Witches and Warriors

Chapter 18: LORCAN AND ELIDE

LORCAN

The last few days had been too busy for Lorcan to get any time with Elide, she was busy doing her business as Lady of Perranth, and he admired her for it. He'd come back to their room finding her passed out on the bed, unable to rouse her to even eat. It had been a week since they'd had any time alone, which was winding him maybe a little too tight.

They were married and deserved time together. He'd been training a few soldiers and guards to keep everything in line and they'd learned well. He hated the way they looked at him. Because of Maeve. He knew that was why.

He'd decided to cut training early today, telling any of them if they so much as looked at him wrong again or treated him with any disrespect, there would be consequences. Lorcan went up to the kitchen, grabbing food for him and Elide. Not much luck on getting her to eat last week, he wanted to try. He found her sitting at the desk again, her brows furrowed, her rosebud lips pursed in concentration. Her tea was definitely cold, he knew it. "Elide?"

She didn't raise her head, she held up her hand in a silent command, rubbing her temples. She signed a couple more documents, he'd set the plates on a table they'd recently gotten, sitting in one of the chairs and not trying to speak to her again. He'd already cleared his plate before he went over behind her and began rubbing her shoulders. "Thank you," she muttered, looking over more papers and maps, one of the letters addressed to her was from Aelin, he didn't read it, just recognized her signature.

"You should eat, it's nearly nightfall." He leaned down and brushed soft kisses on her neck.

She didn't move, she just kept signing those papers. Reading and signing. He sighed, annoyed.

"Elide." He took the feather out of her hand.

"Hey, I'm not done." She turned to glare at him. The stress she was under was setting in, she looked exhausted under all the beauty.

"You need to eat. And you barely spoke to me last week." Lorcan wished he didn't say that last part. This wasn't about him and he knew that.

She scoffed, pushing her chair back and standing, shoving papers to the side. "I spent all last week with you, I married you, we have the rest of our lives together and that is what you're worried about?"

Lorcan shook his head, laughing humorlessly. "No. I'm worried that you're not taking care of yourself. Do I need to have someone keep an eye on you?"

She crossed her arms, walking around the desk and then facing him. "I don't want anyone keeping an eye on me. Last I checked, you were my husband, not my guard or my bodyguard."

He raised an eyebrow. "I am all those things, your husband first."

"Then act like it." She spit out.

"I am."

She raised an eyebrow. "Really? Getting pissed that you haven't slept with me in a week is acting like my husband? How about supporting all the work I'm doing for me, for you. Us? Does that not matter to you?"

"It does, Elide, I'm not saying it doesn't." He came around the desk standing close to her, setting his hands on her waist but she backed away from his touch.

"Have you offered to help me do the paperwork? Offered to train me?" Lorcan didn't think about that, and he hated the hurt behind her eyes.

He didn't stop the next words that came out of his mouth. "Is that all I'm good for, for you?"

Elide blinked at him, not speaking for a moment. "That's really supportive, Lorcan." She shook her head, turning on her heel and heading for the door, her lower lip quivered. "I appreciate you training the soldiers and guards, but sometimes I need you up here, as Lord of Perranth and my husband, I thought you'd understand that." She opened the door.