I looked at him in astonishment as he swung to his feet and propelled me forward with a gentle shove.
“Go eat,” he said gently.
Still in shock, I sat at the table. Griff pulled out the chair at the end and shoved the tray toward me. As the smell of freshly cooked food overwhelmed me, I realized I was ravenous. I started shoveling it into my mouth, swallowing before I realized what I was eveneating. The tray was piled high with cheese, cured meats, and fruit—all of my favorites.
“How did you know?” I asked him around a mouthful of dried apricot.
He looked entirely too at home in my living room, with his feet propped up on the chair next to him. “I’ve been in my fair share of long council meetings. They never seem to remember that food is a necessity, and maybe people would be a bit more amicable if they were fed.”
I’d meant how did he know my favorite foods? But I let it go for now.
“And how was our illustrious council?”
I huffed. “Just the same damn things over and over. No one has any idea how to fix the Veil and they’ve put all their eggs in one basket—me. Because some preordained prophecy told them I’m supposed to.”
“I’ve always thought putting all your stock in destiny was the wrong way to go,” Griff mused. “There should be a choice involved, rather than blindly following some supposedly fated path.”
“Zachariah does not agree with that sentiment. I may have told him to go fuck himself,” I added sheepishly.
He snorted with laughter. “I would have given anything to see that.”
I felt an answering grin spread over my face. “He wasn’t pleased.”
Still chortling, he rose and reached for the tray. “I’m guessing that’s an understatement. Have you had enough?”
I nodded and leaned back as he cleaned up everything, packed the tray, and placed it outside the door to be picked up by the staff. I copied his position from earlier and propped my feet up on a chair, groaning a bit as I stretched. He paused behind me, then his hands came to my shoulders, digging into the aching muscles. I leaned into the massage, letting my thoughts wander and become fuzzy. He really was talented with his hands, somehow finding all the right spots, working out the knots. He gently pressed on the back of myhead, tilting it down to give him better access to my neck and shoulders.
“Better?” His breath skirted over my ear.
“Mmhmm.”
“Then go get ready and come to bed.”
He didn’t mean that how it sounded, did he?
I didn’t know if I actually believed he’d meant what he’d told Finn about us only being friends. But at the same time, I couldn’t get it out of my head. And how much it had hurt to hear him say that. I was loath to bring it up only to find out that he truly had meant it and I’d ruined everything.
So fuck me.
I hurriedly did as he’d said, finishing my nighttime routine in record time. I couldn’t meet his eyes as I came into the bedroom, where he was lounging in my bed, reading his book. I crawled in, strictly staying on my side, then waved the light out and put my back to him.
He set down his book and turned onto his side. “Night, Princess.”
“Night, Griff. And?—”
“Don’t mention it,” he murmured as he came a bit closer and wrapped his arm around my waist.
I stiffened for a second, unsure what to do with him actively breaking the distance between us, before giving in and settling into his warmth.
“I’m here if you need me.”
I closed my eyes, feeling his hard chest supporting my back, and finally let myself acknowledge that these days, the only time I felt safe was in his arms.
And with that thought, and our hearts beating in time, I fell asleep.
“You think this shall protect you?”
The voice came from everywhere and nowhere, sliding down my spine like ice water. I closed my eyes in resignation, but that only made it worse, for behind my lids I could see them—my people. All of them screaming as the darkness consumed them, their eyes fading to black, their souls corrupted.
