Grounded By Love (The Giant Wars #2)(19)

“Do you plan on letting me past?” Kaeldar asked, as she continued to stand in his way. “Or do you have something else you would like to ask of me?” His voice took on a deeper tone, as he looked her body up and down.

She realized she was still staring straight at his chest, while remembering him naked. Blushing even deeper she quickly moved out of the way, and then followed him out of the tent.

As he packed the tent up, she watched him from the sidelines. She wasn’t sure she should be traveling with him, yet she had nothing to lose, since Claira had no family, and no one who would miss her.

She couldn't help the back and forth, to go with him or to go back to her human life. If she went back, she would have to choose a different village, because her village would never welcome her back into their fold. Or she could go with him and hope for the best.

Claira felt certain Kaeldar wouldn't stop her, if she decided to leave.

They were heading deeper into rock giant territory, and she knew Kaeldar wouldn’t be able to make any honest promises towards her safety, and if he did she probably wouldn’t believe him. Claira assumed he was nothing but a soldier, and he wouldn’t have any power to keep her safe among his people.

As she watched him pack the tent, she realized he looked a little on the pale side, and his eyes were slightly dull. She was a healer, and he was still in need of her help. She couldn't very well abandon him and still call herself a healer.

The rock giants had started this war, not that it wasn't deserved. The human population never tried to have good relations with the giants, since the giants were thought to be below humans in every way.

Claira didn’t feel like the rest of her kind. She wanted to save her judgement until she met more of his kind. She wouldn’t be able to heal properly, if she despised everything around her.

The rock giants were giving the human army a run for their money, at every turn though. The war was about even, when it came to the battles. It was hard to predict who the winner would be or if they would be a winner.

Within minutes Kaeldar had everything ready to go, and they were soon on their way through the forest. Claira only allowed them to travel for half a day before demanding they set up camp again. She was determined to see him rest, so his wound would heal faster.





Chapter 8


Robert couldn't believe his luck. There was their camp, and soon he would rescue his darling Claira.

He knew she doubted his love for her, but that was why he’d told the village about the rock giant. Claira wasn’t safe with such a monster in her cottage. She was just too na?ve to realize it, so it was his responsibility to protect her.

He’d expected their group of two to travel farther than they had, yet they were only about a three-day ride from the village.

The mayor had helped him steal away, during the night, and even gave him a horse.

After the rock giant had taken Claira, Robert had pleaded with the mayor. He implored the mayor to allow Claira to be a part of the village again. He needed Claira to be his wife, he had chosen her the moment she’d come to their village, and he would have her, even if it was the last thing he did.

The mayor consented, and told Robert that if he could save her from the rock giant's clutches, then she could return. It hadn't taken much persuasion, which had surprised Robert. But there was the condition that Robert would have to convince her to be his wife and give up healing.

A smile broke out on his face, as excitement coursed through him. He knew Claira would be grateful to him for saving her. How could she not? He was about to be her knight in shining armor.

After watching the camp and seeing only Claira, who was organizing some herbs, he decided it was time to step in to save her.

The rock giant hadn't made an appearance as of yet, and Robert hoped that meant the rock giant had gone out somewhere in the forest. He and Claira would need some time to sneak back to the village.

Puffing up his chest he cleared his throat. It was his time to show her he was the man she’d been dreaming of. He would make all her dreams come true, if she would just let him. He strutted into the clearing with a large grin, while one of his hands gripped his sword hilt.




The sharp sound of metal hissing against metal drew Claira's attention away from her herbs. Her jaw dropped, when she saw Robert strutting into the middle of the camp, sword in hand. She blinked several times. Surely, she was just seeing things. When he didn’t disappear, she realized he wasn’t an apparition of her over active imagination.

He just wouldn't give up, would he? He had to be deluded, and now he was marching into a camp with a rock giant? Robert didn’t know how to use a sword, and she wondered how he had got his hands on one.

She glanced over to the tent. When she glanced back at Robert, he was standing right next to her.

Robert reached down and grabbed her arm roughly giving her a slight shake. “Where is the rock giant, Claira?”

She glared at him. Kaeldar was asleep in the tent, but she wasn’t about to tell Robert that. She knew Robert would slip in and slit the throat of the rock giant, while he slept.

“He went out to hunt for some food, and I have no idea when he might be back.” Claira hoped it would be enough to keep Robert from searching the camp. Hopefully, he wasn’t searching for a fight.

“Let's go before the rock giant comes back.” He proceeded to drag her off by her arm, having decided they’d been there for enough time.