Soul Binding by R. Michael Card

Author:R. Michael Card [Card, R. Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Gryphon's Gate Publishing

22

Caerwyn was stunned to stillness.

She was exhausted and soaked through from the storm. She could see the others were at their limits of endurance as well. She knew, with a surge of her strength, she’d be able to fight for a short while. She didn’t know if Jais could do the same or not.

Yet, apparently, they were going to have it out, here and now. Well she’d driven him away, when he’d tried to talk to her before, so she only had herself to blame for this awkward and dangerous situation.

And it seemed Jais hadn’t given up on his feelings for her. Though the shock on his own face after he’d shouted those words made it clear to her that they’d stunned him as much as her.

She knelt, setting down Donallo.

“We’re stopping, now?” Volf asked, fatigue mixed with sarcastic incredulity in his voice. After a moment he went on. “Apparently we are. Gods! This is insane!”

Caerwyn looked up to see Jais kneeling to set down Andrei as well. The large, unconscious man stirred but didn’t wake as he settled on the wet ground. Jais looked at her then. There was that pain in his eyes again, the same as when she’d driven him away. Yet his exhaustion must have weakened his will to remain silent.

“I don’t care what you say, Caerwyn, I love you, and I think I will always love you.” He shook his head and his expression turned sour. Though she suspected that look wasn’t for her and his next words confirmed it. “I know I haven’t always shown it. I… loved Alnia, and Elria too. I don’t know how or why my heart seems to leap into such things, but it does. Yet all the while, I knew that I shared… a connection with you. That much I’ve known ever since I first saw you. And no matter how you feel about me, I… just need you to know that.”

And she did.

If she’d been uncertain before, she wasn’t now.

She looked down at Donallo, sweeping sodden hair off his too-pale brow. He’d known it too.

She shook her head. She’d made a mess of all of this.

Jais spoke again, before she could form a reply. “Caerwyn, I… I don’t care that you—” his voice broke.

She looked. It was hard to tell with the rain, but she suspected he was weeping.

He steeled himself and went on. “Look, if you are having his child then… then I’m well with that. I’ll help raise it, if that’s what you want, and if not…” He swallowed and it seemed a difficult thing.

Oh, Jais.

“His child?” Mirala was kneeling using the upraised knee to help cradle Astria. She looked at Caerwyn now, confused and a bit accusatory.

Caerwyn shook her head. “No, I am not carrying his child.” Then to Jais. “We didn’t… do anything together. I just said that to push you away, because I didn’t know how I felt when you came to me the last time. I didn’t know how I felt… about you.

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