“I'm not a Raltven.”
“No, but after I kissed you in front of everyone, you gained our protection, and I was the one who called for help.”
“Truly?” Cyn grinned. “One kiss was all it took?”
“It was an incredible kiss.”
His expression went tender. “Yes, it was.”
I sat up again. “I need to see the body.”
“Later.” He pushed me back against the pillows. “First, you need to rest. Here, let me tide you over until the water arrives.”
Cyn focused on my lips, and moisture gathered on them. I sighed as the water seeped into my dry mouth, then swallowed. I stared up at him in amazement. The King was magically quenching my thirst. I swallowed again, then lifted my hand to stop him.
“You are wondrous,” I whispered.
Before he could reply, a knock came at the door.
“It's nothing. A bit of magic, that's all.” He kissed me, then hurried to the door and opened it for the servant who pushed in a cart laden with carafes of water and covered trays of food.
My heart sank as I looked at it. “Shit. I can't eat any of that. Someone could have poisoned it.”
“It's not,” a Dragon knight said as he entered the room. “Sir Kren and I watched as the cooks prepared it. I assure you, it's safe to consume.”
“Thank you, Sir Drasik,” Cyn said. “I didn't even think of that.”
“Your thief has earned our respect, Your Majesty.” Sir Drasik bowed and left the room with the servant.
I transferred my wide-eyed stare to the King. “I'm respected by Dragons?”
Cyn grinned and pushed the cart to the side of the bed. “You already had my respect. Isn't that worth more than a knight's?”
“Sure, but you had damn well better respect me after I made your eyes roll back in your head.”
The Dragon King chuckled, then handed me a glass of water. “If that were the case, whores would be respected more than kings.”
“Whores are respected more than kings where I come from.”
“Are you trying to trick me into saying something bad about the Forgotten?”
“You meanagain?” I gulped the water, then sighed. His magic had helped, but it wasn't the same as gulping down a glass of water. “No, I'm just teasing you.”
Cyn scooped food onto a plate from the array of dishes, then scooted back onto the bed beside me with it. “Give me your glass.”
“No! I'm not finished.” I took the plate with my free hand and set it on my lap, then gulped more water. “Whatever your mage gave me, it dehydrated the fuck out of me.”
“Ru,” the King's voice went tender.
“Yes?”
“Thank you for saving my life.”
“You meanagain?” I grinned.
Cyn burst out laughing, then said, “Yes, I mean again.” Then he sobered and added, “You nearly died to save me this time.”
“I nearly died last time too.” I winked at him.
