A Heart Of Ashes - RHYSAND STORY

◘Canta◘

Rhysand was furious. He had awoken late in the afternoon when he had become vaguely aware of a prodding at his belly. When he had opened his eyes and lifted his head to see it was the She-Elf, at first he had been curious as to what she was doing. Then he saw it. One of the gems that had been embedded in his underbelly was laying flat in her hand as she examined it with a furrowed brow. In an instant he had been on his feet, the sudden movement startling her as her head snapped up to him with alarmed eyes. She barely had time to move before he had grabbed her, and she was lifted high off the ground to his eyelevel as he growled in her face menacingly.

"You dare steal from me, Elf?" he hissed at her viciously.

"I wasn't—"

He cut her off by snarling in her face. "Do not lie to me! I saw the gem in your hand! An emerald, to be exact. Did you not think I would catch you, thief?"

"I wasn't stealing from you!" She yelled, finally getting a word in. She wriggled her arm until it was free from his grip and held the large gem up for his view. It was the size of her hand, a stunning specimen. "Emeralds are healing stones. They can be used for eye, back, and heart problems. I merely took it, because I was planning to use it on you!"

He glared at her as she pointed down at a spot on his underbelly, where multiple gems and gold pieces still remained wedged between his scales.

"I was hoping to grab a crystal that I had saw, because they help amplify the abilities of other stones. I didn't wake you only because you appeared tired."

"You expect me to believe what you say?" He hissed.

"If you don't believe me, let me show you," she said, her voice having quieted to a calmer level. Her eyes were firm as she stared him down. "I will return the gems to you. I care not for stolen treasure." As she said the last bit, he had taken note of the faint contempt in her voice, and it sent a spark of anger that melded with his pride, together forming a dangerous mixture.

In the blink of an eye, he had her pressed to the ground under his hand, and he saw her flinch as he roared down at her. He glowered down at her, seething, wanting nothing more than to crush her beneath his hand like a bug—but he couldn't. Damn her, he simply couldn't put that extra weight into his hand. Every time he wished to harm her, he remembered her kind green eyes the night she had found him in the cave—staring at him with a gentle compassion. Not a hint of malice could be detected in her eyes, even though she had known who he was. He had sensed her fear when she first saw him as she peeked around the corner, but once she had realized he was hurt her fear had morphed into sympathy. And damn her did he hate her for it. Never before had he hesitated to kill, but then again no one had ever done for him what this woman had. Without her, he would have been dead. Even dragons knew respect in situations as bold as that, and he knew he could not kill her. She had spared him, and whether he liked it or not he was in her debt. And if that wasn't enough to make him hate her with his every being....

She was a strong-spirited little thing, he had to admit. He could tell when someone was lying to him as if there were a large red sigh painted across their fronts, but he knew she was telling the truth. She hadn't been stealing from him, and he almost wished she had been. Then at least he could unleash his rage upon her. Yet once again it turned out she was only trying to help him. It never ceased to baffle him, and after another long few minutes of him staring at her he had at last set her down on the ground—but he didn't release his hold on her just yet.

"You will put them back once you are finished," he said, and although his voice was calm anyone should be able to detect the threat in his voice. When she nodded in agreement, he loosened his hand, and she wriggled out of his grip.