Grounded By Love (The Giant Wars #2)(49)

Kaeldar guided the horse through the camp to talk to his fellow rock giants. Even among so many rock giants, Claira felt comfortable as long as she was beside Kaeldar. The warmth of his body seemed to come out to embrace her and made her feel completely safe.

Which made her think of the villagers who were going to have no one to protect them. She felt guilt eat at her, but more than that she felt helpless.




Claira tried to relax her nerves, as their group made their way to the rock giant castle. The protection Kaeldar offered her would soon be tested.




The day of travel passed quickly. Every once in a while, they would stop, so Claira could get off the large horse to stretch her legs.

On one of their stops she decided she wanted to see her horse.

“Your love for the beast is admirable.”

“He isn’t a beast. Besides he saved your life or don’t you remember?”

Kaeldar grabbed hold of her hand and guided her to the back of the group where she was able to visit with her horse. He was a friend she never wanted to lose. He had been the only one to accept her for who she was, until she met Kaeldar.

Holding out her hand to her horse she waited for his nose to come up and softly nuzzle her offered hand. The small white hairs on his soft pink nose tickled, and she gave a hearty laugh.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Kaeldar smiling down at her, as he watched her interaction with her horse.

“He seems to have missed you.” Kaeldar stated, as the horse butted his head against her shoulder.

As she ran her fingers through the horse's mane she laughed lightly. “I’ve missed him and have been worried about his well-being.”

“No need to worry about the horse. No one here is going to kill or harm him. We don't eat horses, and besides he’s being useful.” Kaeldar motioned to the packs her horse was carrying.

“I will still fret about him. I feel as though he is my closest friend.”

Was that pity building in his dark eyes, because her only friend was a horse? Claira felt shame crawl up her neck.

She’d never been able to make any friends among her own people, and here she had just come out and admitted it by claiming her horse was her best friend.

Thankfully, a rock giant warrior came up and talked to Kaeldar, distracting him.

“Are you ready to leave? We still have quite some time, before we reach the castle. We’d like to head out as soon as possible.”

“Yes. Thank you for allowing me to visit with my horse.”

He gave her a nod and faced back to the other warrior.

Soon they were off, and Claira tried to keep herself calm by looking around at the beautiful forest around her. The beauty of the forest appealed to her and smoothed out her anxiety about facing a castle full of giants.




Soon enough night started to fall, and Kaeldar called it a day, deciding it was time to set up camp and settle down for the night. Quickly, men dismounted and tents popped up, as campfires were lit.

One had to be amazed by the efficiency of a giant soldier. They seemed to be determined and extremely organized. No wonder the human armies were having so much trouble resisting them.

“Stay by the horse, while I set up the tent, Claira.”

Once he walked away, she murmured to herself, “Stay put, Claira. Don’t move, Claira. Can’t save the people, Claira.” She glared at his back, as he worked. She might be acting like a child, but she wasn’t exactly happy with him.

Once he was done, he guided her over to one of the fires where they sat on the ground with several other rock giants. They all seemed to be having one jolly good time, talking, laughing, and hitting each other on the backs.

It was amazing for her to see all these different sides of the rock giant personalities’. They acted like any human soldier would. They weren’t just mindless beasts killing things, like humans thought.

As the food was passed around the campfire, all she could think about was the upcoming night in the fur tent with Kaeldar.

Anticipation pumped through her, as she recalled the previous night they spent together. She wanted to have another such night with him, but she also couldn’t believe herself.

Could he really do nothing for those villagers? It would haunt her that there was nothing she could do.

Her cheeks flushed, as Kaeldar interrupted her thoughts to hand her some dried meat. She knew he couldn't read her mind, but she still worried he would somehow know what she’d been thinking about.

Her blood heated, as she accepted a piece of dried meat from Kaeldar, and her hand brushed against his. She was more than ready to go to the tent with Kaeldar for the rest of the night.

She was able to feel the area between her thighs start to heat and the wetness spread. How was she to remain angry with Kaeldar when her body reacted this way to his presence?

Even though her body was frustrating her, she understood where it was coming from. Kaeldar was different than any man she’d been with before. He might be a rock giant warrior, but he also treated her right.

Romance had never worked out for her, and although she and Kaeldar had problems standing in their way she was hoping there might be a way. She wasn’t willing to admit defeat quite yet.

Or maybe she should admit defeat before she broke her heart. Claira could feel her heart attaching to him, but she had no idea of his feelings. She could end up being made a fool.