When he bites into his wrist, I shoot back up, ignoring the pain.
“Wait—”
“Heal.” He glares and it’s then I seemymate. A male who sacrificed everything he worked hard for—the coup, his control, his sanity—to rescue me.
Licking my lips, I lie back down. “You want to heal me with your blood?”
He nods, holding the wound over my back. Fee did tell me their blood could cure any aliment. I guess this beats trying to change dressings. When I sink into the mattress, he drips the blood over my back, strong lashes of pain lashing over me with each drop.
I shout into the pillow, holding the edges with as much strength as I can must. It’sexcruciating, feeling the pressure of something against my wounds. But then—thestitching. The skin is being pulled back together with such force, I feel the knitting, the fusing of muscle and skin at once. A needle drives between my muscles, hot flames licking the edges to seal them shut.
Panting, I gasp into the pillow. “Is this what you feel every time you heal?”
He grunts. I’ll take that as ayes.
It’s a slow process and he needs to apply his blood two more times before he deems me able to move. He carefully wipes my back with a wet rag, but I’m still sore, wincing with every touch.
Only when he thinks I’ve had enough, he stands, helping me along with him. He’s massive, hunching so as not to brush the ceiling. Above us is a reed covered roof, held up by mud brick walls. A simple dirt floor is beneath us and it smells of incense and tulips. A pleasant but unusual smell.
“Where are we?”
“Home,” Fee answers, coming through the wooden door, light shining overhead and below. She’s dressed in leathers but her hair is mussed, cheeks dirty. The Hadeon sits beside her, one mouth holding my necklace. “Our mother used this as a safe place. She left it to me when she died.”
Kaden stalks out of the room, steps rattling the walls as he moves. I look to Fee and strangely, she rushes to me, holding me still to inspect my back.
Cool fingers drift over my flesh before she sighs, relieved. Stepping away, she turns me around, lips twisting with worry. “You were in rough shape when Kaden found you. You needed to be healed.”
“What happened?” I glance to my mate, seeing him in the main area, more bodies and voices floating up in conversation. I can barely concentrate, my ears humming with magic. But it’s not just mine, there’s another source floating along with it—something wholly Kaden’s. “How do we fix it?”
“In order to get through to you, Kaden did what he thought was best.” She glances back, eyes guarded. “He sacrificed a part of himself so you’d live.”
“But we can reverse it.”
“The only one to ask is Uncle, and he’s not to be found.” She frowns. The worry in her words makes me shudder. “And there wasn’t much time to look for him when the guards rushed us out. Zelos had us locked in the dungeon after he took you.”
“And I was close to busting us out,” Reid interjects,rushing to hug me. He touches my back and I yelp, Kaden growling from the other room in warning. “Sorry! Sorry. I’m just glad you’re alive. We fought like hell to get to you.”
I pat his shoulder. “I know. I didn’t tell him anything.”
“We know.” He winks teasingly, though there are shadows under his eyes. He’s as unkempt as Fee. “If you had, we’d be dead, not simply sitting in a cell, collecting dust.”
Silently, the Hadeon deposits my crown on to the bed and I pet his head. I’m glad he’s here—safe.
“There’s someone you need to meet.” Fee grabs my elbow, escorting my hobbling frame into the main room. My dress hangs around my form, and Reid hands me a cloak to drape over my shoulders.
In the sitting room, there are various guards, some standing, others sitting, with more outside. Kaden stands in the corner, as if he needs to be far away from the chaos of the room. He probably does. His beast is temperamental, seeking blood and destruction whenever he can get it.
He must have some control, but not enough to chain the beast fully. But what is he enduring to just do this? My heart weeps for my mate.
“Your Majesty.” Zeke bows, dark hair sliding to cover his face. “We’re glad that you’ve awoken.”
Looking to Kaden, then Zeke, I smile tiredly, body stiff. Majesty is going to take some getting used to. “So am I.”
Glancing past him, there’s a man sitting at the table that pulls my attention. He’s nothing special to look at. He’s thin, with long fingers, pointed elbows and long purple-black locks. Black eyes look up at me and I still, something niggling at the back of my mind. A memory, a flash of something before it disappears into the abyss.
A rich laugh, then kind hands soothing a fever.
I know him. I just don’t rememberwhere.
