My breath caught. ‘I wouldn’t steal it.’
A rumble of laughter vibrated against my back. At least one of us found it funny.
My mind couldn't comprehend what was happening.
‘Is that what you'd do if someone tried to drain you?’ My imagination ran wild. ‘I assumed it would hurt.’
‘No,’ he murmured, a little taken aback. ‘That’s what I would do to you if you tried.’
I snickered. ‘Makes sense. Wouldn’t want to damage your tutor any more than she already is, right?’
The king paused.
‘Right.’ The curt tone signalled the shift in his mood; his fingers twitched on my stomach before he asked, ‘Why didn’t you say anything?’
The words sounded accusatory, yet his voice remained gentle. As I searched for an answer, everything I thought of felt too fragile to offer. I would not bare my soul before him. He didn't deserve my trust or to understand my hardship, especially when he was part of it.
‘I asked you to let me leave,’ I said quietly.
‘I didn't know.’ His chest rose with a slow sigh, and I felt his heartbeat quicken against my back. ‘Everything would've been different if you'd told me. I wish you had.’
When I dared glance, he looked almost mournful.
‘You said a good witch is a dead one,’ I reminded him bitterly.
He tensed behind me. ‘I wish I had a better explanation for what I did, but I thought you’d bewitched me. I was wrong, and I’m sorry.’
There was nothing for me to say, so I stayed silent. The last few days had shown me exactly how terrifying he couldbe. They called him the Monster of the Fire Lands, yet lying there, listening to his steady breathing, he almost seemed... normal. It was difficult to understand how someone so cruel could also be so gentle.
‘I thought you were going to kill me,’ I murmured, the terror of the past few days finally catching up with me. My heart had started racing again, and it took a conscious effort and several slow breaths to calm it. He'd already admitted he enjoyed causing palpitations. I didn't want to tempt him.
Dragging a hand down his face, he sighed again. ‘You may not believe me, but I won’t hurt you again.’
I wanted to laugh at that. But as my limbs grew heavier and the rhythm of his heartbeat lulled me, disbelief faded into exhaustion.
Resting my head against his chest, I let the warmth and steady pulse draw me into a fragile calm.
Chapter Eleven
Avari
The wind tore through my hair as I fixed my gaze on the thorns jutting from the rose bushes, poised as if to impale anyone who came too close. They demanded attention and awe, swaying gracefully in the breeze as though reluctant to reveal their wild nature. The sight of something so fragile, yet so fierce in nature, appeased me.
‘These bushes never used to grow here until about six months ago,’ Michael said as we crossed the courtyard along the pebbled path that wound towards the forest—the same forest that had mended my broken body, though I still hadn’t found the words to thank it.
Recovering from the curse had been brutal. Though the king’s power had saved my life, weakness lingered in my muscles, pulling at my joints. My skin remained pale, as if the ordeal had drained me of colour entirely. I wasn’t sure how long it would take to regain my full strength, but considering one of the most powerful fae I knew had needed two days to stabilise me, it wouldn’t be prompt.
Too bad no amount of magic could soothe the mind.
‘The wind probably blew the seeds from the forest,’ I said, grateful for the hint of normality and for being able to heal surrounded by nature. ‘How old is it anyway?’
‘Nobody knows for sure. They built the castle around it centuries ago. Our ancestors chose this place because of its proximity to the Cave City. River could tell you more; the castle grounds are his pride and joy.’
‘River?’ I asked, frowning. I’d never heard that name before.
Michael froze mid-step, paling slightly as his brow furrowed in rare unease. ‘It wasn’t mine to share.’
‘What are you talking about?’ The shift in his tone unsettled me.
