She wriggled around and smiled as her mate still slept so soundly, his big body cocooned warmly around hers. Gently, she touched the two adorable dimples either side of his luscious lips then tucked back the charming lock of silky black hair curling onto his forehead. The mist beaded over his golden skin, every single naked and superb inch of him.
Oh, how she wanted to stay with him forever, right here in this magical place. But to do that, she first needed to fix so many things. His compulsion still stood, and although they’d joined, he’d never remember it the moment they parted ways. So too she needed to consider the realignment of the elements that had exhausted her fire, the lightning that had flashed through the vent above, the wind that had rushed down the tunnel, the water misting over them, and their cavern itself deep within the earth. The four elements had come together and a miracle had happened. Although this exhaustion of her skill better not be just a one-time thing, only occurring because of the realignment being needed. Certainly no fire-wielder had every managed an intimacy on the level she just had, an intimacy she needed again, well just as soon as she’d fixed everything she’d set moving on the wrong path.
I’ll make things right, Finlay. That I promise you, but for now, I must go. Words she kept to herself even as she wanted to speak them out loud.
Carefully, she extricated herself from Finlay’s hold, wiggled her scrunched sark still half caught underneath him out then slipped it over her head. She would never give up the hope that they could make this work, not now she’d experienced what it was like to be in his arms. That kind of heaven she could never live without.
On soundless feet, she tiptoed to the end of the ledge then hopped from boulder to boulder until she reached the beach and jumped onto the sand. Swiftly, she clambered through the darkened tunnel of carved stone and hurried out onto the sandy beach of the cove. Under the clear moonlit sky twinkling with stars, the sea’s white-tipped waves rolled gently into shore. She lifted her hands and turned them palms up and tried to bring forth her fire. A touch of heat tingled her fingertips, but no flames yet flickered to life. Her skill was returning now the lightning and wind had settled. She sensed that deep within her. The four elements had now been dispersed.
She strode toward the river mouth where the water flowed smoothly into the sea. She splashed through then blew a kiss toward the cavern’s entrance. As she did, she searched along her merged link and touched Finlay’s mind. He remained blissfully asleep. She closed their link, her determination strong. She’d right the wrongs she’d done and she wouldn’t rest until she had.
She continued on, walking back along the river’s edge until she reached the place where she’d first jumped in. The waning moonlight beamed over her drenched gown caught between two boulders and she wriggled it free. A little more warmth seeped from her hands, not enough to fully dry her gown but it would do. With the fabric still wrinkled and damp, she shimmied the layers of red velvet over her head and laced the front stays.
Finlay’s tunic and vest lay bunched near the river and she picked up his discarded clothing, dried it as well as she could then folded and left his clothes with a small rock overtop to weight them down should the wind rise.
She splish-splashed across the muddy marsh oozing thick and heavy with the additional rainfall then at the edge of the woods, found her soggy slippers and slapped them on. Along the forest path, she trod.
As the sun rose over the horizon, it sent a stunning blaze of gold and red across the lightening sky and the formidable stone walls of Matheson House rose before her. She hurried through the gates and ducked into the lingering shadows of the curtain wall as a score of warriors strode out in their battle attire, their weapons holstered at their sides.
She crept inside, dashed up the side steps and walked into her chamber.
“Good morn, my lady.” Effie rose from the hearth where she’d lit her fire and dusted her hands against her aproned sides. “I ordered a bath for you. What do you wish to wear?”
“The silvery-blue gown, please. Lay it on the bed if you could, and then ask Julia if she could join me. I need to speak to her.” Two minds were always better than one, and right now, she needed her sister’s advice on all that had occurred.
“Aye, my lady.” Effie laid out the gown requested then tugged the tub from the corner into the area in front of the fire and left.
Two lanky lads with their shirttails fluttering loose over their tan breeches carried in pails of hot water and poured it into the tub while another maid added vanilla scented oil and a sprinkle of dried rose petals. Done, the maid closed the door behind her after the servants had filed out.