Cursed by Bandits (Once Upon A Curse)

33. Chapter Thirty-Three

Chapter Thirty-Three

“ C ome on, Rowan, it’s time to go celebrate.” Lady Jane grabbed my foot and pulled me in an attempt to get me out of bed.

“Don’t make me get out of bed,” I groaned, reluctant to do anything that required effort. “Everything hurts. I just want to lie in bed for the next five years,” I mumbled, burying my face deeper into my pillow. “Do I have to?”

“Of course you do! You won the tournament, and everyone that has done everything they can to help you along the way is waiting to congratulate you,” Jane insisted, her tone playful but firm. “Besides, this will be the first time in a long time you just get to be you.”

“I’m perfectly capable of just being me in this bed. And look, I’m celebrating. Woooo!” I moved one finger on my left hand in a circle. “Dammit, even that hurt to do.”

Jane tugged on my other foot. “Rowan, you’re not getting out of this. Besides, once you’re there, it’ll be fun.”

I sighed and eased my way up to a sitting position. “Fine, I’ll go. But if I thought for a second you would let me stay here, I wouldn’t be moving from this spot.”

Jane laughed as she helped me get out of bed. “See, that wasn’t so hard, was it? Do you need my help to get dressed, or can you handle it yourself?”

I dressed quickly, opting for one of the outfits I had brought back with me from the nunnery. They were the clothing I felt most like myself when wearing. As we walked near Lockersley on our way to the clearing in the woods, I could hear the sounds of laughter and music growing louder. The entire town was in high spirits after the tournament and the success it had brought the town.

Jane and I arrived at the clearing, and all of our friends were there already. Will and Erin were dancing as she sang. Tuck was clapping along with Erin’s song. And Milo, he was sitting on the outskirts of the opening, waiting .

Milo jumped to his feet as soon as he saw me. The smile on his face made my heart flip-flop. “Here she is, our champion! How are you feeling?”

“Exhausted,” I sighed. “And in so much pain. But the hard part is done. Tomorrow, my uncle will hand out the awards and I’ll finally be able to reveal my true identity. This is all almost over, finally.”

He pressed his forehead against mine. “You did it, Rowan.”

“I did.”

Our eyes met. I was tired of keeping my distance from Milo, so I reached up on my toes as he lowered his head.

“I’ve been waiting to do this again,” he whispered, his lips inches from mine.

“To Lady Rowan, the fiercest competitor and the heart of Lockersley!” Tuck handed me a goblet of wine, raising his own in a toast.

Milo and I jumped apart, embarrassed that we were caught almost kissing.

My friends all cheered for me, for my success. I raised the goblet Tuck had thrust into my hand in response, feeling so many emotions that my eyes filled with unshed tears.

My victory was more than just winning the tournament. It was the first step to restoring Lockersley. Now I could focus on my father and what happened to him, then take the place my father wanted me to have.

I watched from the sidelines as everyone sang and danced in our secret meeting place. Their merriment lifted my spirits even though I didn’t have enough energy to move, much less dance.

Milo sat beside me. “Why aren’t you out there? This celebration is for you.”

“I’m too tired and all I want is a bath. The armor was hot, and I spent the day sweating.” I sighed. “But I don’t want to spoil everyone’s fun.”

Milo stood and held his hand out to me. “Let’s go.”

“But the party . . .” I grabbed his hand despite my protest.

“No one will notice. And I have something to show you.” He pulled me to my feet.

Our bodies met, pressing together. I looked up into his blue eyes and saw his concern.

“Rowan, I’m sorry. I should have told you about the school and my tutoring sooner.”

I put my fingers to his mouth. “It’s okay. I wish you had told me earlier, before I became preoccupied with the tournament. But I understand why you didn’t.”

“Does that mean you forgive me?” he asked, his expression hopeful .

I took a step back and shrugged. “It depends. Do you promise to never make a decision like that for me again?”

He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close. “I will try. Is that enough?”

“I guess we’ll have to see how many times you mess up to know.” I kissed his cheek. “Now, what did you want to show me?”

He dragged me through the trees, away from our friends. When I could barely hear the music and laughter, he stopped. A campfire lit the area and next to the fire was a large copper tub almost filled to the brim with water.

“Please tell me that’s for me and the water is hot.” My eyes lit up at the thought of soaking in a tub. My muscles sang at the thought of something that would ease the pain.

“I knew you would be sore. I have everything you need to help. It’s a salt bath with arnica and birch oils. That should help.”

I threw my arms around his neck and instantly winced at the pain. “This is one of the nicest things anyone has ever done for me.” I was already taking off my clothes to get into the tub.

Milo turned around, his back towards me and the bath. “I’ll leave you to relax. If you need anything, just holler. I won’t be far. ”

I climbed into the tub and slipped down into the warm water. How did I miss Milo disappearing long enough to heat water and fill a bath for me? That didn’t matter; what did matter was the combination of warm water, salt, and oils easing my aching muscles as I soaked. I sighed, letting the stress of the past few weeks melt away as I relaxed for the first time since arriving home.

I piled my hair on top of my head, droplets of water cascading down my face and neck. Listening to the fire crackle, I watched as the flickering of the campfire caused the shadows to dance, casting a warm glow in the sanctuary Milo had created for me.

