“Coffee, please, my sweetling.”
That washes the look away and I grin.
My arms wrap around him from behind once I approach him. A minuscule twitch races over his skin and into my cheek, but then his back expands.
His body slumps and loosens up with his exhale.
“Someone’s happy this morning,” he grumbles as he turns in my arms.
He tangles his fingers into the back of my hair, and I hold my breath as he pulls me close. The brief little peck he gives me isn’t nearly enough, but I decide not to push it since I have the intention of putting them all in their place as soon as they’re all in here.
“I am. Where are Amick and Kyzen?”
“Amick’s in the shower. Kyzen isn’t up yet.”
Sourness fills my stomach as my head jerks toward his door.
“What do you mean he isn’t up yet?”
“I guess he slept in today.”
I want to punch the shit out of him when he shrugs and turns back to the kettle. I’m almost out of the kitchen before he grips my hand and attempts to stop me.
“Let him be. He needs some good sleep.”
“Good sleep, my ass, Creed. This is Kyzen we’re talking about. He doesn’t sleep in.”
I jerk my hand free and race toward his door. My breathing becomes labored the closer to his room I get. I don’t bother knocking.
My body passes through with no resistance, but everything in me runs cold as I stare at his bed. The cover and sheets are disheveled like he had a fretful night, but that’s truly the least of my concerns.
Feathers are scattered everywhere from multiple ripped pillows, and stuffing spills out from the many gashes in his mattress. The color of crimson is bright, glaring, on his light blue sheets.
“Kyzen.”
My back slams against the wall the moment I rush through the bathroom door. Even if the hit didn’t knock the wind out of me, the sword pressed to my throat would have me holding my breath.
“Who sent you?”
His bellow rattles the mirrors, and my eyes lock onto the voided look in his. Blood pours down his arm from a cut on his hand. His other holds me in place by my hip, so I have no clue if he has any more injuries.
I allow my body to go limp and his fingers flex against my skin. His eyes twitch like he’s trying his hardest to understand why it feels so familiar.
So much for not tearing down his wall.
I see clearly now why his ass put it up.
My soul shoves its way right through and the fear that bombards me is breathtaking in the worst way. I track a drip of sweat that travels down his forehead to his cheek as he grits his teeth, but I don’t stop pushing.
I can’t. I have to pull him back to me.
His hand that’s clenching his sword trembles and my own fear that he may accidentally cut my ass sears across my soul.
“Thayla.”
The steel clanks against the floor as he stammers away from me, blinking and shaking his head like he’s fighting a haze that won’t let him go.
“Kyzen.”
