The no-nonsense look she flashed my way was distinctly like our mother’s.
“You do know I’m the oldest, right?” I said, putting a little amusement in my tone to distract her.
Eleanor rolled her eyes, then tugged me down onto the bed with her, flopping back against the smooth sheets. “Okay, tell me everything. I’ve been dying to know what’s going on.”
I told her about the trip into the forest. How my blood opened the cave. The inexplicable draw I’d had to the lamp. How no one could touch it but me. How Shade emerged from it when I bledagainst the metal. How hebowedto me. When I mentioned the three wishes, a lump caught in my throat.
“I was foolish, Eleanor. I believed there to be a curse, but the king lied. He only wanted access to Shade and the wishes.” I looked down at my lap, hands twisting at my failure to see the truth. “I’m sorry.”
“Why are you apologizing? It’s not your fault.”
I blinked through wet lashes and looked up at my sister. She didn’t understand, didn’t know what I was apologizing for.
Perhaps shewasready?
Then I recalled the carefree way she spent these past few days, the ease in which she trusted Harkin. She just turned eighteen and deserved to remain carefree a little while longer. I didn’t want to snuff out her sparkling lightness. The truth would burden her more than me. I didn’t want that. Not yet.
“I promised Mom I would keep you safe.” The only truth I could give her had her eyes rolling again.
“I’m not a child anymore, Lia. I can take care of myself.” She could, but that didn’t mean she had to. It was an argument we’d had too many times already. “So, the king’s wish, it was for an army I take it?”
I fell back against the bed, gazing at the blue canvas overhead. “Yes, but they only listen to me, they won’t take orders from anyone else. King Terym is working on a way to change that, he doesn’t want me to go to Yinora with them.”
Eleanor snorted and lay beside me, rolling her head to rest on my shoulder. “Of course not, you’re no soldier.” She shifted to lean her face over mine. “I can’t stress this enough; you aresonot made to fight.” Her lips twitched, and I shoved her back with forced laughter. She joined in as she fell into the lush blankets.
She joked about my aversion to violence, but she didn’t realize how wrong she was. I had fought before, fought for my life. Itwas what had come after that I despised. What had me shrinking away from the possibility.
When her chuckles died away, I asked, “What did you and Harkin get up to yesterday?”
Eleanor grinned, her eyes sparkling even more than they had a moment ago. “Spying on me?”
“Did you expect any different?” I teased, and she released another laugh, this one slightly giddy.This.This was why I couldn’t tell her the truth. She couldn’t lose this.
“No, definitely not.” She leapt from the bed, hauling me with her. “Come on. Harkin has lord things to do, so you’re stuck with me for the rest of the day.”
I released an exaggerated groan, dragging my feet, and my sister rolled her eyes. She knew I wouldn’t miss more time to spend with her, not with the last few days offering us so little time together as it was. She called out to the others, but only Shade entered. Wista and Meline begged off to complete their duties, and Pierce remained stationed outside the entry, insisting it was for her protection.
Eleanor had already convinced one of her other assigned guards to give up his cards, so she pulled them out, settling onto a chair at the small table. Shade declined when she offered to deal him in, so it was just the two of us.
We spent the rest of the afternoon catching up, playing cards, or reading quietly. Eleanor tried to coax Shade and Pierce to join us several times, but both declined. Instead, she tried to get Shade to talk to her. Unsurprisingly, he only offered a few one-word responses. Otherwise, he remained silent.
I could feel those gray eyes on me the entire time, never leery or uncomfortable. If anything, I felt seen in a way I never had before.
It had always been Eleanor. My parents. Our neighbors. Everyone drawn to the cheerful sweet girl, not her harsh oldersister. Compared to her, I was but a thorn beside a rose. I didn’t resent her for it. She deserved it, kind and caring to a fault. Always.
Eleanor left after our evening meal, and I didn’t need to ask Shade for privacy. When I went for my prepared bath, he occupied the place outside the entrance while I took my time in the warm water.
Despite not doing much all day, my legs ached, likely a result of the many steps I’d climbed the day before. Although the warm water was soothing, it wasn’t enough to dull the pain, so Wista had left a small bottle of oil to rub into my sore muscles when I was done.
I was sitting on the bed doing just that when Shade returned to the tent. I froze, and he halted in the entrance, eyes zeroed in on my exposed legs. My nightdress was pulled high, brushing the tops of my thighs and just covering the place between my legs.
Heat sparked in my chest, traveling lower and hotter the longer those swirling silver eyes were on me. Shade’s nostrils flared slightly, and understanding crossed his features.
“Your legs are sore.”
It wasn’t a question, but still, I responded with a quiet “Yes.”
He stalked forward, his gaze trapping me in place until he stood close enough to touch. “May I?” He gestured to the small bottle of oil, and I found myself nodding, not entirely sure what I was agreeing to.
