There was a small, practical three-drawer vanity in the corner of the room where I set myself up to write Asterie.
He glanced over my shoulder for a moment before settling on the bench at the foot of the bed. I pretended he wasn’t there.
Gathering the parchment and ink, I noticed a crystal decanter of port and a glass on the desk. Might as well ease my nerves and headache. I poured myself a glass; my hands were still shaky, and I spilled some on the page.
“Shit...” I wiped it away with my palm.
I wouldn’t worry Asterie with what had happened or what I’d just agreed to. The letter was vague but reassuring.
It isn’t as awful as I imagined—charming even.
I ended the short letter with a promise to see them soon.
P.S. I have negotiated with King Prick to allow you and Fen to Egress in for weekly dinners so that I can advise you. More importantly—to speak amongst friends. I will send word when the Egress is built.
That was as much as I was comfortable sharing on paper.
“Your hands are shaky...were the vials some sort of drug you’re withdrawing from?” His shadow covered the page as he hovered behind me.
“For Sources’ sake, since when did you grow so fucking chatty?”
“Charming language.”
I snapped, “Then leave me alone if you don’t want to hear it.”
When I glanced over my shoulder, his jaw was tight. But the flicker of mischief in his iron eyes told me he had been ribbing me.
“Glad to see you’re in such a great mood. Now, seriously”—I shooed him toward the door—“I need to change.”
To my surprise, he listened. I looked back down at the page and began to fold it.
“You should go back to sleep, Sybilla. It was a long night,” he said, still leaning in the doorway.
Why was that oddly alluring?
His tone quickly changed from light to grave again when he added, “And you have men to question this afternoon.”
He didn’t wait for my response before closing the door.
Though I hadn’t meant to, I did end up back in bed.
I’d fallen asleep over the covers and awoke hugging a pillow. I hated admitting that the pillowcases smelled divine—like warm spice and smoke. It was an erotic scent that I would happily bathe in.
The weight of another on the bed next to me shifted my hip. I gasped, shooting upright.
“Woah, now,” Elsedora soothed. “I’m sorry to wake you. It’s past noon.”
She knelt on the bed beside me, hands clasped in her lap, looking like the saddest puppy I’d ever seen. Big hazel eyes glistened as she took in the ring of bruising on my neck.
I didn’t love being inspected for cracks, like a fine vase.
“Stop staring at me like that.”
“Ileftyou—and then you were attacked.”
Lying back on my elbows, I narrowed my gaze at her. “You’re right...I’m unhappy you left me in that pub to fend for myself. But what happened last night had nothing to do with that.”
She shook her head. “I will work on being a better friend.”
