Eris Vanserra Fanfiction-A Land Of Lavender And Thistle-Book One

CHAPTER XXV

Eris

Ever since the morning, when Ruth went to her room, only telling me that she would go to her friend later in the afternoon, I walked through the day with a stone in my gut. I feared that, when she left, that she would never return. I didn't know why, or where that came from, but the fear wouldn't leave me be all until I came to my study.

I had winnowed from a visit to Lucien and his two new friends, Jurian and Vassa, and once I made sure that the pendant I'd taken from the corpse Cassian and I found was still in the drawer of my desk, I headed for my bed chamber. Only to find Brux laying in the entry room, a glass with a few drops of wine left on the table. That was when the dread of Ruth leaving for good abandoned me.

It was also then that I caught her false scent of snapdragon and pine, following it into my bedroom.

I had this foolish thought that I would find her sleeping on the bed, curled up and peaceful.

What I found was not bad, even better really. The entire sight was anything but repulsive; her brown skin gilded by the sconces, bare breasts exposed, her dark hair bundled on the apex of her head, her back taut and appealing. Everything was almost too good to be true.

And then, I met her eyes.

It was nothing like the emotions I saw yesterday, when she barged into this very room and looked at me with desire in her eyes. No, this was pure, unmistakable fear that widened her precious green eyes, halting her mid-movement. I froze at the door, and every sliver of yearning I previously felt vanished when I took a better look at her back.

Scars of all shapes and sizes sketched her skin, pale against the caramel color of her body. And once she turned to face me, I saw a white arch over her left breast – over her heart. Where lust swam in my blood seconds ago, now was replaced with fury and the wicked need to find whoever caused her pain and burn them from inside out.

But now ...

Now I had to find out where that terror in her eyes came from.

"Ruth?" I said once more, watching as she covered her shoulders, hiding the scars, her eyes darting to the floor, the walls, the balcony doors soaked with showering rain. She looked everywhere but at me.

The scene, the red on her cheeks and the fidgeting of her fingers looked familiar. Too familiar. That stone returned, heavy in my stomach.

"Ruth, I'm sorry. I didn't want to intrude–"

She huffed. "Don't be silly. This is your room. You don't have to apologize." She began to walk to the windows, as if giving me space. She cleared her throat while I quietly closed the bedroom door. "I will sleep, uh ... in the entry room. It's really not an issue ..."

"That's out of question," I said before she could say anything dumber. Eying the bed, I took off my coat and sauntered to it. "Ruth." She didn't look at me, her back facing me. I didn't miss the way the cotton of her night robe strained against her shoulders from how much she was pulling on it. "Ruth, come please. Sit beside me."

"I don't want to." Her voice was quiet, trembling.

Fire surged in my veins. "Why not? I won't bite you. Unless you ask me to." I tried, my lips twitching.

She didn't respond to my flirtatious attempts. Instead, she said: "How much did you see?"

"See what?" I probed, arching a brow. "Of your beautiful body? Not enough, I'd say."

She spun vigorously, her eyes ablaze when our gazes met and held. Red bloomed over her sharp cheek bones. "Don't do that. Don't be a liar."

I stiffened, maintaining a solemn expression nonetheless. I leaned back, bracing my weight on my hands. "I am not lying, Ruth. But if you don't believe me, you can use your first wish."