I’ve already spoken to Fairon’s healers. They say he needs a little time to recover from yesterday’s seizure before it will be safe to try again. We’ll give him two days, and then Ana can go see him. I’m more relaxed now, knowing that we’re closer than ever to curing him. Even Ana walking away from me today can’t kill my optimism. Now I’ve succeeded in one mission, winning her back doesn’t seem so impossible.
I’ll find a way. Ihaveto. I realized at the Lyceum, that day she almost died. I need her in a way that’s terrifying, but not as terrifying as the alternative. There’s no other option. At least, not one I’ll accept.
“I don’t know if I’m in the mood for dancing,” she says from where she’s fled to the other side of the room, like she doesn’t trust herself to be close to me. She’s still flushed from our encounter. Good. I don’t want her to forget that feeling.
“Give me a chance, princess, and I can get you in the mood for anything.”
I’m still enjoying the aggravated look on her face when the servant comes to show her to her new rooms.
Chapter 18
Morgana
The room the servant takes me to isn’t so different from the other one beside the barracks, except for the very obvious lack of deadbolt on the outside of the door and yes…windows.
I’m pleased to see the korigos already curled up by the couch on a luxurious cushion. Respen must’ve had it brought here right after the trial. It’s deep asleep, only occasionally flicking its four tails as I move about the room. The poor thing must be exhausted.
As am I, for that matter. I take the opportunity to wash up, enjoying the warm water against my skin. But as I lather the soap across shoulders, I remember the way Leon’s lips felt on them, which leads to me recalling the sensation of his fingers between my legs.
That man is a menace.
I scrub my skin hard, trying to scour away the memory.
Still, as much as I’m annoyed with Leon, I’m more annoyed with myself. I shouldn’t have let it go that far, but gods help me, I’mweak. The moment he had me up against the window, it was like all reason flew out of my mind.
Leon didn’t have to give me a speech about how good he can make me feel. My body remembers all too well. He only has to get close to me for that desire to reawaken, as hot and aching as ever.
My body temperature climbs again at the memory, and I try to calm myself. Pleasure’s not theonlything he’s made me feel. I’ve also suffered plenty of pain from his secrets and lies.
Still, that pain might be just a little less sharp than before, and that frightens me.
I shove it all away, packing it into a box I don’t want to examine. I have bigger things to worry about, after all. Like making sure I’m prepared to heal Fairon. And Tira, of course. I’m always worried about Tira.
Once I’m dried off and changed into a dress, I go to find her. As Leon promised, she’s in the bedroom next door, curled up in the bed with her curtains drawn, even though it’s only the afternoon.
“Go away,” she groans when I pull the drapes open to let the light flood in. She doesn’t open her eyes, pulling the blankets over her head instead.
“Hey, I nearly just got eaten by a giant spider, missy. You could sound a bit more pleased to see me.”
She pulls the blanket down, eyes wide.
“I didn’t realize it was you,” she says in her defense. “I thought it was one of the soldiers. It’s like they think they’re my babysitters.”
“Well, that’s because you look exactly like a huge, ugly baby. It confuses them. Now budge over.”
She makes a rude gesture at me but rolls over so I can climb up on the bed next to her. I lay my head down so our eyes are at the same level. Then I just look at her for a few long moments.
“Don’t do that, it’s creepy,” she says, dropping her gaze so she doesn’t have to meet mine.
“I won’t ask you how you’re feeling,” I say, ignoring her deflection. “Because I assume the answer is ‘shitty.’”
“Yep,” she says. Now I’m closer, I can see the tear tracks where she’s been crying and the still-damp patch on her pillow. “So let’s not state the obvious. Tell me howyou’redoing, and how the hell you survived that test, because from where I was sitting, it looked like you were toast.”
“Nice to know you have so much faith in me,” I grin.
I tell her about the room they put me in last night, and Leon’s attempt to free me. Tira is as surprised as I was by the lengths he went to, including his offer to help me even if I did break the vow. She seems pretty impressed by it, actually. I’m not ready to hear from her all the ways Leon might be a good guy, so I talk over her, skipping to the part where I found the korigos, and then the test itself.
“Do you think he actually wanted to kill you?” Tira asks. “The fae king? I mean, when that monster crawled out of that pit, I was pretty sure we were about to watch your execution—not that Leon would’ve allowed that, of course. He practically ripped his seat apart trying to get to you.”
