Iron Knight - Clan of the Rim Chronicles #2

26

I WAS WOKEN UP that next morning by something gentle stroking my cheek. I slowly opened my eyes to see Calder sitting by my bedside, his soft smile and blue irises greeting me. I smiled back sleepily and brought my hand up to cup his face. He was clean-shaven again, his hair cut just the way it was before he left.

"You're back," I spoke with a smile, my voice still a little hoarse.

"Her voice is gone," he mumbled, his own smile breaking out wider. "My power is restored. You did it."

"I didn't do anything. You were the one who hurt yourself, you big dummy. For once I'm glad you did though, or we never would have found the iron. Now everything can go back to normal."

"Only mostly," he pointed, glancing down at my neck. "I will certainly not be trusted by anyone now after what I've done."

His fingers left my cheekbone to just barely graze over my bruises, a pained look on his face. "I'm so sorry," he whispered.

"Hey," I said, bringing his attention back to my face. "There's nothing to apologize for. It wasn't you."

He stared at me a moment before giving a slow nod. "Wether under control or of sound mind, Eerika, I vow to you now. With every breath that leaves my lungs. . .I will never harm you again."

I couldn't help but smirk at him, throwing a line I had used on him before in a more serious instance.

"I'm holding you to that, Hansen."

Calder gave a light laugh, music to my ears that I now wanted to hear forever after fearing it was truly gone. He grasped both sides of my face, leaning down to kiss me with a deep heated passion that assured me entirely he was back. For this simple moment, it felt as if he hadn't been gone at all.

I ran my hand through the back of his neat hair and melted into our moment, before Acasius quickly cleared his throat behind us.

Calder pulled apart from me and I felt my face blush. I sat up, Calder fixing his hair and trying to hide his own embarrassment.

"How is she?" he asked Acasius, his disposition now of full concern.

Acasius smiled. "I see no lasting affects. You are free to return to your normal routine, My Queen."

Calder let out a sigh of relief, bringing his hand behind my head to bring my forehead to his lips. "Thank you again, Acasius."

Acasius nodded, a small smirk perching in the corner of his mouth as he walked away.

"See? I told you I'd be ok," I said.

Calder clenched his jaw, entwining my fingers with his. "You still would not be in here had it not been for me. I'll never be able to take the pain back that I caused you. It will haunt me for the rest of my existence. How could you ever forgive me for this?"

"There's nothing to forgive. Don't hold this against yourself, Calder. What's done is done. All that matters is that Sylvi won't be able to control you anymore. You can finally be yourself again."

Calder looked down as he paused a moment, softly stroking my knuckles. "I will never be the man who I was before my capture, Eerika, even out of Sylvi's control. I will recover better now, but. . .there will always be an invisible scar among the many ones I bear. A scar of. . .memories, of regret. It will become part of who I am now just as my past has. I hope you can accept that, because now that I've watched you nearly die twice I know I can't fathom to live a moment without you."