CHAPTER 36 A True Gentleman... Gentlebeast?

　　Ella's POV

　　My heart felt like tiny horse hooves galloping in my chest, and that lump in my throat felt like it was trying to choke me. I felt stupid, lost, and stupid. But the massive beast stayed. His head rested heavy on my thighs, and unconsciously my hand found his fur. I could stop those tears, one by one, they spilled down over my cheek, so I closed my eyes and rested my head on the tree. Letting my fingers play with his thick warm fur, exhausted. I felt exhausted.

　　My heart slowed down, and the clog in my throat faded. Muscle by muscle, I lost touch with my own body. Drifting away into sleep, only there was darkness. A darkness that pulled and tugged for me to follow, and when I did, it was only more darkness. More pulling. Deeper and deeper, I followed, further and further away the birds chirping around me got. A low whisper pushed through the darkness,

　　"Því, at ek sé eigi hvar Ragnar er. Því, at ek sé eigi hvar Björn er. Dökk, eik em dökk."