Awakening Love: Reborn to Be His Duchess Chapter 277: Church

Elowen froze.

Vanelle? Something happened?

She looked at Cassian. She couldn't bring herself to refuse him. "Okay. Let's go."

Cassian looked pleased. He kissed the back of her hand. "Good."

So they climbed back into the carriage in the night and headed for Serenity Church again.

Elowen was exhausted. The carriage rocked, and she fell asleep hard.

Even when they arrived, she didn't wake.

Cassian touched his knee. It didn't hurt much.

He glanced toward the horizon. A few thin streaks of light had already started to break through the clouds. Sunrise was close.

He left the chair behind, lifted Elowen onto his back, and carried her step by step toward the viewing platform.

Elowen woke to the feeling of being draped over a broad, steady back. Her cheek pressed against cool fabric, and beneath it was warmth, heat and the firm lines of a body she knew.

The scent was his: clean, grounded.

She opened her eyes, still hazy.

It was still dark. Everything sat in that deep blue just before dawn. The mountains and trees were only shapes. A faint scatter of light, maybe lingering stars, maybe the first edge of morning, outlined part of Cassian's profile.

She shifted her numb body and whispered, hoarse with sleep, "Cassian."

His voice was lower than usual, but calm. "You awake?"

"Yeah."

Her mind cleared. "Put me down. Your leg isn't healed. You can't do this."

She tried to get down, but the arm hooked under her legs held firm. He even adjusted her higher, like he was making sure she was comfortable.

"I'm fine," Cassian said. "Not tired."

Then, just as simply, "I want to carry you."

Something inside Elowen tightened, like she'd been tapped in the center of her chest. Heat rose, spreading without permission. She could feel her ears warming.

A cool dawn breeze swept through, tugging loose strands of her hair.

Elowen didn't argue again. She let her cheek settle back against him.

For a while neither of them spoke. Only Cassian's steady footsteps sounded against stone steps and the path.

Before long, they reached the platform.

They had watched the sunset here the evening before, and the low table and chairs the attendants had set out were still in place.

Cassian walked to the cushioned bench and bent slightly, careful as he set Elowen down.

Elowen sat steady. She smoothed the wrinkles in her skirt and tucked windblown strands of hair behind her ear. Then she looked up at Cassian, who was straightening his sleeve, and asked, "Am I heavy?"

Cassian shook his head. "You're light."

After a beat, with a trace of amusement in his voice, he added, "I could carry two of you."

Elowen murmured, "Two of me would be a lot. You wouldn't make it."

Cassian sat beside her and gave a quiet laugh. "You forgot? I was a general. When I was healthy, I charged into battle wearing armor that weighed dozens of pounds, carrying a weapon heavier than that. You don't weigh much."

Elowen blinked, suddenly wanting to see him like that, silver armor, white cloak, on a battlefield, the kind of man enemies feared.

Then her thoughts slid somewhere they shouldn't. If she'd met Cassian first, would she ever have liked Alaric?

But that was only a question that could never change anything.

The past was already the past.

A faint heaviness rose in her chest, and her eyes lowered.

Warmth touched her cheek.

Cassian's fingers, his thumb lightly pinching her cheek. "What is it?"

Elowen snapped back. "What?"

Cassian watched her closely. "You don't look happy."

"I'm fine," Elowen said automatically.

Usually, no matter who she was with, even Cassian, she hid what she really thought. She stayed quiet. She dodged.

But in that hush before sunrise, it felt like the whole world was holding still. Like she could hear their breathing.

She suddenly wanted to say something real to him, just a little.

She pressed her lips together and stared at the floral pattern on her skirt. "I was just thinking... if I hadn't married you, my life would've gotten really bad. Really bad."

Cassian looked down at her. "Why do you think that?"

She didn't lift her head. "My family... is gone. I don't have anyone behind me anymore. And I'm not someone people naturally like. And I'm not that smart, either."