No reason to ask why. He may have suspected that Onyx was one of my fated mates before I’d told him the truth, but having it confirmed hit different. His lack of emotion earlier was proof. He had slapped on a mask to hide intense feelings—ones he didn’t want to show anyone, not even me.
“Did it help?” I asked. “The walk.”
Another soft glide of his thumb. “It did.”
Some of my worry trickled away. He knew the truth now, and while he seemed in his head over it, his behavior toward me was a good sign. I hadn’t lost him.
“Did you enjoy your time with the thief?”
I nodded. “We saw glowing fish in the pond. They—”
A cough broke off my words. Guess some of the heaviness in my chest throughout the night hadn’t just been from anxiety. My lungs weren’t happy.
“Here, love.” Briar handed me a cup of water he’d poured from the pitcher on the small table. He placed his hand on my chest. Heat radiated from his palm, soothing some of the crackling feeling in my lungs. “It won’t help much but should tide you over ’til morning at least.”
“Thanks, Doc.”
“Into bed,” he told me, then eyed Maddox. “You too.”
“Ordering me around, physician?” Maddox wrapped his arms around me and placed me into bed beside Lake.
“Someone has to.” Briar snapped his fingers and pointed to the spot beside me.
A tiny smile touched our captain’s lips as he obeyed.
“I can’t go to sleep yet,” I said with a yawn. “I stink.”
Maddox released a low chuckle and buried his face into my hair. “You smell fine to me. Like home.”
Pressure squeezed my heart, and an ache that had nothing to do with my cruddy lungs filled my chest. “I love you, big guy.”
“And I love you.” He pressed a soft kiss to the side of my head. “Nothing will change that.”
“Nothing?” I whispered, heart heavy. My nerves had been in turmoil since we’d returned from dinner: not knowing his true thoughts. Or if this would be the one thing to push him away. “Even if a certain demon lord is one of the seven?”
Maddox softly inhaled, as if breathing me in the same way I did to him and the others when I needed to ground myself. “Even then.”
It was the last thing I remembered before falling asleep.
Chapter Ten
A Meeting of Ice and Fire
A cold nose pressed to my cheek, pulling me from sleep. I cracked one eye and squinted at the bright light coming in through the tall window. Looked to be midmorning. An adorable face hovered inches from mine—piercing blue eyes and black fur.
“Hey, boy.” I petted Oreo’s ears and yawned. “When did you come back?”
He made a rough sound, like a softwoof.
“I don’t know what that means.” My lids fell closed again. A few more minutes of sleep wouldn’t hurt. The puppy licked my nose. I breathed out a laugh, taking the hint, and opened my eyes. “Okay, okay. I’m getting up.”
“Think again,” a raspy voice said from beside me. Rowan hooked his arm around my waist and dragged me back down to the mattress. He must’ve switched spots with Lake after I’d fallen asleep. Dark auburn hair fanned across his pillow, having been freed from the braid and golden cuff that usually kept it in place. “You’re stayin’ right where you are.”
“Oh yeah?” I smiled back at him. “You held me captive all night and you still want more.”
“I’m a selfish bastard, what can I say?” He nipped at my earlobe, then kissed the back of my neck, sliding his hand down my side.
Oreo growled at him.
