Her breathing gradually steadied, though each inhale still sounded labored. “Why did you do that?”
“Do what?”
“Help me.”
Her eyes filled with tears once more, and she lifted her hand to her face as she swiped them away. “I have been awful to you. I’ve given you every reason to hate me, so why would you put yourself at risk for me?”
Her question caught me by surprise. Truth be told, I hadn’t paused long enough to consider the ramifications. I saw she needed help, and I acted.
“Enemy or ally, it doesn’t matter. He had no right to lay his hands on you.”
Celeste swallowed thickly, and she flinched from the pain. “Thank you. But you shouldn’t have intervened. He’ll make you pay for this. Make us both pay.”
“Can you stand?” I asked, ignoring her warning.
This time, she managed a small nod, and I helped her to her feet. She swayed as she straightened, but I caught her by the elbow to balance her. Her breathing was still labored, but the color was returning to her face.
“I’ll take you to the healers’ wing.”
We walked in silence as we traversed the winding hallways. Celeste’s whole body quivered, and she appeared lost in thought. When we reached the doorway that would lead us to the healers, she stopped, her arm darting out to grab me.
“It wasn’t true. What my uncle said.”
Seeing the confusion written all over my face, she sighed and ran her fingers through her hair.
“I never slept with Ryker.” She peered up at me from under her lashes. “You’re the only one he sees.”
I nodded, unsure how to feel about her admission.
On one hand, it was intoxicating to have caught a monster’s attention, to know he was so enraptured with me that he saw no one else.
But belonging to a monster didn’t equate to love. Ryker only understood obsession, and sooner or later, that obsession would destroy us both…if it hadn’t already.
Clearing my throat, I said, “Do you want me to come with you?”
Celeste shook her head, and the silence stretched between us, creating an awkward sort of tension.
“I should —”
“I’ll just —”
We both exhaled a laugh.
“Thank you,” Celeste said.
I gave her a warm smile and then headed on my way.
I wasn’t sure what exactly, but something had shifted between us. We weren’t friends, we weren’t even allies, but we were no longer enemies.
And for now, that would do.
Chapter Forty-Four
Cadence
The moment I crossed the threshold of Ryker’s chambers, I saw him.
Alive. Unharmed. Smiling like a lunatic.
