The Taming

Help Me Save Him

Acharius was silent, wanting to argue. But after a time, he left.

Sebastian waited patiently until he was in the air and returning to the Dread Country Hideout before blurting the question plaguing him. "Why assign him to watch over her?"

"It's too late." Deragan watched him fading into the distance. "He's already besotten with the girl. He just doesn't know how to tell us yet..."

"You sure that's why he can't admit?"

"Perhaps, it's himself he does not wish to confess it to. Is that what you're implying Sebastian?"

Sebastian nodded. "But how did you know he was enduring such a conflict?"

Deragan hesitated. As if searching for a way to explain. "You hear their thoughts. I pick up on what they feel."

"You're empathic?" Sebastian was a bit confused. Wondering how he never knew that.

Not surprising since Deragan shares so little.

The alpha had always been a reserved sort. Even back when he was captaining a force of templar knights...

Before we were immortal.

And before we came here...

"I'm not sure I'd call it that." Deragan asserted.

"Why do I not know this?"

"How do you think I always arrive when you're the most upset about your valkyrie?" Deragan gave him a blank look.

Sebastian floundered.

"Let him be, Sebastian." Deragan said sternly. "No meddling. He's in no need of it."

"I like to meddle."

More specifically, I like it when my brethren find their mates.

"We're all painfully aware of that." Deragan said dryly. But Bast sensed the bit of humor lurking around his lips.

"I just like when they find a bit of happiness in our world. It's so filled with demons and sorrow, that they deserve a bit of light in it."

Deragan grunted but said nothing.

***

It wasn't long before Sebastian was making his way up to WaterRose again. Still mulling over Acharius' declaration. And feeling a bit of hope that his comrade would finally find some companionship.

He had raised two little girls long ago, but those had been more like daughters, he'd never indicated the kind of conflict that burdened him now.

He wants her.

Bast was beginning to wonder if Forever Knights craved a woman, it meant they were perhaps a fallen watcher.

However, I would be the exception.

Elsabet generated no such light as the other women.

Sebastian could always see it, and he didn't see it on her. She isn't one of them. So why wouldn't I desire a fallen as my brothers do?

He didn't have an answer for that.

His thoughts moved past the other Forever Knights and returned to his favorite difficulty. Elsabet.

And the last thing she'd said to him as a man. Before I turned to Quandary to comfort her.

She had said that she was unbothered by her distrust of him as much by his distrust of her.

He felt like he did trust her. She's saved my skin more times than I can count.

She was the only one that knew what he really went through.

How often I have to rest or heal. Only she knew the truths he didn't tell anyone.

She sees everything.

She was his solace in all the darkness.

But he knew what she was really saying. If I trust her, then I'd let her go.

How could he even respond to that?

We both know the truth. He sighed.

Shouting to the tower resulted in the bridge being lowered. He crossed it. His boots thunking over it.

He heard the screeching cry of the valkyrie from one of the upper floors. Signaling that she was aware he was home.

"Elsabet!" He bellowed upon walking through the doors.

"What!" He heard the waspish response from above.

"Come down."

There was a vicious hiss before he heard her soft footfalls in the corridors. Taking her time coming down to him.

She had her skirt clutched in her hand when she rounded the banister and glared down the steps at him.

"Come here." He nodded his head.

Her lips twisted in contempt, but she wandered down the stairs. In no more hurry than she'd been before. Her feet slowly lifted and set. He watched every step with agonizing anticipation. Wishing she'd hurry. But rushing her would only sour her mood further.

The last thing I want.

She paused a few feet before him.

"Closer." He bade.

She glowered but took a long step.

"More."

Her face darkened and the roots of her hair went black before washing back to white.

"Closer."

She seethed but finally stopped just before him.

"Tell me something, beautiful." He reached up to trace a tress of her hair back from her temple to tuck behind her ear.

"What?" Her voice was venomous. But she wasn't grimacing at his touch or shying away. She faced him fiercely. Unblinking as she looked up at him.

What would it feel like if that gaze was adoring?

"What do you miss most about being free?"

"Flying." She said flatly.

"I won't let you go." He sighed. Feeling his gut sink as the wave of her disappointment in him washed over them. "But if I could give you that much, would you meet me on some common ground?"

She eyed him warily. "What trick is this?"

"I'd not waste my time trying to trick you."

"Fine." She asserted. The desire to fly overcoming her frustration.

He caught her hand. Feeling her fingers curl and her body tighten as he rushed past her. Dragging her up behind him.

"Where are you taking me?"

"Not where you're thinking. Come with me."

She dutifully walked behind him. Her step stilted.

He guided her up the second floor and up beyond the third to the winding stairwell of one of the towers.

She followed behind him. Walking faster as her curiosity grew.

"What are we doing?" There was the faintest hint of laughter in her voice at his impulsive rush.

"It's a secret." He finally tossed a door up and they stepped up a few stairs to emerge onto the highest rooftop of WaterRose.