He nodded.
The fire flickered in her pupils as she watched it in silence a moment. “No,” she finally said.
“Who were you thinking of when I asked about the ritual?”
“Not entirely sure you’ve earned that bit of information,” she said, a twinge of banter in her tone.
He shifted to look back at her. “Tell me it isn’t Beron.”
She rolled her eyes and shoved his shoulder. “No. Not that oaf. He’s pretty to look at but a damn idiot. I’d rather be challenged,” and her eyes met his. “On every front. Mind, body, and core.”
“A lot to ask of one person,” he bantered.
“It’s a good thing we’ve found two then.”
Corbin’s snore rattled beside them, and together they chuckled at the timing. Heat rose on his chest and cheeks at the words she’d just said, and it made his heart knot. He sighed his head against her as she wrapped her arm tighter around his shoulders.
Her lips pressed to his cheek. “She’s okay, Dorian,” she whispered. “You’re okay.”
And hearing her reassurance caused emotion to burn behind his nose and eyes.
He didn’t respond. But he kissed her arm and squeezed her hand, and he relaxed into the comfortableness of her grasp.
She fell asleep wrapped around him, and it was all Dorian could do not to break in her arms.
CHAPTER SIXTY
THE SINKING OF the bed was uncomfortable around Nyssa’s body.
Plush blankets and pillows made her feel as though she were dreaming. She thought if she allowed herself to enjoy it, she would wake back at camp. The one time she'd tried to sleep on the floor, she'd woken up screaming.
Since that night, her eagle had rested with her and Nadir and Lex would both come in to check. The first night she fell asleep without the tonic, Nadir had burst into the room after she'd started screaming. He'd held tight around her until she calmed, and Nyssa had cried into his chest.
Everything she'd held in during her entrapment came to the surface within those first few days. Every scream and terror. Every pain. It was like her body needed to evacuate the feelings now that she was in a safe place. Or perhaps it was that she'd let down all her barriers, and she couldn't find the walls to put them back up.
She was exhausted, her throat scratchy, and she felt even worse for Nadir and Lex. Especially Nadir. Sometimes when she would wake out of nightmares, she would find him holding her to keep her from writhing, and tears would be streaked on his cheeks. She had told him he didn't need to come in every time, as she was more worried about hurting him than she was bringing herself out of the dreams. But he refused to listen, and after a week, she had surrendered to simply letting him sleep with her the entire night.
At least she hadn't burned or tried to kill him again.
A true gentleman, Nadir had not tried to move on her. He would kiss her forehead or her shoulder, hold her against him, but he did not push. She was grateful. She wasn't even sure how to love herself right then. Wasn't sure that this was actually her reality around her and that she had not slipped fully into that void. She knew she needed time to acclimate back into herself and remember she was safe at the Umber and not still in Man's grasp.
Nyssa couldn’t stop staring at the ceiling.
Her eagle laid in the bed by her side then, curled up beneath her arm since Nadir had gone to get breakfast. Her eyes closed as the great bird nudged her arm, a chortle-like purr emitting from his throat.
You should go find yourself breakfast, she told him.
When he returns, he promised.I can feel your bones.
I think they want to release from my body.
It is the remaining shadows of your fire. They are still working out of your core.
I’m not sure I understand.
Her eagle looked up just as a great shadow pulsed over the shack.
What was that?she asked him.