I leaned back and closed my eyes as I let the sounds of nature and distant celebration wash over me. This was the closest I had been to feeling at peace—it was like I forgot what it felt like.

Knowing Milo was out there making sure I wasn’t disturbed, I whispered, “Thank you.”

“You deserve so much more,” he said.

I shifted in the water. The cold air of the autumn night hit my wet skin and my teeth were chattering. “Can you get me something to wrap myself in? The water’s turning cold.”

“Of course. ”

Moments later, Milo walked into the area from behind some trees. He kept his eyes averted. I was going to say something, but he was trying so hard to be a gentleman I didn’t want to ruin it. He grabbed a robe that was hanging on a nearby branch. I giggled. It was so close to the tub, and I hadn’t seen it there at all. Blinded by the idea of soaking away my pain, I guess.

Milo walked backwards towards me with the arm holding the robe outstretched. He was almost close enough for me to grab it when he tripped and stumbled. His arms flailed around him as he tried to find his balance. He let go of the robe, and it somehow got stuck in the tree above the bath. I was looking at that, wondering what the likelihood of that happening really was, when Milo stumbled into the tub. The rim of the copper hit the back of his knees and he fell backwards. He splashed me and everything around us when his ass landed in the water.

“I’m so sorry.” He twisted back and forth, trying to find some sort of purchase to get out of the tub.

I burst into laughter as water sloshed over the rim, soaking his shirt, kilt, boots—really everything he was wearing was now soaked. His arm brushed against my leg as he attempted to push himself out of the tub. Instead, I grabbed it and pulled him in on top of me .

“Rowan, what are you doing?” His blue gaze was questioning and something else, something much more mischievous.

Instead of using words to answer him, I melded my mouth to his until I felt his tongue swipe across my lips. I opened my lips, letting him invade as I did the same. I kissed him until I needed air. My lips moved from his lips to his neck, all while we both panted.

“This isn’t why I did this. I wanted . . .” The fabric of his kilt shifted in the water and I stroked the length of him, eliciting a groan.

I smiled, my lips pressed to his skin directly under his ear. “What did you want?” I shifted so I was straddling him.

“This, this is what I wanted. But it’s not why I did any of this.” His hands ran up and down my body like he was trying to touch every inch of me all at once.

“As long as you want this too, I don’t see that your intentions matter much now. Because I’ve wanted this for a while.”

My words broke whatever restraint he was holding on to. He lifted me up and turned me so my back was pressed against his chest. I could feel the hard length of him between my legs. He moved my hair and kissed my neck, his other hand massaging one breast and then the other, pinching my nipples before moving his hand lower, slipping it between my legs, and caressing me there before slipping inside me.

I turned my head back to him, searching for his lips, my fingers tangled in his hair as our tongues sparred while he brought me to the edge of ecstasy. Pulling away from our kiss, I whispered, “I want you inside me.”

He groaned his response into my ear, then took the lobe into his mouth and bit it as he thrust inside me. My gasp disappeared with the breeze. Both his hands came to my shoulders, squeezing them before he shifted to his knees, pushing me forward until I was holding on to the rim of the tub.

“Is this okay? You’re so beautiful,” he asked as his fingers stroked down my back, settling on my hips that I had always thought were too wide. He held me there as he pulled out, then buried himself inside me.

I cried out in pleasure, “Please! Don’t stop.” My fingers held on to the tub as I lost sense of everything around me. The pleasure in my body built until I burst into a million tiny pieces at the same moment Milo collapsed on top of me.

We stayed there for a moment, until the world around us came back into focus and I remembered that the water had grown cold. Once again, my teeth chattered .

“Here, let me get you a blanket.” He stepped out of the tub, the firelight dancing over his sinewy muscles as he moved around looking for something. “Here it is.”

He grabbed a large towel, gesturing for me to stand. I did. He wrapped the fabric around me, then swept his arm behind my knees, picking me up.

“You need a blanket too,” I said as he carried me to a rock near the fire.

“Who needs a blanket when I have you to keep me warm?” He buried his face in my neck.

I giggled. “That might be so, but you don’t have any dry clothes. What are you going to wear?”

The breeze picked up, and the robe that had been stuck in the tree fell into my lap. “Well, that seems awfully suspicious.” I stared at the trees, wondering why it had fallen at that moment.

“It seems we have the forest sprites’ approval.” He kissed me before setting me down to put on the robe. “You should get dressed. It sounds like the revelries are ending. Everyone will want to say goodbye.”

It didn’t take long for me to throw on my clothes and make my way back to the clearing. Milo stayed on the outskirts, looking out of place wearing my dressing gown. They must have heard me coming because they all looked towards me, pride and excitement on their smiling faces .

“What’s next, Rowan?” Jane asked. The look she gave me when she noticed my wet hair made me want to laugh.

I rolled my shoulders back as I took a deep breath, looking at my friends, my allies. “We keep pushing, fighting. We won this round, but I need to prove my father was poisoned and bring the man responsible to justice. But that’s a concern for tomorrow. Tonight, we celebrate.”

I felt Milo move closer to me. I looked over towards him.

Milo nodded, raising his glass. “To tomorrow and facing it together.”

I raised the glass that had been pressed into my hand. “Together,” I whispered. In this moment, with my friends surrounding me, it felt like I could accomplish anything, including making my uncle pay for his crimes.