I didn’t need my gift to know he felt the same.
I didn’t need my gift to know that love would be there always. Thatthiswas permanent.
There was much that needed to be said between us. But in that wonderful moment, I simply looked at him and I knew that everything would fall into place. He’d told me to have faith.
Now I finally did.
* * *
The restof the afternoon was spent in my bed. Though I’d been eager to rise, to get some fresh air, my mother fretted over me, feeding me until I was full, and keeping me to my bed to regain my strength. She’d nearly fallen into hysterics when I’d risen to bathe and my knees had buckled briefly.
My family remained there with me for the entirety of the day. And Davik as well, though he kept out of the way, his nearly silent presence in thevolikias he watched me making my family a little wary and nervous. Davik was intimidating. There was no doubt about it. But my brothers, as overprotective as they’d always been, had seemed to come to terms with him being there…or perhaps they were just frightened of his constant scowl, or the scars lining his flesh, or the fact he was almost twice their size.
By the end of the evening, I was itching with restlessness and I wanted—and needed—to be alone with Davik. We hadn’t been alone since I’d woken. We hadn’t been alone since before he’d left for the Dead Mountain.
“Has avolikibeen prepared for you?” I asked them.
Mamanhesitated and then said, “Yes. We are staying in one together for now.”
I nodded, my gaze straying to Davik again. He was standing, his arms crossed over his chest, near the entrance of thevoliki, where he’d been nearly all day, as if heknewhow much I needed my family close to me. He didn’t want to interfere, though I wanted him next to me.
“Will you…”Mamanasked before starting again, “Will you be staying with us there?”
I looked at her, noticing that Davik seemed to tense at her words, noticing that Maxen, Eli, and Viola’s eyes were on me, anticipating my answer. I felt a little guilty at the question. I had just been reunited with my family—the one thing I’d wanted and craved and thought about since we’d been separated by the Ghertun. I shouldwantto spend every last moment I could with them.
But I had a male now too. A horde king with red eyes and a deep scar down his cheek that he still hadn’t told me about. A horde king who loved me, as I loved him.
“No, my place is with him,” I told her, catching my siblings’ eyes too. Something like…understanding seemed to dawn in my mother’s gaze. “But I’ll see you in the morning. Bright and early.”
Maman’slips lifted slightly, just a small curl at the corner.
“Are—are you sure, Vienne?” Viola asked quietly. She had barely looked at Davik, had actively tried not to. My gut churned, thinking about everything she’d experienced under the Dead Mountain, and I knew where her hesitation, her fear for me, lay.
“Yes,” I said, catching Davik’s gaze, reaching out to squeeze Viola’s hand. “I am certain. I’ll see you in the morning.”
Mamanreached out to cup my face, brushing her thumb over my cheek. “All right,mon coeur. Sleep well.”
We said our goodbyes for the night. Maxen and Eli left first, inclining their heads at Davik, who regarded them silently as they left. Viola exited next, though she kept her head down, her pace seeming to quicken as she passed him. As for my mother, she stopped briefly when she reached him, reaching out her hand to place it on his forearm.
“Thank you,” was what she told him, a brief silence stretching between them as they regarded one another.
Finally, Davik inclined his head to her. This was uncharted territory for him but he was trying.
Mamanpatted his arm, looking over her shoulder at me one last time…then she smiled and left thevoliki. Outside, I heard them all, speaking quietly, their footsteps retreating, no doubt heading to their own home for the night.
Then my gaze went to Davik, saw that his was already on me.
We were finally alone.
Chapter Fifty-Two
“Get me out of this bed please,” myleikavipleaded softly.
“If your strength was returned to you,rei kassiri,” I rasped, uncurling myself from my place at the entrance, “then I would not allow you to leave it.”
Her cheeks flushed at my words, her gaze almost shy as she watched me stalk towards her.
Thousands of emotions welled up within me. For so long, I had only kept rage and anger close to me, fueling me through this life. Now, I didn’t know what to do with the others. I didn’t know how to handle them barricading themselves in my chest.
