A Crown Of Fire And Wrath (The Shadow Walkers Saga #5) - Sloane Murphy Page 0,90
reason to keep going.
That’s where I met Luca.
His eyes were the kindest I had ever seen. His dark hair was short and tidy, he looked very important. I had learned in my short life, that usually the men who looked important, were the cruelest of their kind. But something about him was different.
He took me back to his small but well-kept home. He gave me a chance to bathe, and offered me fresh clothes. No one had offered me such kindness in such a long time that I cried as I redressed, feeling safe for the first time since my family were taken from me.
I learned over the coming months, that he was a carpenter. His strong hands shaped wood, to build things for the town. He was very well respected and liked here, and more than a few of the women in the town would glare at me being on his arm, though I couldn’t have told you why at the time.
He was my friend for a while before he kissed me. He was so shy and gentle that I gave myself over to his kiss, and realized just how much I loved him. Realized that I hadn’t let myself love him for fear of losing someone else.
We were wed not long after that at the arches where he found me. The priestess joined us with ribbons, and declared our love to the gods. Blessed us and our union before the gods, and asking for us to be granted all the things we wanted from life.
It took us years to get to this place. Where I would volunteer at the children’s home in the town, looking after the children who were like me, while Luca worked during the day. To be blessed with a son of our own.
“Is he sleeping?” Luca asks as his arms circle my waist from behind. He looks over my shoulder, down at our son in the crib he made with his own hands. I feel his smile as he leans his chin down on my shoulder. “He looks so peaceful.”
“He does. I don’t want him to ever know the pain and loss I felt. I want to protect him from everything bad in the world,” I say quietly. Luca pulls me from the room and back to the main room downstairs. I move to the kitchen and fix him a plate for dinner. He’s gone such long hours, even now that our son is born. Sometimes I wish he was here more, but I know that he only works so hard for us.
“I met an interesting fellow today. He wants me to work with the blacksmith to make him a special kind of chest,” Luca tells me as he sits at our table, which he also crafted. He crafted the entire house.
“Oh really?” I enquire.
“Yes, strange fellow. Very serious. You know the type, the ones who look like a smile might break them.” I laugh softly at his description, because yes, I know the type. Our town governor is exactly the same type. Dreadful man.
“Are you going to do the work?”
“I think so, he offered a very handsome fee for it. It would be enough to buy us a bigger house. A much finer house,” he tells me, and my eyes go wide.
“It must be some chest!”
“That it is, he wants a set of them, built of oak and salted iron.”
“Well, isn’t that so very peculiar.”
“It is, but the blacksmith seemed to think it wouldn’t be a problem. Apparently salted iron is good to ward off evil,” Luca says with a smile. “I’m thinking of adding some to the windows of the house, unless of course we buy another.”
“I’m happy if you’re happy,” I tell him with a smile, before placing his dinner in front of him.
“Well, then maybe I’ll do it. But first, I must make these chests for this Leviathan fellow. Odd name to match the man.”
“Very odd indeed.”
Roman lays me down gently on the corner couch, and then stands above me, arms crossed, like a sentinel on duty. Fallon might have healed me but I still feel like I’ve been hit by a Mack truck. I try to sit up, but Creek puts his hand on my shoulder as he perches on the sofa in front of me.
“You should rest, it will help you finish healing.” A tick in his clenched jaw gives away the anger he feels despite the softness of his voice.