“Sounds better that way, doesn’t it?” He nudged me with his elbow. The castle bells chimed and Aegir shot to his feet. “Shit! I’m late, I have to go. But tomorrow, meet me at the southern gate at dawn,” he said, already rushing away.
“Aegir, wait!” I rose to my feet. He turned around. “Why?” I asked.
“Why what?”
“Why does one sip matter?”
He stared at me for a few long seconds, as if he wasn’t late at all, before replying, “Because—because it would mean that you have forgiven me. For my mistake.” He didn’t give me the chance to reply. “I really have to go. I’ll see you tomorrow morning. We’ll settle our bargain then.”
I just teared up, my lips fluttering as I let out a shuddery exhale. Even my skin flushed.He will heal her.Tomorrow. Gods, I was beyond myself with what felt like an explosive blanket of joy and hope. All this time I’d been worried about herhealth, her happiness. And now—now she had months’ worth of food and a healer who would mend her leg.Tomorrow.
I hugged her, sticky sand and all, and laughed into her neck. “Tomorrow,” I told her. “Did you hear me? Tomorrow, we’ll finally be free.”
CHAPTER 26
Ihad been tapping my foot and huffing and sighing for the past half an hour. And not because Aegir was late, but because I was early.
My belly felt like it held a kaleidoscope of butterflies against their will and they were threatening to rip out of me.
“If you keep tapping your foot like that, you’ll leave a hole in the floor,” Aegir said. I deflated at the sound of his voice.
He threw an apple at me. I handed it back. “I might throw up.”
“Looks like someone is overly excited.”
We exited through the southern gate. I whispered, “You have no idea. I tried convincing myself that someday I would find a way for her to be healed, but if I’m being truly honest, I never fully believed it myself.”
“Good thing you’re Lady Stonehead, then. You don’t give up easily.”
“Funny.”
“No, I’m serious. You’re capable of doing whatever you set your mind to. You know, Lady Wildheart is also very suitable.” I had always thought of my surname as a sort of irony—a joke. And here was the Prince of Silch, telling me that it suited me.
“What’s with all the names?” I asked.
“Well, it’s impossible to describe you in one word.”
“It’s impossible to describe anyone in one word. I think we are more complex than that.” I surely couldn’t describehimin one word.
“Going all smart on me now?”
I lifted my gaze and gave him a smug smile. “I’m going to take that as a compliment.”
“Today,” I whispered to Cinnamon, giving her the tightest hug.
Noticing a slight tremble in my hands, I hid them behind my back, just like Clara did whenever Mounir got close. Aegir placed a saddle on Cinnamon’s back and fastened its straps, then secured the girth and stirrups. He adjusted her bridle, then extended his arm towards me and asked, “Ready?”
My brows drew close. “Uh, shouldn’t you heal her leg first?”
“She’s healed.”
My lips wobbled. “What do you mean she’s healed?” I breathed. I knelt next to her leg, eyes blinking as I inspected every inch of it.
“I mean, her leg is working just fine. I healed her already.”
“Why didn’t you tell me yesterday?”
“Well, I guess it’s because…I’m selfish.”
