DarkFyre Ch. 23

The mare, Nemiah, noticed Silmaria and came to her. The Gnari girl dutifully began to brush her fingers along the horse's dappled gray coat. "What would horses like these be doing at a simple traveler's stop in The Reach of all places?"

Rael turned to regard his love, who was staring down at Nemiah with a pensive expression. "I don't know. I didn't see anyone who looked to be a Noble or anyone of means while we were staying there. If I had to guess? They belonged to some of the Assassins. Which means whoever is trying to kill us has even greater resources than I'd imagined."

Silmaria frowned thoughtfully and stroked Nemiah's muzzle. "They didn't seem to mind being stolen. They let me take them without any fuss."

"They're smart horses," Rael replied, patting the crest of StarChaser's long, thick neck. "Vrien can be loyal, in the way of trained beasts. But if their former owners weren't good to them, I wouldn't be surprised if they were agreeable to better company. Lucky for us, I'd say. They certainly saved our asses back at the Brother's inn. And they will be an asset in the journey to come, there's no doubt of that."

Silmaria nodded slowly, and then bit her lower lip. Rael saw then how tightly controlled her body language was, how rigidly tense the set of her back was. He peered at her close, studying his love, and when she at last turned to face him and tentatively raised her verdant green eyes to him, he could see how precarious her control was, teetering on a precipice.

"Come here, Sil" he said to her softly, and he opened his arms to her.

The girl hesitated, uncertainty creasing her brow with a touch of apprehension. Then she rushed forward, throwing herself into the security and comfort of his embrace. Rael wrapped her up in his arms, cradling her slender, smaller form and holding her tightly. Silmaria shook against him, and he felt the liquid warmth of her tears on his bare chest, but she said nothing and her cries were silent.

"It's okay," he told her firmly and quietly. She continued to shake as he held her close, and his knowing hands stroked along the small of her back reassuringly. He could only guess at the roil of emotions all tangled up inside her. He could feel them crowding, jostling for room, volatile and potent and overwhelming, and even if he didn't know just what she was struggling with, he felt her struggling, and that alone made his heart ache for her.

Silmaria burrowed into him, her small hands gripping at him hard, and more tears soaked his skin. Rael brought one hand up to smooth her thick, black curls back, soothing her, comforting her as he willed all his love and his protection and his strength into her.

"You're okay, my girl. You did well. So well. You're so strong, Sil. You're okay."

His words were a balm to the raw, ravaged edges of her, and she soaked them in as much as she soaked in the warmth and solidness of his body. He felt wrong in her arms. Too small, too slim, too spent. But he was alive, alive and whole, and he would live on. Nothing could be sweeter than that. Silmaria clung to her Master as the dam on her emotions gave way. She didn't sob, or whimper, or cry out. She was able to keep that much at bay, at least. But she couldn't stop the violent shaking, or the tears.

"I thought I was going to lose you this time," she croaked at last in a voice thick with emotion, and she struggled not to sob on the words. "I thought you were going to waste away before you could Mend. It was so close. So close. It was worse than in the cave. I almost lost you."

Rael's arms tightened around her, and for a time, he simply held her, rocking her in his steadying arms. Then, he took her lovely face in his hands, and raised it up, and leaned in to kiss her deep and sound, his lips pressing firm and warm against hers. Silmaria met his kiss eagerly, reaching up to twine her arms around his neck. Rael claimed her mouth with a kiss strong and soothing. Silmaria melted into the kiss, melted into him, surrendering to and accepting the strength and comfort he offered.

When Rael broke the kiss, he pressed his forehead to hers and stared down into her slitted eyes. "I'm sorry you had to go through that, my love. I'm sorry you had to go through it again. But I will not leave you. I promised you that, remember? I'm not going anywhere. We are going to finish this journey together. We are going to find out who is behind all this and bring them to justice. Do you understand me?"

Silmaria stared up into his eyes, her own still bright with shed and unshed tears. She listened to him, and nodded slowly to his words. "Yes, Master," she said at last, and let out a shaky breath.

"I love you, Silmaria. I love you, and I won't let you be alone. Ever," Rael told her, and pulled her into another crushing hug that nearly made her ribs creak.

Silmaria clung to him, and kissed him again. Though her doubts and misgivings about Ricard and that awful night were not gone, they were buried under a rush of love and relief, for she was grateful just to hear his words and feel his hands and be surrounded by his warmth again.

The rest would wait. She had her Master's love, his protection, and his devotion. She had his strength, and his good heart, and their ever-deepening bond.

It was enough. For just then, and for always.

It was enough.

***

A big thank you goes to Medik_4_7, who offered some insight and advice on this chapter, as well as helped with proofreading. Any mistakes left over are my own, not his. A big thanks also to Kent and Becky, who let me pick their brains on some issues I needed clarified.

Thank you as always to my patient readers. I hope everyone enjoys this chapter. Questions, comments, and critiques are as always much appreciated.