“All right, but I’m sure I won’t fall asleep.” I closed my eyes and thought over the events of the past few days. We all knew it could be a dangerous trip, but knowing and experiencing are two different things.
We needed to find the Onyx, but how were we going to do it alone? And what role did Monty play in everything? I still couldn’t accept that my uncle was bad. Nothing made sense, and I wished I could just step back and plan for a while. Time was never a luxury I had when I needed it.
Chapter Fourteen
Charlotte
I snuggled into Calvin’s side, breathing in his scent. He’d found a clear path to the base of the mountains, and we’d climbed an hour before stopping for the night. Calvin used blankets to make us a bed a small distance from the others. He’d taken the first watch, while I just stayed awake staring at the sky. I refused to even look over at where Liam slept. The hurt on his face was too much for me to handle. When Calvin had slipped in next to me, I sighed with relief. His touch removed all my doubts and confusion.
“Are you still up?” He brushed several stands of my hair away from my face. I’d never put it back up after the swim.
“I couldn’t sleep without you.”
He sighed contentedly. “As happy as I am to hear you missed me, you need your sleep.”
“So do you.”
His lips skimmed my cheek. “The last thing I want to do right now is sleep.”
“Whatever it is you’re thinking, it’s not happening.”
It was too dark to see, but I was almost positive he was grinning. “You test my resistance. Having your body pressed against mine when I cannot truly touch you is nearly a form of torture.”
“You never had a problem with it before last night.”
His lips grazed my ear. “We both know that last night changed things. It is one thing to wonder if paradise is as sweet as I had imagined. It is something else to know for sure.”
“Well, you’ll just have to settle for cuddling tonight.”
“I know. Soon we will be home in our own bed in Bellgard. There we can enjoy our nights any way we see fit,” he whispered.
I giggled. “Everything you say sounds even sexier than if someone else said it.”
“Why?” He rolled over onto his side, leaning his face in close to mine.
“Your way of talking. It’s so formal. You make everything sound almost naughty.”
He laughed deeply. “Naughty, huh? What do you know of naughty?”
“You would be surprised,” I teased.
He rolled me on top of him. “Were you holding back on me last night? Is there even more waiting for me?”
“I don’t even know what you’re talking about anymore,” I admitted.
“Sure you do. How should I put it? Do you have a more adventurous side than I imagined?”
I was so glad it was dark. This was not the kind of conversation I could have if he could actually see my face. “Not really. I was just saying your voice made everything sound really sexy, and it was like it oozed sex.”
“Oozed sex? I suppose that is a good thing.”
“A very good thing.” For the first time, I really felt as if we were from different worlds. Usually, I was too overwhelmed with feelings to notice. But finally sleeping with him had mellowed my thoughts, made everything clearer. “I might be more adventurous with you… later on.”
He moved his lips to my ear. “I look forward to that, my Essence.”
“Mmmm.” I moaned.
“But now is not the time. We both need sleep.” He pulled the blanket up around us, and I rested my head on his chest. “Good night, my love.”
“Good night,” I mumbled before falling asleep.
***
“Charlotte, wake up.” Calvin’s words were soft, and his hand on my side was even softer.
“Not yet,” I mumbled. I’d struggled to find sleep all night, and I wasn’t ready to get up.
“I am sorry, love, but we need to move.”
“I know.” I groaned before forcing myself to sit up.
“It will not be too difficult of a day. We just need to get through the mountains.”
“Just get through the mountains?” Somehow that didn’t sound easy.
“I found a clear route. It should be fine. Besides, you know I will carry you if you tire.”
“You make it sound easy. You would really lug me over a mountain?”
“Do you doubt me?” His tone hinted at a challenge.
“Not that you’d want to, but I’m not that light.”
He grinned, and I knew what was coming. He scooped me up and threw me over his shoulder. “See? This is one advantage to you not wearing a dress. I do not have to worry so much.”
I pushed him on his back. “Put me down.”
“Are you sure? I told you I would carry you.”
I laughed. “Point made. Put me down.”
He moved me to his front, and I wrapped my legs around his waist. “I get it. You’re strong.”
He smiled. “And I am willing to do anything for you.”
“As I am for you.” That was why what happened with Liam was so bad—the last thing I wanted to do was to hurt Calvin.
He slowly lowered me back to the ground. “Are you ready?”
“Yes. Especially if the journey is going to be as easy as you claim it will be.”
“It will be, but it also means leaving the horses.”
I spun on him. “What? We can’t do that!”
“We have to. They cannot make the trip. Even the easy path is too steep.”
“But they’ll die!”
Henry walked over. “Since when are you the horse lover?”
He looked surprisingly refreshed from having only slept part of the night. I wished they’d let me take one of the watches. Liam claimed it was because I got grumpy when I didn’t sleep. I knew that wasn’t the real reason, but at least he’d made me laugh.
“Shut up. We are not leaving horses to die out here.”
“She is the Essence. It is natural she cares for all living things.” Calvin turned to me. “But you need not worry. I have already sent word back. They will be fine by the river until riders arrive.”
“Sent word?”
Calvin smiled. “Do you think you are the only one who has a kinship with animals?”
Liam shook his head. “He sent a letter with a bird. I guess they have their own version of carrier pigeons here.”