Elain's eyes fluttered open, rousing from the depths of her dreams. As she gradually emerged from the hazy realm of sleep, she became aware of the firm and protective embrace enveloping her. An arm encircled her like a shield, and the rhythmic cadence of his breathing against her back reassured her. With a deliberate slowness, she shifted within his embrace, turning to face him. He lay beside her, still lost in the grip of sleep, and she found herself captivated by his serene expression.
Her fingers, gentle as a whisper, glided up his jawline as if tracing the contours of her affection. A soft groan escaped his slumbering lips, stirring her heart and flushing her cheeks with a delicate shade of pink. She lowered her gaze, and her fingertips followed the path of a faded scar that traversed his skin, running from his collarbone to his shoulder. Most of his scars were painted across his back, but this one was different. As her touch traced the mark, she sensed a subtle shift in his breathing, a momentary hitch.
Startled, her eyes darted up to meet his obsidian orbs, wide awake now and locked onto hers.
"That tickles," he mumbled, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.
His eyes brightened with delight as he noticed the absence of the dark circles under her eyes, her newfound radiance capturing his attention.
She leaned closer.
"How did you get this scar?" her voice was a gentle whisper, as she continued tracing the scar.
It sent a pleasurable shiver down his spine, and he briefly pondered her question, hesitant yet intrigued.
"Sanna gave me this scar," he admitted, his voice tinged with a mix of emotions.
Elain stiffened in his embrace, her fingers halting their exploration of the scar. Malek offered her a tender smile, attempting to reassure her.
"My father had her lover killed. The father of her twins," Malek revealed, his voice heavy with the weight of the past.
Elain couldn't tear her gaze away from him as he continued, his eyes filled with reflection.
"He had found out about the twins' parentage and located the male who sired them with her. My father orchestrated the scene to appear as if an animal had brutally attacked him, but both Sanna and I knew the truth," he paused.
Elain remained captivated by his narrative.
"When I found her, she was in the village, alone in a room with his body. I made the mistake of speaking to her," he added with a hint of regret in his tone.
"She caught me with her blade," Malek continued, his voice tinged with nostalgia.
"And because she was a skilled soldier who had trained under my guidance, she knew exactly how to wound someone effectively and make it hurt. It happened right here," he said, gently taking Elain's hand and guiding her fingers to the spot where the scar began, just beneath his collarbone.
"She was aiming for the actual collarbone," he explained, his tone light but with a hint of gravity.
"I realized it at the last moment and pivoted slightly to avoid it. If she had struck my collarbone, it would have put me at...a severe disadvantage," he added, and then a silence fell between them.
"Instead, she brought the blade down, slicing through my shoulder," he recounted, and Elain winced in sympathy.
"Why?"
Her voice carried a meek curiosity, and Malek smiled at her concern.
"She thought I had told my father the truth, or played some part in her lover's death. I did not, and I managed to prove it to her. It was the only time she ever apologized to me," he mused, and Elain's eyes hardened in response.
Malek noticed and shook his head.
"Please do not be upset with her. She was dealt a horrible fate—"
"—there is nothing horrible about being with you," Elain snapped quietly and Malek's eyes softened.
"I was her Lucien," he explained and Elain's eyes widened.
There was a moment of silence before she spoke again.
"Lucien didn't mean anything to me. I didn't even know him. You were her friend. It's different," she said and Malek regarded her calmly.
Elain's gaze shifted to his scar, and then she scooted closer to him, pressing her lips to it lovingly. Malek watched her with wide eyes as she pulled away and looked at him.
"I will create new, happy memories for every scar on your body. And I promise, I will never hurt you like they did. I swear it," she said quickly, and Malek kissed her deeply, his love for her pouring out of him.
"I wish we were at the cabin," she said suddenly, and he smirked.
"And why is that?" he drawled, and she kissed him again.
"That's where our story began, and it's worth revisiting," she giggled, and he chuckled.
"Revisiting which part?" he asked, amused.
"Every part where we're in your bed. Maybe the bath," she grinned, and he laughed.
YOU ARE READING
A Court of Ice and Starshine (Book II)
Fantasi"A Court of Ice and Starshine" picks up the enthralling narrative from where "A Court of Specters and Reapers" left off, delving into the lives of Lowen and Malek as they navigate the post-war worlds of Hybern and Velaris. In Hybern, Malek grapples...
