I know that, I just... I can't lose..." he broke off, voice thick.

Her warm hands tightened around his face and forced him to meet her solid gaze. She poured warmth and strength into him through her eyes. "Govek, I'm never going to leave you. "

Fuck, why did that feel so much like a lie?

"I love you. With every part of myself. And if we are ever separated, I will be fighting tooth and nail to get back to your side. I will always return to you." Her fingertips massaged the hinge of his jaw.

He wanted to believe her.

But he couldn't. Not completely. He knew she would always want to return to him, but the ability to do so was out of her control. It was in the hands of the Fades.

He knew that. It terrified him. Shook him to his core.

And he would have to let her go through with it anyway.

"You said Ergoth sent the saber cat? How?"

"Magic. Like with the boar." He adjusted her so he could pick her up. "He will not get away with what he has done to you."

He would think long and hard about coming up with an adequate punishment.

"To both of us." She was still stroking his face as he managed to his feet.

"Yes." Fuck, Ergoth had done so much .

And yet... "If the vile male hadn't banished me to Estwill, I would never have found you, Miranda."

"Don't give him credit for that," she muttered. "I would have found my way to you, no matter what. Fades or not, we're meant to be together."

His heart soared. "Yes."

He began the descent down the hill, and his mind centered on what must be done. What she would have to do.

"You aren't... scared?" he asked her quietly. "To dredge with Evythiken?"

She huffed out a little laugh. "Oh, I'm plenty scared, but what scares me most is trying to go on without knowing. I have to know." She met his eyes again. "I have to fill in those blank spots. I can't move on and heal from all this without it. It will haunt me."

"I know." His throat was thick, his eyes blurring as they prickled. "But swear to me you will come back to me. Promise that you will not lose yourself in this act. Vow that you will spend the rest of your days at my side, that we will heal together, raise our sons together, grow old, and return to the Fades together ."

She bridged the gap between them, pressing a searing kiss to his lips. The smell of her mingled with the crisp, clean scent of the forest and helped clear his mind. Her lips teased his, her tongue delved into his mouth. He was consumed by her. Praised by her. Relished her sweet taste and her gentle nips and her endless love. He kissed her like this was the last they would ever share. Basking in her. Wishing she could be absorbed into him.

He broke off when she was shuddering. Her eyes misty. Her lips swollen.

It was time to take her home.

As he wrapped her up and continued to carry her down the hill, he was brutally aware she had never actually made the vow.