CIAN
Her weight sagged against me. I held her steady, one arm wrapped around her waist while the other braced against the column behind her.
"I feel drained," she whispered. Her voice came out thin and shaky.
"The marking does that to most." I pulled back enough to look at her face. Her eyes were half-lidded and unfocused. "Given that you’re an Omega, it’s a wonder you can still move straight."
She laughed. The sound was breathless and weak. "I don’t think I can. I feel very light. Everything seems like it’s spinning."
Her knees buckled. My hand shot out and caught her before she could hit the ground. I pulled her up against my chest and her head lolled against my shoulder.
"I’m sorry," she mouthed.
I liked the way her voice sounded when she was out of it. It just did something to me.
"I’ll take you to bed."
I lowered her gently to the floor and stepped back to grab my trousers. The fabric slid over my legs and I fastened them quickly. My shirt lay crumpled nearby, torn open down the front. I scooped it up along with what remained of her top. The fabric was shredded beyond repair but it would have to do.
I draped the torn cloth around her body and lifted her into my arms. She felt light. Too light. Her head rested against my chest and her breathing came slow and even.
The hallway stretched empty and quiet ahead of us. Two sentinels stood at attention near the entrance. Their eyes fixed on the far wall as we passed. They knew better than to look.
"This isn’t the way to my suite," Fia murmured against my shoulder.
"I’m taking you to mine."
She swallowed. I felt the movement against my chest.
"Just relax."
She shifted in my arms and pressed deeper into me. Her body went slack. Trusting. The bond hummed between us, warm and satisfied.
My suite was at the end of the east wing. I pushed through the door with my shoulder and carried her to the bed. The sheets were cool and crisp when I laid her down. I tucked them around her carefully, making sure she was covered and warm.
I sat on the edge of the mattress. The lamplight cast soft shadows across her face. Her eyes were barely open now, watching me through heavy lids.
"What are you looking at?" she asked.
"I’m not sure." The words came out before I could stop them. "I really used to hate you once. So I guess I’m wondering when all that changed."
Her lips curved into a faint smile.
"What spell did you cast on me?" I continued.
She chuckled. The sound was drowsy and rough. "You couldn’t have hated me like I hated you."
Something tightened in my chest. "You should be careful with your next words. You know."
She chuckled again. Softer this time. And then she took a long sigh. "Why? Are you going to punish me?"
I placed my hand on her head. Her hair felt soft under my palm. "I wouldn’t be able to. Not in the state that you are in. You should get some rest."
Her fingers wrapped around my wrist. Her grip was weak but insistent. "Stay here with me."
"Why? So I can’t figure out what you got Thorne to really do?"
"I wish I was that calculating." She paused. Her eyes searched my face. "Can I say something?"
I nodded.
Worry pulsed through the bond. Sharp and clear. It hit me in the center of my chest and made my breath catch. I wondered what it could be that bothered her so much.
"You know what." She shook her head slightly against the pillow. "I’ll tell you when I’m certain."
"I don’t like being on edge. What exactly is it?"
"I’ll tell you when I am certain."
"Goddess, do you think I was bad?" My voice dropped lower.
She couldn’t help the small laugh that escaped her. "Oh, I wouldn’t know. I haven’t been around much."
She smiled again. "But it’s not that."
"So what is it?"
"Like I said, I think I’ll just mention it when I’m certain." She took a slow breath. "You tend to blow out and be set in your ways and what you believe. Even if it’s wrong."
The words stung. Because they were true. To some extent. "Okay then."
Whatever she was holding, I couldn’t force it out of her. So I would just have to wait until she was ready and trusted me enough.
"I’m sleepy." Her eyelids drooped further.
I ran my fingers through her hair. The strands slipped smooth and cool between them. "Sleep. I’ll be by your side."
Her eyes closed. Her breathing deepened and evened out. I kept stroking her hair, watching the rise and fall of her chest until I was certain she had drifted off completely.
I stood slowly and crossed to the small lamp table near the window. The lamplight flickered when I turned the switch. Warm yellow light filled the corner of the room.
I opened the top drawer. The wood creaked softly. Inside, beneath a stack of old letters, lay the frame. Partly broken. The glass cracked down the middle from when Fia has her accident.
I pulled it out and held it up to the light. Blood had dried in dark streaks across the photo. My own blood from the morning I’d tried to pick it up. Even with the blood obscuring the picture, Madeline’s smile was still prominent. It was certainly a time in our lives. We looked happy. Young. Untouched by everything that came after.
"I guess I’m over you now," I said quietly.
The words hung in the air. But for the first time, it did feel true. Final even.
I looked back at Fia. She had shifted in her sleep, curling onto her side. The blankets had slipped down to her waist. Her face looked peaceful in the dim light. Vulnerable in a way she would never let herself be when awake.
A smile tugged at my lips. Small. Unexpected.
I placed the frame back in the drawer and pushed it closed. The past could stay there. Broken, bloodstained and finished.
I walked back to the bed and sat down beside her. She didn’t stir. Her breathing stayed deep and steady. The bond thrummed softly between us. Content. Settled.
I reached out and brushed a strand of hair away from her face. Her skin was warm under my fingertips.
Whatever came next, whatever complications waited in the morning, whatever secrets she was keeping from me right now, they could wait.
For tonight, this was enough.