Awakening (Born From Shadows #1)
Chapter Twenty-Four

“What is her name?” Nik asked looking at the wolf who laid on Tatianna’s lap. She looked at the blood dried out around the animal’s mouth and on her dark grey fur, adding a variety of colours to the wolf’s fur.

“Nylif,” she decided after a moment of thought. “After Nyra, the goddess of death and war.”

“It’s perfect,” he replied. She smiled proud of her name choice. Nylif got off Tatianna’s lap and stretched out her back. Tatianna looked at the animal with an array of emotions. How could she even begin to explain how she felt towards this wolf?

Nylif walked away from their small camp, to where Tatianna was not sure, but she was certain the wolf would return.

“Ida doesn’t like her,” Nik pointed out the frightened horse as Nylif walked by.

“She will get used to her,” Tatianna replied confidently.

“Hope so,” he replied.

“I think it’s ready,” she said, looking at the sword in the fire. “Are you sure about this?” she asked uncomfortably.

“It’s the only way to stop the bleeding and kill the infection. Do it,” he told her.

She grabbed a piece of cloth that she had scavenged from the bodies and placed it in Nik’s mouth. Her fingers lingered along his lips, distracting him as she brought the burning blade down onto his wound. A muffled scream escaped his mouth and he bit down hard onto the rag. She didn’t keep the blade on his leg for long, hating the sound of his scream and praying that she would never have to hear it again.

“I’m sorry,” she kept saying over and over. His head had reared back so she dropped the sword and moved behind him, giving him something to lean against. She cradled his head onto her chest, hearing his heartbeat slowly go back down as the pain dimmed.

“Thank you,” he whispered, “for taking care of me.”

“That’s what friends do,” she said with a pained smile. Friends, how much that word was tainted to her.

“Your parents won’t be too happy about the scars your skin is getting,” she said. “You will look like you belong on the street soon,” she chuckled.

“Amongst all their duties I think my parents would have only just realised I was missing,” he disclosed.

“That’s horrible,” she replied.

“That’s the truth,” he declared. “Behind the fame and wealth, royalty is just a pedestal built on duties you have to uphold. You become separated from everyone else, they judge you before you meet them. They judge every decision you make, forgetting that you are a person too. That you make mistakes, need friends who aren’t just after a status or money, and a family to talk to you like a son rather than someone to carry on the family name.”

Tatianna thought back to the two women she heard gossiping about him on the street. At the time she didn’t think much of it but now…she realised the price of the reputation they had given him.

“That’s why you came with me on this trip? You needed to get away from all that,” she thought.

“I did. The night at the dance you immediately intrigued me. Despite posing to be a rich girl you spoke your mind; we had a proper conversation. One not about the status of the kingdom, or some girl trying to get me to sleep with her hoping to become a Princess. Storm, you were the first person to treat me as normal, and for that, I could never repay you. Only try and earn the right to be your friend,” he expressed his feelings.

Tatianna felt her heart against her chest, beating faster at his confession. “I don’t want to be just friends,” she blurted.

“What?” he asked confused. Looking towards her. She didn’t reply but stared into his handsome face. She couldn’t believe she said that out loud. The silence was just emphasising her suspicions that he didn’t want her. She was stupid to think someone actually wanted her.

“Sorry…forget I ever said that,” she tried to pick up the mess she just made, but once it’s out there…there was no going back. She was about to stand up when Nik grabbed her wrist and placed a hand onto her face, running his thumb over her cheek.

Without words, without notice, he moved forward and pressed his lips onto hers. They were cracked and dry from the cold air, but she didn’t care. Not when he moved them against her causing a warm wave to rush through her. They were perfect to her, rough or smooth it was him that mattered. She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch, following his movements. The heat started to centre lower within her as she struggled to breathe.

Pulling away they rested their foreheads together trying to catch their breaths. Tatianna’s heart was beating faster than her brain was thinking, unable comprehend what happened. Her stomach twisted in ways that she couldn’t describe.

“I know I should have asked you earlier, but how old are you?” he wondered.

“Um…seventeen maybe. How many more weeks of winter do we have?” she asked unsure.

“A bit more than one I think?” Nik replied in a questioning manner.

“Oh, then I’m eighteen,” she said in surprise. She had completely missed her birthday yet again. She shouldn’t have even been surprised that she had turned eighteen unknowingly.

“Good,” he replied and pressed his lips against her once again.