The Goblets Immortal by Beth Overmyer (read 50 shades of grey .TXT) 📕

voice seemed to snap her out of whatever apprehension she might be feeling, and she approached.

“One of those guards warned me. I read his note too late, I see.”

Now Aidan did chuckle, only to stop at once and wince. “Not too late. I’m not yet dead, as you can see.”

His attempt at humor fell flat with her, and she scowled. “Lot o’ good I been to you.” She sniffed, and leaned over him. Her eyes took in his face and she nodded. “Right.” And without explanation of what she was up to, the strange girl pulled a paring knife out of her bodice and ripped the remainder of his shirt away.

“What are you….” He grew silent as her fingers whispered across his bare flesh, tracing purple bruises that had already blossomed on his chest, before probing for broken bones. It would have been more painful, had her Pull not been so comforting and familiar…and had her touch not felt so inviting. He focused on that as she traced lower and lower, and then back up again. His breathing grew ragged, and as hers did not, he guessed she thought the groan he let out was born of pain.

“Nothing’s broken,” she said after a moment. She eyed him askance but did not question why he was looking at her like he knew he was looking at her.

“How did you manage getting down here?” he asked, willing his blood to cool. This was no time to be thinking amorous thoughts that scared even him.

Slaíne looked at him like he had suffered a concussion and even put a hand on his brow. “I took the stairs.”

Again Aidan laughed, and again he groaned. “I meant the curse. Did you break the curse? Is that how you were able to leave Dewhurst and come down…here? What?” She was blushing and looked sadder than he had ever seen her.

“It’s attached back on you.”

Aidan blinked. “What? How?”

“Never mind that. I need to plot, and you need to rest.” She took the hole-riddled blanket at his feet and covered him up.

“I’ve slept enough.”

She let loose a dark chuckle and shook her head. “I doubt that, somehow.”

Despite her command to lie back down, Aidan eased himself to a sitting position, though his body protested. He had not been in the presence of anyone whom he knew he could trust for too long to sleep through it. “Are you all right?” His muscles screamed at him as he reached out and touched her face, the bruises that had yellowed. To his surprise, she did not pull away but watched him.

“Gets beaten and asks if I’m all right.” Her voice was thick as he leaned in.

He licked his lips. “They hardly touched me.” Sense and pretenses be hanged. He’d wanted her from the moment he’d been gripped by her Pull, and perhaps it was fear of what was to come that made him desperate for her, but he didn’t care. Aidan tilted her head to the side and pressed his lips to her throat.

Slaíne shuddered, but didn’t object as he kissed his way up to her mouth, then pressed his tongue against the line of her lips. Her lips parted and the breath rushed out of her as he kissed her like this was the last time he’d ever see her. All of his pain disappeared as he poured all of his passion, fear, and hope into that tiny mouth. His hands were rough with Slaíne as they seized her waist and drew her closer, her Pull maddeningly strong. She was all but in his lap, and blood thundered in his ears as her hands pressed against his chest.

With a gasp she pulled out of the kiss and watched him, wide-eyed. He did not release her waist, and she did not try to pull away, to his relief. “Sir….” Whatever she was going to say, it seemed she lost the courage to say it. She changed the subject. “Why haven’t you used the sword yet?” she whispered. “You could have been free days ago.”

Aidan shook his head, ignoring the flash of pain that rippled down his neck. “And leave you here?”

She squirmed. Her voice was barely audible as she said, “Then it’s my fault.”

“Slaíne, even if I could have managed to get my hands on the key to my bonds, I would have numerous guards to contend with. And say I got past them. I am too weak right now to run far and maintain the speed needed. You are not to be blamed.”

Slaíne worried her lower lip and wouldn’t meet his gaze now. Her hands slipped down into her lap. “So it’s hopeless?”

Aidan shook his head but cringed, a moment that did not go unnoticed by Slaíne.

“They beat ya harder than you’re tellin’.”

“I don’t feel any pain.” It was true. The only thing that hurt was his head, and that was the only part of him that wasn’t so close to Slaíne. Maybe her powers came with some healing ability that she had failed to mention to him.

She quirked an eyebrow. “Aye, but ya will.” The voice of experience.

Aidan shuddered again. “How do I—”

“Not now, sir. You need to rest.” She started to pull away, and he reluctantly released her, only to be overcome with a wave of pain and nausea that threw him onto his back when she was no longer touching him.

He groaned and grabbed her hand to stay her. “Don’t go.” The full weight of what had just happened crashed down on Aidan’s shoulders. Had she not shown up, would the guards have bothered to stop? He would have failed them, his family, Slaíne. All of them. As he closed his eyes, the girl lay down next to him and pressed his shaking hand against her heart.

“I ain’t going anywhere, sir.”

* * *

When he awoke the next morning, Aidan found he was nearly crushing Slaíne against him, his body curled around her. He moaned and unwittingly lost grip of everything he held in Nothingness.

Slaíne jumped as the