“Please do not tell anyone about her, she—she was supposed to be put down.”
His hand moved to her chest and she let herself sprawl onto her side, her head tilted carelessly on the floor.
Is she seriously—she lay herself before him like she was a godsdamned dog in heat!
“Are you going to propose a bargain now, for your secrecy?” I asked, my voice soft. I knew it was a perilous question but I would have rather bargained than risk her being exposed.
“As tempting as that sounds, I…willnot. For her sake, of course. She already has to endure your book-reading theatrics. I do not wish for her life to be any more miserable.”
My eyes burned at his comment.Miserable. Was that how she truly felt?
Lord Aegir must have glimpsed a reflection of my thoughts as he said, “I’m sure she’d rather be here than dead, Cordelia. I only meant miserable for having to listen to that story.”
I had no idea how much I needed to hear that first sentence. I wished he was right. I didn’t show him any of that, though.
“But I thought you said she couldn’t understand me.”
He stared at me for a while, then mumbled, “Clever.”
I admit to having found pleasure in using his own words against him. I was suppressing my lips from curling up but lost the battle against my facial muscles when his own curved into a canine-baring smile. I couldn’t keep his gaze when he stood—towering over Cinnamon’s limp body—yet I suspected that his forest green eyes lingered on the exposed skin of my legs, my neck.
I only lifted my face when he said, “I’ll leave you to it, then. Enjoy the rest of your…secret day off.”
He was about to exit the stable. “Wait.” He stopped. “At what time would you like to have breakfast tomorrow, Lord Hailin?”
He looked at me from over his shoulder and said, “Well, after whatever time you are finished from your morning duties here, of course.”
I should have been afraid. I should have been petrified that he’d found out about her. But he had kept his word so far, and for that I found myself giving him a lash-batting smile.
CHAPTER 12
It had already been two weeks since the discovery of my secret mare, and it remained a secret still. Now shared between two, instead of one. Technically, it wasn’t just one secret. It wasabig secret composed of many little ones.
I knew Cinnamon could weave her way into the heart of anyone who could see what a precious creature she truly was. Even one made of ice. Aegir asked about her well-being every day.
My replies were often tainted with uncertainty. The arnica and peppermint did help, but that didn’t mean she was immune to flare-ups. Which was why I never pushed her, lest I set her back.
I tiptoed around my bed and hoisted my bag, careful not to wake Nadya. My breath hitched when I opened my bedroom door, confusion taking over my face. Aegir stood in the doorway. I looked up.
What the?
Closing the door behind us, I whispered, “What are you doing down here? Do you need something?”
“My men and I are leaving for Dunehaven.” He also whispered.
“Do you need me to get you breakfast now?” I asked.
“No, I want you to come with us.”
“What? For how long?”
“A week, nine days max.”
“Nine days? No, I cannot leave for that long…because of you-know-who.”
“I cleared it last night with Mounir; he already knows you’ll be joining me.”
“It’s not because of him, it’s because ofCinnamon.” I only mouthed her name.
