Surprise blooms across her face, as though it’s shocking that I possess any manners at all. I try not to be offended.
“Eat another piece of jerky. Then, sleep. I’ll take first watch.”
She ignores my instructions about eating and flops down on the blanket, curling into a ball, and promptly falling asleep.
I sweep the perimeter of our camp for as long as I can, scanning for approaching energy signatures, before fatigue weighs down my limbs. Unlacing my boots, I settle down on the opposite side of the blanket, grateful for my thick, fur-lined cloak.
I’ve barely closed my eyes when I hear it—clack, clack, clack. Her teeth are still chattering. I crawl over to her, andSkies, she’s shivering in her sleep, her lips a startling shade of blue.
I should’ve realized it’s far too cold for us to sleep apart, but why didn’tsherealize it? She’s the princess of fucking freezing cold Tundrayn, after all.
Maybe she did but was too afraid of me to say it.
“Mayah,” I whisper.
Nothing.
“Mayah,” I try again, louder this time. “You’re shivering. Come sleep beside me.”
That gets her attention. Her eyes snap open, already glinting with indignation.
“Absolutely … not.” Fuck, she can barely manage a coherent sentence.
“Don’t be difficult.”
“I’m not getting … anywhere … near … you.”
“Your teeth are literally chattering. Do you want to freeze to death? Or did they skip basic survival training at your precious palace?”
“I—I don’t…”
“Lightning strike me,” I swear under my breath. I don’t wait for permission. I gather her into my arms and drag her to my side of the blanket, cocooning her against me before covering us both with my heavy cloak.
Her frozen nose presses against my chest, its chill seeping through my thick shirt.
“You promised … not to … touch me,” she grumbles, words weighted with exhaustion.
“I take it back. I won’t touch you unless you’re about to die of your own idiocy.”
The fight drains out of her, and she burrows deeper into me. Skies, her breasts are pressed flush against my chest, the swells tantalizing me with their softness.
Fucking Skies, Zevayr, get a hold of yourself. Don’t make her feel more unsafe than she probably already does. It’s been far too long since I sought release, and now I’m struggling being near mybrother’s fucking betrothed.
“Can’t have the princess of Tundrayn dying on my watch.” She’s Tormik’s daughter. Faramir’s future wife.
“You said I was the princess of nothing,” she whispers into my chest. At least her teeth have stopped chattering.
“I’ve been known to be wrong once or twice,” I reply, but she’s already fallen asleep.
Chapter Eight
We’vebeentravelingforthree days.
Three painful days of walking in near silence.
I make a point to slow my pace to Mayah’s—I’ve noticed she’s colder without my radiating body heat.
I can’t resist goading her, though. Challenging her self-righteous perception of her kingdom. When she does speak, she doesn’t bother trying to conceal her disgust. I don’t blame her—I’ve done horrible things. Monstrous things. I’ve acted as Arbinj’s sword for over half my life—swinging where commanded, never questioning, always doing my duty. I can barely look at myself in the mirror sometimes.
