The Crystal of Light by Cathy Walker

Author:Cathy Walker [Walker, Cathy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2015-05-11T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

Adoneesis faced the rising of the sun in the east. Restless and discontent, he waited for the females to waken. The woman, Bryanna, hadn’t stirred since Bronwen had placed a sleeping spell on her. Adoneesis didn’t understand his abruptness in dealing with the flame-haired female, but Bronwen proclaimed Adoneesis would regret his hasty actions that had forced her into placing the spell.

A sound drew his attention, but it was only the hissing of a dying fire that had burned all night to deter predators. Adoneesis shivered as he remembered his recent battle with the muckraker. A moan interrupted his thoughts and he looked over at the sleeping woman, her hair flaming even in the subdued light of the early morn. The pale raspberry colored blanket rose gently with each breath she took—her chest rising and nostrils flaring ever so softly. Adoneesis yearned for an unknown fulfillment.

Even in the dream state achieved when he’d first spied the woman at the place where humans buried their dead, he’d felt the tug at his senses. Then, when he’d seen her standing amongst the books of the ugly human dwelling, the tug had blown into a raging boil of blood. That was his excuse for acting without thought to the sensibilities of the woman. In the confined walls of the small place of books where they’d found her, her eyes had burned into him, made him feel inadequate, made him act irrationally to quell the uncontrollable base urges that had confused and weakened him. After all, he was of the bloodlines of kings, so he shouldn’t be overcome by the mere presence of a female. She was the one at fault for enticing him with her beguiling smile.

Realizing the course of his thoughts, Adoneesis kicked the dirt with the toe of his soft leather boot and cursed himself for such arrogance. Visions of Raegar flitted into his mind. Vivid memories of his father beating what he considered a worthless servant, or slaking his lust on an unwilling, unfortunate female who happened to cross his path. Of course, Raegar had never taken responsibility for his action, always claiming that he’d been pushed too far by incompetence, or deliberately teased until overcome with sexual frustration.

His illustrious father always had a reason. Adoneesis would not follow the rule of his father. Therefore, he owed the woman an apology. The weakness had been his, not hers.

A light touch upon his arm jolted him from his self-effacing thoughts. Bronwen’s warm voice poured over him, cleansing him, and offering support.

"I sense your struggle, and I also feel that you are harsher with yourself than need be."

"I am as hard on myself as necessary. Lives depend on me. Fangs, the very realm of faerie depends on me. I have not the option of mistakes."

"Oh, I see the arrogance of Raegar creeping into your words."

Adoneesis flushed. Arrogance. Yes, he’d only just accused himself of the same sin, yet he had seen no arrogance in the words spoken to Bronwen. Was that how it started? The slide downward to a level where the very meaning behind your own words blurred.

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