He was rushing me to be better. I felt my own urgency to grow stronger and understand more—but I had my reasons. What were his?
I chewed on my lip, my eyes drifting in and out of focus as my thoughts circled, following the sentences without retaining the information. Then my gaze landed on a distinct passage:
You’ll heartheir whispers when they come,
they’ll stretch your skin when you’re one,
but know this ruler, and know this well,
the circles have a counterquell.
The whispersI assumed were the odd melodies I would hear. The stretching of my skin must be the itches. But what in the world didcounterquellmean?
I read for a few more hours, even some of the books the king required us to read, all the while resisting the sagging of my eyes. At one point, I knocked my head against the table, nodding off, and knew it was time to leave.
Walking through the Doors of Moirai, I found Rune curled up in front of them.
“Rune?”
She lifted her head, blinking sleepily, then yawned and stretched like a cat. She gave me a wet lick on my cheek with a soft nudge. I smiled and ruffled her shadow fur.
“Let’s go to bed. I’m assuming I only have a few hours before I need to get up.” I refrained from groaning—and refrained again when Rune’s eyes lit up.
“You really can’t help yourself, can you? I’m off to bed, General. Follow along if you like.”
Rune and the peeping general trailed me as I returned to my room. I said nothing else to him, and if I didn’t look at Rune, I could almost forget he was there.Almost.
At my door, Oliver’s snores vibrated through the wood. My lips twitched.
“I’m going to bed now, and Rune’s—” I almost told the general his Soulhound was sleeping with me. But Rune wasn’t mine, and I had to keep reminding myself of that, even if she was near me almost 24/7. “I’d like it if Rune slept with me, and you didn’t invade her mind.”Or mine again.I left that part out, though.
“And by the way, Oliver prefers males. That’s why I let him sleep in my room.” My face heated at how much I was sharing. I must be drained. “It comforts me to have someone I know who’s there for me and isn’t trying to use me. So, not a boyfriend. And—” I paused, knowing I needed to do this, but not entirely feeling he deserved it. “I’m sorry for insulting you. Goodnight, General.”
Chapter
Fourteen
LUCILLE
Astrange gurgling noise jerked me awake. My heart raced as I scanned the dim room. Rune slept soundly beside me, her shadow fur curled around her like a soft, soothing blanket. But Oliver… he was gone. His side of the bed lay undisturbed, perfectly made, like he’d never been there at all.
“Oliver?”
Did he go to his room?
Throwing off my covers, I sat up—and found myself clothed in a Hell Squadron uniform. My brows furrowed.
Purple didn’t ring my vision, so it wasn’t a dream-walk. But then… where did this uniform come from? And who dressed me?
A choking sound sputtered through the cracks in the door—ragged and desperate, like someone gasping for air.
I shot out of bed, my gut twisting at the horrifying noise.
“Oliver?” I shouted. The word rang out as I slammed open the door and froze. “Oliver!”
He lay on the settee, his neck sliced.
Without thinking, I luscelered to him, my hands shaking as I pressed them to his wound. Blood seeped between my fingers, and Oliver’s terrified eyes locked onto mine, his lips parting in a desperate attempt to speak.
