her and she did the same to him, only she clung to him, her fingers pressing hard into his ribs as she trembled.
Gods, it broke his heart.
He held her to him, smoothed her dirty blonde hair and pressed a kiss to it as she held him, as he felt the war inside her, a battle against her desire to cry.
“He tried to…” She pulled down a sharp breath. Shuddered. “He said she told him we would be together. That I… I would be… his.”
She.
“Do you think—” She cut herself off.
Thanatos nodded and ran his fingers through her hair. He didn’t think. He knew. “He was working with the demigoddess. This is her realm. She is the one who held you here… and by the gods, I will make her pay for that.”
He seethed with a need to return to the building he had seen, one where the demigoddess might still be, anger surging through him as he thought about the fact she had held Calindria all these years, had been responsible for her torment, and had almost gotten her hands on Calindria again because of him. He had almost handed Calindria over to her with his actions, had driven her to within the demigoddess’s reach by leaving her with the Messenger.
He would never have forgiven himself if the male had gotten what he wanted.
“I am sorry I left you with him.” Thanatos cupped her head in both hands, gently drew her away from his chest and angled her head back so she was looking up at him. He stared down into her eyes, feeling wretched as pain glittered in them, laced with fear. His fault. “I’m sorry I left you, Calindria. It will not happen again. I swear it. From now on, I will always be by your side.”
Her eyes darted between his. “I’m sorry too. I’m sorry I lashed out at you.”
He shook his head now, because she had no reason to apologise for her actions. He had been the one at fault. He had hurt her again and she had acted to protect herself.
“Forgive me?” he husked.
Desperate for her to do just that.
He stared into her eyes.
Feeling as if everything hinged on her answer.
Chapter 23
Calindria tilted her head back, the earnest look in Thanatos’s silver eyes touching her heart as she gazed up at him. He was truly sorry, seemed pained by what he had done, or perhaps it was the fact she was making him wait to hear whether she would forgive him or not.
Part of her wanted to make him wait a while longer, but the rest of her couldn’t be so cruel to him. They had both made mistakes, and they had both paid for it. She let go of her desire to punish him and stepped closer to him, angling her head back further.
Her eyes fell to his lips.
A streak of blood darted across his face just beyond the left corner of his mouth, but she didn’t care. She was sure she looked just as awful as he did, mostly thanks to him. She had never seen a male rage as he had, had never witnessed such a brutal assault. Thanatos had been savage and wild as he had cut down the dragon right in front of her.
And gods, part of her had loved it.
“Forgiven,” she murmured, eager to move on to the next part of what was fast becoming a forgiveness ritual.
He dipped his head and captured her lips, kissed her as softly as the last time he had asked for forgiveness and received it. Warmth bloomed inside her and sank all the way to her marrow, made her feel light inside, as if she was floating in his arms. Heat wasn’t the only thing that stirred within her though. A sense of connection did too, one that made her feel as if they were one in this moment, tied together by more than their mouths and their bodies. They were joined by a greater force too.
Love.
She mourned the loss of his lips against hers as he pulled back, watched the warm look that had filled his eyes turn to darkness again as he looked her over.
“We need to get you cleaned up,” he muttered and dropped his right hand and settled it over her left hip.
She shivered at the heat of his touch as it soaked through the black material that covered her, didn’t hide how he made her feel as his gaze darted up to meet hers. His pupils dilated and