At my nod, she inclined her head, glancing at Isi again, before slipping out into the hall.
When the latch clicked shut, my mask slipped. The fury I’d been holding inside roared to the surface, eager to break free. The only thing keeping it contained was the woman in my arms.
I looked down at her again. The blanket had shifted, baring her neck to the air. I adjusted it, smoothing the fabric over her, brushing a lock of hair from her temple. I slipped my fingers into her hair, the silk catching on my callouses.
“You’ll wake,” I said softly. “You have to. I didn’t carry you all the way from the inn just for you to prove me wrong.”
I’d stand guard over her until the world forgot her name, as long as it meant she stayed safe.
Kings guarded kingdoms. I guarded her.
The fates help anyone who tried to take her from me. Because I’d already decided. My reign, my crown, my life—none of it mattered half as much as the rise and fall of this woman’s lungs.
Her breathing shifted. It was subtle, only a slightly deeper pull of air, followed by a longer exhale. I gazed down at her face. Her lashes fluttered, and her eyes opened. She blinked up at me.
Relief hit me so fast I couldn’t suck in a breath.
Her unfocused gaze found mine. Surprise flickered there, at me and at the position she was in.
“You’re awake,” I said, my voice sounded nothing like a king’s.
She blinked again, her frown deepening. “Why am I…” She glanced down at my arm under her knees, my hand cupping her hip. “In your arms?”
“Because I brought you to the healers. I’ve held you since.”
“Healers…”
I could see when she remembered the tavern. The wine.
Heat flared through me, so sharp the torches near the bed hissed.I let my magic simmer under my skin this time, not bothering to hide it.
“Maddox will never touch you again.” My voice came out quiet, which made the words worse. “I’ll see to that.”
Her lips parted before she compressed them into the stubbornness I knew too well. “No.”
I stilled. “Why the fuck not?”
She rolled her eyes, and I was grateful she was well enough to argue with me about this.
“I…” Her gaze flicked to mine before skittering away. “Thank you. I remember you coming to the inn. Saving me.”
“He will not touch you again. I swear it.”
Her nod told me she accepted what came out like a demand but was more a plea. “I need to deal with him myself. Do you understand?”
“You can fight your own battles,” I said. “But you’ll never fight them alone. Not while I breathe.”
Her chin tipped up, and I hated that she was still as pale as marble. “While I appreciate the offer, I don’t want you avenging me like I’m a damsel.”
“You’re no damsel,” I said. “You’re trouble wrapped in silk and steel. But he tried to hurt what’s mine.”
Her brows lifted. “Yours?”
I met her gaze without flinching. “Yes. Mine.”
A faint flush rose in her cheeks, but her mouth remained as stubborn as ever. “That doesn’t mean you get to kill him for me.”
“Doesn’t it?” I ran a fingertip along her jaw, tracing the faint edge of color there. “If you think I’m standing by while he breathes the same air as you, you haven’t been paying attention.”
