A knock sounded.
She crossed the room and opened the door, revealing the guy who gave her water. At eighteen or so, he towered over her. Heck, everyone in this place made her five-seven self feel like a midget.
He cast her a friendly smile, then hastily lowered his gaze. “My lady, I’m Severn. I came for your tray…and to check if you needed anything else?”
“Thanks, but I’m fine.” Leya stood aside. She had a feeling he’d tacked on the last bit after her not-so-warm welcome from Jisele. Not that it offended her. She was a stranger and, apparently, one of Lykon’s many lady friends. She sighed.
Severn crossed to the bedside table and picked up the tray. “Dinner is in an hour. I shall come up for you.”
And sit with the disapproving Jisele? No, thanks.
“No, I think I’m going to bed early. It’s been a long, tiring day. Is Lykon back yet?”
His blue eyes widened. “You are Lord Lykon’s female?”
Jesus.“I’m just a friend.”
He smiled as if he knew better. “He brings his lady friends here and disrupts Jisele’s schedule. But you are not like the others.” He frowned. “You aren’t nobility, are you?”
Jeez! Was her commoner birth tattooed on her forehead in this place?
“What do you mean?” she evaded, twisting her damp hair into a topknot and fastening it with the scrunchie.
“Most females, noble or not, come here trying to get closer to His Highness.” He picked up the tray. “But that won’t happen, not with his enforcers around. Lord Lykon is the buffer who keeps them away. Not like he complains.”
They had royalty in residence? She stifled another yawn, her head feeling like lead had settled in. Maybe she’d get a glimpse of this immortal prince before she left.
“Ave, my lady.” He dipped his head in farewell as he hustled for the door.
“It’s just Leya.”
He nodded and flashed her a quick smile before hurrying out.
She locked the door and shuffled back to the bed.
So, Aerén was an enforcer to this prince? Remembering how he fought with such deadly precision and that power of his, it made sense that the prince would want the best as his guard.
She collapsed on the bed, flexing her tingling fingers. Warm air drifted from the open window, making it too hot to climb under the covers. The sky remained an unsettling, burnt amber. Sleep hovered, but her mind remained too aware that she was with strangers, one of whom disapproved of her.
Strangers who were immortals…
Angels.
Just like Aerén.
And she was wide awake again.
Groaning, she pressed her face into her pillow and winced, her cheek hurting. Darn it, she’d left the healing ointment at Brenna’s home.
Sighing, Leya flopped on her back and stared through the window at the hellfire-orange sky—
Fire?
She scrambled out of bed and stumbled for the window. No, not an actual fire. Just the sky taking on hellish hues as it darkened further. A shiver coasted down her spine.
Man, with the way her life was spinning out of control, she prayed it wasn’t a portent of things to come, and that none of those dead spirits from the spooky forest had followed her here to haunt her.
CHAPTER13
