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“What are you doing?” I gasped.
He looked up at me through thick lashes. His black eyes were endless. “Trying to save your life. You’ve lost too much blood.”
Despite the pain and the numbness coursing through my body, my cheeks heated as his rough, callused hand traced up my thigh, pulling my bloody gown with it. I winced at the pain as he wrapped the shredded piece of his shirt over my bleeding leg, making a tourniquet to stop the blood flow. I dared a glance at my thigh and felt nauseous all over again. The wound was long and deep, starting at the base of my hip and extending down to my knee. Blood leaked from the gash, hiding any skin that was once my leg. Everything was bright red.
Sie gently cupped my chin, the pad of his thumb tracing over my jaw as he pushed my head to the side to examine the cut on my neck. “At least this one isn’t deep. Are you okay?”
I couldn’t respond. He held my face in his hands for a few more seconds, minutes. Then, noticing my shivering, he pulled away to get a blanket for me.
A few minutes later, the doors opened again as Peter and a healer rushed into the room. I barely took her in before she bolted to my side and started fussing over me. I was tired and numb, and all I wanted to do was close my eyes. I tilted my back against the soft cushion as my vision started to blur.
Sie cupped the nape of my neck. “Don’t sleep. Not yet.”
The healer didn’t ask any questions as she took in the blood dripping from my neck onto my breast and then my thigh. I was pretty sure there was blood matted in my hair too from the break in Kole’s nose when he pressed me against him. The healer’s eyes lingered on the strips of Sie’s soaked shirt. The white material was a flaming red. Blood started oozing out of the wound as she peeled the makeshift tourniquet off. Peter looked away as the healer moved her hands up my thigh to my hip.
“This is going to hurt,” was the only warning I got before blue light radiated off her hand, searing into my leg. I screamed as Sie pushed my hair back, soothing me.
“It’s too deep to completely heal,” she finally said to Sie. “My work will allow the wound to heal faster, but it will still take time to recover. She must rest her leg and take it easy.”
“How long?” Sie’s voice was rough.
The healer didn’t look at him as she answered, “A month, maybe two. With the length of the cut, I’m worried about her reopening the stitches.”
I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from crying out as she began stitching up my leg. I didn’t know how much time had passed as the healer worked her way higher and higher up my thigh.
I jumped as the door to Sie’s room swung open, causing the needle to pierce into the gash. The healer glared at me before grabbing my thigh and continuing.
One of the guards stepped before Sie. “He is ready whenever you are, Prince Noren.” Sie nodded, and the guard bowed low before leaving the room again.
I looked up at Sie, who remained with me, standing to the side of the sofa. He met my gaze. Peter stood a few feet away, watching everything. No one said anything.
“Tilt your head back,” the healer instructed as she finished the last stitch on my thigh. Her fingers moved to my neck. I couldn’t help but notice they were caked in blood—my blood. Blue light palpitated off her fingertips again, tingling my neck as they swept across the cut. I winced as I felt the sting of Kole’s blade all over again.
“This one is shallow and should be healed in a day or two,” she said. “It will leave a faint scar, but that’s it. An inch deeper into your neck, and you wouldn’t be with us now. Your thigh will take a lot longer to heal. You shouldn’t be putting much weight on it, or you could tear open the stitches.”
“Thank you,” I said to her as she wrapped my neck with fresh linens. She nodded once and walked out of the room.
Sie swiftly stood up, refusing to look at me now that I was healed. His fists were clenched at his sides as he stalked toward the corner of his room. He strapped a sword across his still bare back and sheathed more daggers into his attire than I thought possible. He turned toward Peter, a muscle quivering in his jaw. “Don’t let her leave this room, and don’t let her out of your sight.”
“What are you going to do?” I winced as I sat up on the sofa. Sie didn’t bother looking at me before he stormed out of the room, armed to the teeth.
TWENTY-EIGHT
SIE
I mademy way toward the dungeons where the guards had dragged Kole once I pinned him. I saw Advenians flinch as I stormed past, but I didn’t care. All I could see was Scottie’s body flush against Kole’s as he held her there. Her revealing nightgown hiked up her leg, drenched in blood. The knife pressed against her throat as red leaked from it, and her beautiful eyes were wide. Terrified. I’d never seen her so terrified before. I knew the two had a history, but I never questioned who Synder had selected for her guards. I knew it had all been a test. Synder was watching the Trials when Kole beat Scottie. He was probably watching me, seeing how I interacted with Scottie even then. I knew if I showed too much interest in her, he would have used it against me.
Stupid. I was so fucking stupid for leaving her alone with him.
A few servants yelped as I passed them. They were frightened of me. Good. Let them be scared. Let everyone know not to mess with Scottie. Let the whole Goddess-damn court know not to fucking touch her again. I was done acting like I didn’t care. I wouldn’t risk losing her again.
And in the end, it didn’t matter. All the times I ignored her in public, all the times I was purposely seen with other girls, all the efforts I’d made to avoid her, did nothing but kill me on the inside.
I knew it was only a matter of time before the High Council made a move on her, but I didn’t think they would use her guard to do it.
The smell of rot and urine filled my nostrils as I finally reached the dungeons. I stopped in front of Kole’s cell, turned toward the two guards stationed outside, and growled, “Leave us.” They bowed their heads and wordlessly left us alone. Smart.
I crouched down low so I was eye level with Kole as I braced my hands on the rusty bars. Blood still crusted my fingers. I’d have to bathe after this to get Scotlind’s and Kole’s blood off me, along with the dirt from this putrid place.
