Chapter 78 One Head for Every Scratch (1) (1/2)

Chapter 78 – One Head for Every Scratch (1)

Frightened she had stepped out of line, Max had iry with her She’d been around angry men, her experiences far too many to keep track of It was al faint whenever a bigger man would step towards her, threaten her

But it wasn’t just the violence that frightened her right now It was the fact that soreatly, had now begun to bear his fangs at her She felt like a dog punished by their owner for their insolence

She wanted to beg him not to hurt her, hate her She knew she messed up, but her voice refused to cohtly onto his cloak in her desperation

“Co her out of her treacherous thoughts, and she realized they finallyher his hand to help her disrabbed it

She slid down gently, until Riftan pulled her close, her body flush to his, hefting her up in his ararden A rush of servants ca, but Riftan paid the

“Put Talon in the stables,” he quickly ordered them as he finally entered the Great Hall

Maxthe details of his face He barely even spared a glance around the hall that she had gone through extreths to redecorate in weeks’ ti inside her…

ry,’ </eulped down the fear and spoke up, “Ri-Riftan,” she began softly, “I-I’ll walk by my-myself”

“Don’t talk,” he quickly told her, as he sprints up the stairs, the carpet cushi+oning his steps as Max flinches at his harsh tone

Despite the added weight of his arhts of stairs, Riftan barely broke a sweat He quickly entered their roo her down finally, and closed the door behind the idly aardly as she waited for her punish the door

‘Is this where it starts?’ she fretted, ry? I only tried to fix things like a lord’s ould do!’</erip on her skirt tightened up When she finally found her voice again, and opened herherin surprise

His hand, still in iron gloves, ca her head in place as he held her at the back of her head His chapped lipsher lips open to enter herat his fir it to steady herself

Her body was painfully pressing up against his armor, her pulled flush towards his, as his stubble rubbed her sasps frolanced at hiaze hardened as he looked down on her in his arotten there on ti out of his voice, as he cradled her cheeks carefully Max flinched when the cold ainst it

“I asn’t ex-expecting they’d be a-able to break through the ga-gates,” she answered him truthfully

“You shouldn’t have been there in the first place!” he hissed at her, “No matter what happens, you never erous for you!” he exclaiht? Do you understand?” he asked her, his concern shi+ning out as he stared into her eyes

So taken with him, she quickly nodded in assent and relief quickly fills hiave out a deep sigh as he finally calmed down

After a moment’s hesitation, Max finally reached out to hi circles Worn out, Riftan leaned into her touch, dipping his head as he pulls her face closer, resting their foreheads against each other

At this proxirassy scent of his hair tickled Max’s nose She wondered if he had slept on the verdant fields last night instead of a cot or bed

“When I saw you,” he began, his voice quaking as he spoke, “On the ground, I felt like I was about to lose it, darn it!” he cursed, his ar around her, as if to keep her close to him, “I came as fast as I could, not even to rest, and when I saw you like that-”