Master of Umbra (The Valhalla Series) by Poppet Read Free Book Online Page A

him. I don't know this man from a basket of nuts, but the fact that he looks fucked and isn't being chased by Dias means he protected me, I know he did.
    “My god! What happened?” I shriek, the hysteria evident in my voice when I rush to him, staring up at a swollen and split bottom lip.
    He points to it, giving me a ragamuffin smile, “This? It's just a lovebite, don't you worry about it darling, it's nothing.”
    “But ...”
    Before I can complete my clucking, he points to his black eye and bruised nose, “This, on the other hand, is damage you delivered.”
    I feel awful that I attacked him. I do. But for fuck's sake, it was done under immense duress and he had his hands on me, and was acting like a damn lunatic. It was completely justified.
    “You asked for it,” I mutter, unwilling to apologize.
    He arches two scorpion black eyebrows, still giving me the cute smirk, “So you have no intention of kissing it better then? You're a cold hearted minx.”
    My jaw drops in scandalized reaction, inhaling sharply at his accusation.
    Having a wee chuckle he gives me a wink, “I'm joshing you, Liah. You're a bit highly strung for such a wee lass.”
    “I'm not little, I'm a damn sight taller than most men.”
    “ Not in here you're not,” he says, suddenly looking tired.
    It yanks on every heartstring, mangling my chest with shortness of breath, laying guilt so heavily on my shoulders the weak-leg syndrome comes back, “Are you okay? What happened? Can I get you anything? Is Dias still here? You should sit down–”
    “One bullet at a time. You're like a bloody gatling gun set on automatic.” His grumble is goodnatured as he strolls to 'his' chair, rubbing his fingers together to coax Bella out of her safe nook. “I can tell you he won't be bothering you again.”
    Yeah right. I wish.
    “Deliah, you don't have to look so doubtful. You have my word that man will never cross your path again.”
    Slumping weakly onto the edge of the bed, my fears are gnawing my legs hollow, my dread of Dias coming on so strong that the tears from all the stress accumulate, leaking betrayal down my face as I avert my gaze to examine my hands.
    My one companion and ally is currently comforting him instead of me. Taking a deep serrated breath, I determinedly squash the weeping fit and look back at Ewan.
    He's resting his head on a propped arm, staring at me. It's now that I notice his knuckles are bloodied, like his mouth. What happened to his shirt? Good lord, so the weights aren't for show to impress women, he really uses them. Color me slow for only noticing now.
    “What happened? Are you hurt?” I ask.
    Don't deny it. You look hurt. It's pouncing up and down like a demented leprechaun on my nurturing nerve.
    “ I had a little word with him, asked him a few questions, then beat the crap out of him when he lied.” Before I can argue that he looks like he received the raw end of that conversation, he says, “My lip was split when my right hand man punched me away from Dias. He did it to break my fury as I was having too much fun.”
    “ Your friend punched you?”
    He relaxes back, abandoning the coddling of Bella, “Yeah, he punches like a fucking pansy.” He's chuckling to himself as if it is piss yourself funny.
    They seem to like punching each other. It's bizarre.
    “ Ewan...”
    “ Yes darling?” he drawls, his citrine eyes glistening with a hint of rascal to match his 'yes dear' tone.
    “ It looks to me like you had your arse handed to you too. Should I go get a medic or something?”
    His congenial expression storms into disgruntled, “That tosser didn't lay a finger on me. I look like I do because I've hardly slept, I'm in desperate need of a shower, Gunn punched me and you headbutted me, all in fairly short succession. Add to that the minor detail that I used the potion we use to heal ourselves on you as an antidote to the poison your boyfriend fed you, which you refused to ingest and wasted the bulk of it down