Page 43 of Triplets for the Dark Elf
The entire time I was rooted to the spot as I watched Miothro and Almu. I almost feel guilty for bringing, not one, but two dark elves into lowtowns. I’m sure my neighbors are petrified, and I wish I could assure them that no one is here to hurt them.
But the pain and anger of being used as a bargaining chip drowns all that out. I grit my teeth, half in preparation of what I’m about to see and half to keep from screaming as I rip the door open.
Miothro is standing there, still facing the spot where Almu was standing. He’s wavering, swaying his weight from foot to foot like either leg can’t handle it for too long. I can see the tension lining his body, and I swallow hard, forgetting all the frustrations that were crowding my mind.
“Miothro?”
Slowly, he turns to look at me, his skin ashen. He stumbles forward one step, and I rush out the door to help him.
“Come here.” I wrap my arm around his middle, trying to help support his weight. “I’ve got you.”
For him to have defeated someone of a higher caste and be able to walk away is an impressive feat, one that most dark elves would never be able to lay claim for. Typically, the higher the caste, the more powerful the magic-user.
I can’t say I wasn’t worried for Miothro during the fight. But I was equally impressed by his skill. Magic isn’t something that he uses often, besides simple parlor tricks to brighten my day. I guess I always assumed that was all he knew.
But I can see now that he is capable of so much more than I ever realized.
He managed to stay on his own two feet, looking impressive and threatening until Almu was out of sight. But now, he is struggling to maintain that as I help him to the couch.
We both half-collapse onto it, me rolling out from under him. I’m surprised the legs on the rickety furniture didn’t give out, but I’m not complaining. Especially as I help lay him out, and he winces and grunts.
It’s then that I see the cuts and burns adorning his skin. He took more than I had noticed, never showing a sign of weakness. It reminds me of just how much he tries to shoulder to protect the ones he loves.
I swallow hard at that thought.
“Hey,” he groans. I look up to see a crooked smile on his lips. It’s nothing like the careful expression that he normally wears, and it makes me grin back. “Why are you frowning?”
I don’t feel that right now is the right time to tell him I’m mad. And I’m certainly not going to tell him how terrified I was and how I hate seeing him hurt. Maybe I’m almost ready, especially knowing that Almu shouldn’t be bothering us. But that feels like a conversation for when he is much more alert.
“You’re hurt,” I murmur, reaching for the buttons of his tunic.
I start to work them open, and he swats at me. “Now is not the time to get naked.”
“Shh.” I hope he can’t see how hard I’m blushing. “I need to see where all he got you.”
It is a flirty fight to undress him down to his underwear, and I can’t say that I didn’t take the time to appreciate his body. For a shopkeeper, Miothro has always had a very nicely cut form. His muscles are well defined, and there’s strength that I could always feel when I was touching his skin.
Ripping my gaze away from his beautiful body, I go to get a glass of water, cloths, and antiseptic ointment. When I come back, his head is lolled to the side, his eyes closed.
“Hey.” I jostle him softly, trying to pull him into a reclined position. The downside to all these muscles? He’s as heavy as a taura. “You need some water first.”
He mumbles, again trying to fight me. I’ve never seen Miothro so unagreeable, and I giggle as I realize that this must be what everyone else has to face.
“Come on,mon lutin,” I tease, and it does rouse him, his eyelashes fluttering. “I don’t want to drown you by pouring this down your throat.”
“You’re a terrible healer,” he grumbles as he swipes for the glass.
I keep a firm grip on it as I help him lift it to his lips and he drinks deeply. Once he’s empties it, I kneel beside the couch, and he leans his head back. He doesn’t close his eyes, though they do drop. But I can see he’s watching me as I start cleaning his wounds and applying ointment.
His exhaustion is clouding his mind, I know, so when he reaches out and caresses my face, I don’t bat him away. I let him run his fingers through my hair, murmuring how beautiful his little lumiola is.
Maybe it’s a bad move for my heart, but tonight, I need it. I thought I was going to lose him –reallylose him – and I need the comfort as much as he does.
How can I keep pushing him away when he fought so hard for me? He defeated fears he didn’t know I ran from, and I’m having a hard time holding the things he said to Almu against him.
As I finish, I hear the creak of a bedroom door. Briefly, I wonder how they got the lock undone, but they are magically gifted. I lift up to see three little faces crowding the doorway, and I grin. How could I keep them from seeing their dad?
“The kids are awake,” I whisper, moving his clothes out of the way.