As he led me toward the stone steps, I detected a rare giddiness. He was excited to show me around his second home. Excited to let me into this part of his world that’d been kept secret until now.
Stomach fluttering, I went with him up the winding staircase. Maddox walked a short pace behind me, followed by Callum, Lake, and Briar. The steps seemed to go on forever. We passed a few doors on the way up, one that led to a bathroom and others that belonged to the other spies.
“Of course your room would be at the very top,” I said, out of breath and fighting for my life.
Rowan tossed me a toothy grin over his shoulder. “Thighs burning yet?”
“They’ve been burning since step ten. We’re now on step one billion. I may die.” Unfortunately, my thighs weren’t the worst of it. A wheeze sounded in my throat, followed by a wet crackling in my chest.
“Evan?” Rowan’s humor vanished, and he flipped around.
“I’m—” Wheeze. “Okay.”
“Come here,” Maddox said before sweeping me up into his arms. He cradled me to his chest and kissed my hair. “I’ve got you.”
The curse of low stamina and weak lungs strikes again. Each day was better, but it’d be a while longer before I felt back to normal.
“Thanks.” I rested my head on his shoulder and worked on catching my breath. “I’m still not a damsel though.”
“Oh, absolutely,” he murmured against my ear. “You’re a mighty muffin lord.”
“Yep. Don’t ever forget it.”
He chuckled, low and gravelly.
Finally, after a thousand years, we reached the top of the stairs. Rowan pushed open the door and led us inside, still with an excited air about him. Moonlight came through the single window, illuminating enough of the dark room for me to make out the shapes of a wardrobe, a small table, and two beds.
“I share it with Draven.” Rowan glided his hand over a candle, lighting the wick with his magic. Another of his abilities. “Though I rarely sleep here. Mainly use it for naps between missions. I prefer being at home.”
Home. I loved hearing the word leave his lips so easily.
Lake padded over to the window and peered out, ears perking up. “I’ve never been so high up before.”
“Incredible, eh?” Rowan joined him at the window. It had a sill thick enough to sit on. Not that anyone in their right mind would ever— “I like to sit here like this.”
He sat on the ledge and dangled his legs over the side.
My stomach flip-flopped. No way in hell was I going near that window. From my spot in the room, I couldn’t even see trees, only sky. Meaning, we were higher than even the tallest trees in the surrounding forest.
No, thank you.
“Time for sleep.” Maddox placed me on the bed and brought my legs up, unfastening my boot laces.
“I’m not tired.”
“You need your rest, love.” Briar inspected the desk against the wall before dusting off the chair and taking a seat. “Morning comes early, followed by quite the long and eventful day.”
“Oh, right.” I blinked. “The ball’s tomorrow. I almost forgot.”
Fortunately, Prince Sawyer had arranged for me and Miles to be picked up and brought to the castle at first light, so I didn’t need to change our plans at all. It did little to ease my anxiety though.
“Do you think the mercenary will come here?” I wiggled on the mattress, too antsy to sit still. “Will the warding really stop him?”
“Breathe, Ev.” Callum sat on my other side and ruffled the top of my hair. The warmth of his palm calmed some of the anxious twists in my belly. “You think any of us will let anything happen to you?”
“I’m not worried about myself.” I dropped my gaze to the blanket. My sternum tightened when realizing it was one Lake had knitted. Rowan had brought it to the Tower. To have a piece of home with him when he was away? “If anything ever happened to any of you because of me, I’d…”
My vision blurred with tears.
