I took that as a small victory. “What has my kitten all perturbed, anyway?” I teased, hoping to distract Selene from the spiral she had been slipping into.
She growled playfully in return, squeezing me a little too tightly. “Careful, pet, cats have claws,” she warned and began to tickle me. Even with a blanket between us, her agile fingers managed to find my ribs.
I squirmed and squealed with laughter, the sound filling the small space. I tried to block her attack, but all I could do was twist in her hold.
“I give up! I give up!” I laughed, tears running down my cheek. “Selene,” I whined, trying to suck in a breath between my laughter, “Stop, you’ll wake everyone up!” I pleaded, attempting to reason with her as she continued her attack.
“I’m not making a sound,” she argued, as her fingers continued their assault.
“What do you want?” I begged, trying desperately to be quiet, but peals of laughter kept bubbling out of me. I kicked my legs out, accidentally kicking Selene in the process, but she didn’t care, and her attack continued.
“What do I want?” she asked, slowing her fingers and allowing me to catch a breath. “I want my little pet to stop being so naughty and disrespectful,” she told me.
I blushed at her choice of words, like I was a misbehaved child she couldn’t help but find endearing. I didn’t respond and instead turned offended from her.
But I quickly relented the moment it seemed that her tickle attack would resume. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’ll behave!” I promised, laughter bubbling out of me already in anticipation of a new tickle attack.
The tickling stopped, but her hands stayed dangerously around my ribs. “Hmm,” she hummed before slowly moving her hands away from my sides. “Okay, now come,” she instructed as she began helping to manoeuvre me back into a comfortable position in her lap. “Are you still cold?” she asked.
“No,” I exhaled, catching my breath. The excitement had warmed me up; my cheeks were flushed, my heart was still calming down.
“Good,” she said, and I felt her lips press against my head.
A few peaceful minutes passed between us before I broke the silence.
“What happened before,” I began, “It can’t happen again, Selene. None of it. I need to be able to trust you—no more lies and secrets. No more using me like I’m nothing more than your blood slave,” I told her quietly and felt her become still.
“Percy,” she began and stopped. I saw her throat move as she swallowed. “My love, I swear there was no other choice. I could think of no other way to prove your innocence. I never intended to put you in any true danger. Never.” She cleared her throat.
“Minerva came to me this morning—or rather yesterday morning—with threats that I could not alone protect you from,” she paused, squeezing me tighter, her voice wavering as she continued, “I panicked. I made a rash decision without proper thought or full consideration. For that, I apologise. I have never known anything more challenging than remaining calm when it comes to you, my pet.”
“As for the feeding,” she murmured, dipping her head to gently kiss one of her bruised bites. I whined at the sting, “Another mistake on my part. I hadn’t eaten for more than three days, and I should not have fed from you while so hungry and emotionally exhausted. Do you forgive me?” she asked, placing another light kiss against her bite, and another at the corner of my jaw below my ear.
I exhaled a shaky breath. “What threats?” I asked instead of offering immediate forgiveness. I wanted to forgive her—more than anything, I wanted to go back two days and never agree to that magic lesson with Ana and Heidi. I could be a useless flower girl, tending to one garden at a time forever, and none of this would have happened.
Selene growled. “To disclose the incident—formally—before the Royal Conference,” she answered.
“I don’t understand?” I said. How did such a threat lead to her betraying me in such a way? It wasn’t exactly a secret—not really. It all happened quite publicly, and while Selene had ordered silence, rumours would spread.
“No House would be safe for you. Everyone with any title of power would demand your death—especially given the nature of what you did. If she were to formally announce her suspicions, we would have no allies,” Selene explained.
“I am the Princess. I am a Marchioness. But I am just one person. I have my Royal Guard, but they would not last long against the full forces of all the Houses of the Borealis kingdom. Truly, I don’t yet have a plan for how we tackle the truth—which is perhaps much worse. Every moment, every breath since the unveiling of your novel ability, I have been plagued with the need to protect you from the consequences of such a power.”
I heard her breath rattle in her chest and glanced up to see her chin quiver—her silver eyes beginning to glow.
I turned in her arms, cupping her face in my hands, and saw her eyes glisten with unshed tears.
“Selene,” I whispered, unsure of what to say, a lump forming in my own throat.
“I’ve never known such fear. Not even on the night of the Summer Ball,” she said in the lowest of whispers, if I weren’t but a quarter inch from her lips I wouldn’t have heard her.
“I,” I began but she shook her head.
“Do you forgive me?” she asked bluntly, and I nodded. “We will not speak of it anymore tonight,” she commanded, and cleared her throat.
I nodded and released her face, turning back to rest my head against her chest again. I had never imagined Selene truly afraid or capable of panic like anyone else.
In my mind, Selene she was power and control, above such things as unhelpful emotions like those of ordinary people. Sure, she suffered from her instincts—possessive, controlling, and domineering—but otherwise she was unshakable.
