The voice was raspy and rough, as if sleep had become a distant memory.
I knew that voice.
“Ryker?”
The mattress dipped beside me, and I felt the heat of his presence before I saw him. My vision sharpened, taking in the sharp angles of his face, the shadow of stubble across his jaw. His dark eyes searched mine with an intensity that made my chest tighten.
“You’re awake.”
It wasn’t a question, but something fragile lingered in his tone, as though he feared I might slip away again.
I tried to sit up, but my muscles locked as my joints screamed in protest. I inhaled a sharp breath, and Ryker’s hand found my shoulder, steadying me.
“Don’t move.” His command was soft, but desperation curled the edges. “You’ve been unconscious for three days.”
Three days.
The words hit me like icy water. Flashes of memory rushed back: the trials, the searing pain, the way everything went white and then black. I shook my head, forcing my eyes to focus, taking in the unfamiliar room.
The walls, though uneven with the charm of old craftsmanship, were warm and inviting. Their wooden texture glowed in the filtered light, giving the space a quiet serenity, as if they had absorbed years of peace and whispered memories.
A single window framed the golden morning, casting sun-dappled patterns across the floor. Everything was small, close, intimate, but not confining. Rather, it was comforting.
“Where —” my voice cracked. I swallowed hard before trying again. “Where are we?”
“My mother’s cottage. She used to bring us here as children to escape the enormity of the palace.” Ryker’s eyes softened, warmth flickering in them as though he was remembering something that once made him whole.
But the softness vanished as quickly as it appeared, replaced by that familiar wall of controlled indifference.
“Odette wasn’t sure if you would wake up.” His jaw clenched as he studied me. “Your body went into shock. All the injuries you sustained in the trials, coupled with the poison…”
His voice trailed off, unable to finish his sentence.
“I’m fine.”
“Fine?” He let out a bitter laugh. “Cadence, you were convulsing. Your heart stopped beating.”
Ryker shook his head, then he slipped his arms beneath me, gently flipping me over and helping me sit against the headboard. It was then that I realized I wore nothing but my skin. Ryker’s gaze lingered on my exposed breasts, and I grabbed the sheet to cover myself.
“That’s what you’re worried about?” he said, a chuckle lacing his words.
“What happened after…” I waved my hand over my body, as if that was explanation enough.
“Once Odette finished working on you, I slipped into the shadows and brought you here. I didn’t want to stay within the palace while you were so weak. I couldn’t risk anything happening to you.”
Ryker pursed his lips as though he was trying to contain his anger.
“And Callum?”
“He will be fine. My brother is watching him.”
I nodded, trusting Riordan to keep him safe.
Ryker’s earlier words came back to me. We were at his mother’s cottage. Just the two of us. No servants, no guards, no nosy courtiers. The intimacy of it should have terrified me, but something deep in my chest unfurled.
When my gaze returned to Ryker’s, I found him already staring at me.
“And the baby?” My throat thickened with emotion as I held my breath, waiting for his response.
