One of the pups yelps, so I sit up.
Go to bed.
Hati glances back at me and tilts her head. I haven’t used my bond with the pups often, but by the confusion on Hati’s face, I’m sure she’s heard me.
All of you, I say to the others. The four pups watch me, their dark eyes gleaming with mischief before one by one they move to the bathing chamber where we’ve arranged beds for them. Ruse and Alaric have been back, mostly so Ruse can feed the puppies. But they insist on keeping watch, sleeping outside the Jade Guild.
“That was impressive,” Sorin says.
I lay back down and curl into his side. “You’re awake?”
“Trying my best not to be, but your puppies were making that rather difficult.”
“They’re not my puppies.”
“Aren’t they?” His lips brush the top of my head.
The fire crackles and soon the yips and grumbles of the pups in the other room fade. I pull myself up so that Sorin and I are facing each other. He stares at me, his eyes dipping to my lips. The slivers of moonlight cast shadows over his face, sharpening his features.
“What is it?” I ask.
“Twenty-six.” He kisses my forehead.
“What?”
He brushes the hair from my shoulders. “You have twenty-six freckles across your nose.”
My stomach flips and mouth drops open. “You counted?” I laugh as I push his chest. “When?”
He shrugs. “Haven’t been sleeping well.” He grabs my hand and draws me closer to him. “Too distracted.” His lips brush against mine, settling that ball of nerves bouncing around inside of me. He guides me back down so I’m resting against his chest again.
“We haven’t talked about Galen,” I say, keeping my voice low. Deciding to test that thread after all.
Sorin’s breathing falters under me for a moment before his hands graze my back. “That’s because, like Sam, I still can’t believe it.” His arms tighten around me. “Maybe I don’t want to believe it.” His heartbeat quickens, pressed against me. “So many times he looked me in the eye over the years, promising the same vengeance I sought from Silas.”
He takes a long breath, his arms loosening. “When Silas died, and I swore off my hope of going to Valebridge, Galen and my friendship only grew stronger. And now maybe I know why.”
I stroke a piece of hair off of his forehead.
“Maybe because it was then he didn’t see me as a threat to his hidden plans. He knew I had no intention of returning to Valebridge.” He kisses my forehead. “Until I met you, and you reminded me…” He sighs. “You reminded me that there’s so much more than what’s right in front of me.”
I prop myself up on an elbow to look at him. “You reminded me of that, too. Made me see past my own selfishness.”
He smiles, but it’s half hearted. Tired.
“I really am sorry, Sorin. About all of it. Galen, Loxley.”
He swallows but says nothing and I know that feeling all too well. When the truth is more painful than the wound.
“I’ve been betrayed before,” he says. “My father didn’t want me the moment I was born, but eventually you learn to live with the fact that your first breaths were filled with the disappointment of others.” He smiles again, but there’s nothing happy about it. Shadows dance across his tan skin from the fireplace. “My mother’s love was more than enough, then Agnes and William took me in without question, andtheirlove was so overwhelming I forgot what it was like for a long time to be the disgraced bastard son of the king.”
“There is nothing disgraceful about you.” I kiss his lips.
“There is,” he says. “And I’m coming to accept those parts of myself. But Galen—” He closes his eyes. “I can’t stop thinking… not about what he did to me, but what he did toyou.”
My stomach clenches, phantom aches pinging my sides where the bruising has healed.
“I think I could live with his betrayal,” he continues, “but I’ll never forgive him for hurting you. For hurting Loxley.”
