Chapter Twenty-One

ASH

He held Keyara for a little while longer, until her heart rate finally slowed down to a relaxed pace. He kissed her on the head and shifted her out of his lap.

“Let me get that stew,” he said quietly.

She nodded, pulling the blankets over herself.

He went to fetch the tray and the bread, worriedly running a hand through his hair. The mate bond should take no more than a week to adjust to, but based on her extreme reaction earlier, he wasn’t sure what to expect now.

He had planned to stay until she was through it, but he anticipated it might take longer than that in this case.

Not that he minded being alone with her for as long as he needed to be; in fact, he was looking forward to it.

But if there was something unusual about their bond, maybe they should press ahead and consult the elders back home.

The stew in the waiting bowls had cooled somewhat, so he hurriedly scooped another bubbling hot ladleful from the pot on top to add some heat back into their meal.

He grabbed the bread in one hand and balanced the tray on his other arm.

Keyara was expecting him and opened the door as he approached. She had pulled on a shirt to cover herself, her bare legs exposed below the knees.

She motioned to a blanket spread on the floor, pillows piled across from each other. “I thought maybe we could have a picnic,” she said, laughing.

He set the tray in the middle of her setup, smiling at the thought.

She settled down on one of the pillow stacks, and he lowered himself across from her, watching her adjust the pillows to her liking, happy she was over her earlier discomfort.

He handed her a bowl of stew and a spoon.

She inhaled it deeply, letting out a satisfied sound. “This smells amazing,” she said.

“It’s just a simple venison stew,” he replied, tearing off a large chunk of the fresh bread and passing that to her as well before picking up his own bowl. “But I’m glad you’ll enjoy it.”

“Are you kidding?” she said around a large bite of stew. “I haven’t had venison in years.”

He frowned and lowered his bowl, looking at her across the blanket. She was dipping a piece of the bread into the stew, soaking up the broth before stuffing it in her mouth.

“Did you usually eat boar then, at the castle?” he asked.

“Sometimes we were able to sneak the rabbits from our snares. But we rarely got any meat otherwise,” she said. “It all went to the family and then the guards. There was hardly ever enough left for us.”

He bit back a curse. He could tell she had been underfed, but he had no idea just how bad it had been. No wonder she was impressed by Alton’s mediocre stew.

“Well, there is plenty. Eat as much as you’d like,” he replied, at a loss for a better response.

He ate his stew in silence as she devoured her bowl, not wanting to interrupt her from eating her fill. He grinned as she wiped her bowl clean with the last piece of bread.

She caught his eye and laughed at his expression, covering her mouth and swallowing.

“Sorry,” she said, amusement in her voice. “I was pretty hungry.”

He felt a sadness at her words. He was sure she had been hungry for most of her life. “Would you like more?“ he asked her.

“No, I can’t eat another bite,” she replied. “That was the biggest meal I’ve had in my entire life.”

The matter-of-fact way in which she said it, as if it were totally normal, made his heart ache. But he just smiled and took her bowl, setting it with his own on the tray and placing it on the small table in the corner.

When he returned to the blanket, he sat right beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. She laid her head against him, snuggling into his chest.

He wanted nothing more than to find out everything about her. “So, Keyara,” he said, “tell me your favorite childhood memory.”

KEYARA

They talked for hours. She told him all about growing up inside the castle, having to hide her identity and stay out of Pershing’s way.

About her close relationship with Jenna and the secret spots in the woods where they used to play as children.

He told her about his parents and what it was like growing up as an only child being groomed for leadership from a young age.

When it stretched into evening, they ate cheese and bread right there on the blanket, sitting close and laughing together.

Eventually, she ended up lying on the blanket spread across the floor, her head resting in his lap. She had opened up to him in every way possible, both emotionally and physically.

She had never felt so at peace. She knew she could tell him anything without facing judgment or conflict. After a long while they ran out of questions and just lay contentedly together.

She felt her eyelids become heavy and fought against sleep, not wanting this moment to end. Ash was twirling her hair around his fingers, and she closed her eyes and sighed, enjoying the feeling.

“Are you tired, baby?” he asked her. She hummed in agreement, too exhausted for anything more.

She suddenly felt herself lifted into his arms, as if she weighed no more than a feather. He placed her into bed, kissing her mark gently before gathering her close to him.

“Sleep now, Keyara, your body needs to heal,” she heard him say, before slipping into unconsciousness.