Light shines on the other side of my eyelids, turning my vision from black to red. In between asleep and fully awake, I’m aware of my body cradled in a warm cocoon of blankets. The mattress under me conforms to the shape of my spine, supporting me in ways I haven’t experienced in years. It only makes me want to stay asleep.
The swish of paper against paper sends a jolt of awareness through me.
I am not alone.
When I open my eyes, who will it be? My stomach churns. My father? Basilus or Jeriko? Or maybe... just maybe... Butterflies kiss away the nervousness inside my abdomen. Maybe it’s Nollix. I hope it’s Nollix.
I turn my head toward the noise, my eyelids lifting despite the way they feel glued shut. Everything is fuzzy, images blurring into shapeless blobs, and I still know who’s sitting at my side. An ache blooms in my chest. Shouldn’t I be happy it’s Merrick?
“You’re awake.” He sits forward, closing the book.
“Way to state the obvious.” I almost cringe at the terrible, scratchy sound of my voice. Merrick does cringe. I’m not sure if he even knows he does it. My attention swivels to take in the rest of the room.
I lie in a pile of blankets and pillows in a bed fit for a queen. Blue, white, and soft dove grays have taken over the room. A window’s open, a steady breeze blowing sheer white curtains inwards. It reminds me of my old room at the Dark Palace, well, except that my room was a lotdarker. There is everything a girl could need in here. A wardrobe, which I’m sure is stocked with a thousand beautiful gowns, a long baby-blue couch embroidered with little navy hummingbirds, a currently unlit fireplace, and a vanity with a mirror that reaches to the ceiling.
So where the fuck am I?
I shiver even under the layers and layers of blankets weighing me down. When I turn back to my brother, his brows are pinched with worry. Even if he looks like our father, that face is all our mother. It twists something sad inside of me.
“Where are we?” I ask.
Merrick sets the book down on the nightstand and leans out of his seat. His hair is ruffled, mouth pursed. I sink into the pillow under me as he stretches from his seat to place a hand against my forehead.
“Are you feeling okay?”
“I feel like shit.”
He tsks but smiles. “Foul mouth for a princess.”
“Would you have me any other way?” A cough rattles my chest. I manage to sit up and lean into the smooth headboard behind me.
Merrick pulls away. The pity that shines in his eyes makes me want to scream. Not that I could manage that in my current state without puking my guts up.
“I most certainly would not. Good to see my sister is still in there fighting after everything you’ve been through.”
“Father hasn’t been able to snuff me out yet.” I try to swallow to ease the coarseness of my throat, but my mouth is as dry as a desert. “Enough with the small talk, where am I?” Blankets fall away from my shoulders, revealing some still-healing bruises. They’re almost gone now, though, which is a relief.
His black shirt stretches tight across his torso, the buttons done all the way up to his collar, as he folds his arms over his chest. A few wrinkles have set in the fabric, which is unlike him. He sighs loudly, eyes examining me. “The Court of Winds.”
“Merrick. No.” With trembling fingers, I fling the rest of the covers off my legs and stumble out of bed toward the open window.This can’t be real. How could he have gotten me here without me even knowing it?
I know how. I just don’t want to think about it.
The wind that makes it into the room is terribly cold compared to the heat I’d managed to trap under the blankets. My skin instantly dots with goosebumps. Underneath me, my legs are weak, threatening to give out at any second. I’m held up only by my own sheer will.
Slapping a curtain out of my way, I stare out the window, hoping to somehow see familiar land, to recognize something that would tell me that I’m home. Instead, all I see is a steep drop into crashing water below.
“You didn’t.” I gasp.
“Violence, you need to sit back down. The healers were able to give you some tonics to hold you over, but you need to eat. You need to drink.”
“Merrick, take me home.” I haven’t even turned back to look at him. I can’t.
But I can hear every single step he makes as he crosses the room. Another heavy sigh. “Please, Violence—”
“I willnotmarry him.”
“Listen—”
