Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 101336 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 507(@200wpm)___ 405(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101336 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 507(@200wpm)___ 405(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
What choice did she have? She could not continue to hide it from him. She had to face him eventually, even as terrifying as that was. She disliked the shocked reaction from people who met her for the first time and how they quickly turned away from her. The hurtful memories had her turning to him with her eyes closed.
She heard him crouch down in front of her and was shocked when his fingers grabbed her chin to turn her face toward him.
“I detest repeating myself. When I tell you to do something I expect you to do so without hesitation. It is time to open your eyes, Sky,” he ordered.
His remark struck something strange inside her. Was he right? Was it finally time to open her eyes in a deeper sense? Had she kept them closed too long to all that went on around her? Could that be why she was in this predicament, because she always shied away from situations or hid herself away, and relied on others to speak for her?
His tongue snapped at her. “I grow impatient. Open them, Sky.”
She was trapped. She had no choice. She opened her eyes slowly.
CHAPTER 3
Slayer felt it like a punch to his gut. With the grime gone from her face, her beauty stunned the eye, and it surprised him that what caught his eye first was not her affliction. Her beauty far outweighed anything else about her.
Sky stared at him and seeing his stoic expression, she said, “You knew.”
“Aye, I did. My father made me aware that you were born with one blue eye and one green eye. Though he assured me that you were a good, obedient woman and was possessed of no evil. I trust my father’s word, and I trust my brother even more. Warrand would have never agreed to the marriage if he had any doubts about your nature.”
He could not take his eyes off hers. The two different colors were strangely beautiful and undeniably distracting. Both colors were bold or perhaps it was the contrast that made them bold. An intense blue like the sky on a hot summer’s day and a vibrant green that could rival the rolling green hills after a spring rain. He found himself utterly captivated by them and he could not tear his glance away, no matter how hard he tried.
Sky did the same, her eyes focused on his face. She never expected him to possess such defined features, angles and curves molding perfectly into the handsomest face she had ever seen. His intense eyes were a greenish grey and intimidated with one glance and his slim lips were drawn tight. His hair was a darker shade of blond. At least she thought it was since it was difficult to be sure in the dwindling light, but she had been right about its length. It fell over his shoulders and onto his chest. It wasn’t so much his fine features that caught the eye as it was the look on his face. He exuded power and fearlessness, warning all he was not a man to cross.
The thought brought her to her senses, and she could not help but keep the sorrow out of her voice when she said, “Your brother was rare and most kind in his opinion of me since most presume me evil, a cohort of the devil, a witch.”
“As I said, I trust my brother’s opinion. You will be safe and treated well at Clan Ravinsher.”
Sky had no doubt he believed that, but she was not as sure about it as he was, and it only made her want to return home to the safety of her family even more. A shiver of worry raced through her.
“Night brings a chill with it. Come sit by the fire and get warm.” Slayer stood and leaned down to hook his arm around Sky’s waist and with a swift lift she was on her feet to stand beside him.
She was right about his height, her head only reaching his shoulder. She had never seen a man of his size before. His height alone commanded awe and respect.
He snatched up the blanket and draped it over his arm, then he rested his hand on her lower back as he directed her to the camp.
Twilight was quickly fading, the vibrant colors appearing as if they were sinking into the earth to sleep until tomorrow evening when they would wake and dazzle the sky once again. And she was grateful she was able to enjoy the beautiful sight once more.
She remained close to Slayer as they approached the campsite, where his men were busy talking and laughing among themselves. But how soon would that all stop when they laid eyes upon her? She lowered her head as she usually did around strangers.
“Keep your head up,” he ordered.