She could feel him begin to fade, his eyes closing. Stronger men than him had fainted at this kind of pain.
“I’ve never seen a grown man protest so much at such a tiny needle,” she said, trying to provoke him. To keep him conscious.
His eyes flickered open. “Is that so?” His jaw clenched as she pushed the needle through again. His blood coated her fingers now. “And how many other men have you sewn up?”
As his eyes clouded over, Roa tied off the last stitch.
Stay with me.
She set down the needle and cut a thick strip of silk from his shirt.
“Dax?”
He closed his eyes, unresponsive. Roa’s heart thudded painfully.
She suddenly thought of him in the Assembly. Lifting the sanctions on the scrublands. Being the king they needed.
“Dax, look at me.”
When his eyes didn’t open, Roa got desperate. Leaning in, she kissed him hard on the mouth.
Nothing happened.
Roa tried again. Pulling his lower lip between her teeth, she bit down as hard as she could.
Dax’s eyes fluttered open. He stared at her, confused. And then his eyes cleared.
“Ouch,” he murmured.
Relieved, Roa relaxed and started to wrap the strip of silk tight around his stitches. Dax flinched, then watched in silence as she tied off the makeshift bandage. When she finished, Roa leaned back. She was suddenly very aware of his hands still holding her thighs, pinning her to him.
She knew he didn’t mean to hurt her. His grip was merely proportionate to his own pain.
“Dax,” she whispered. “You’re still hurting me.”
Dax looked to his hands and immediately let go.
Roa pushed herself off his lap and rose to her feet. The cool air hit, sucking the warmth from her.
He watched her from the floor, leaning his head against the wall. Sweat shone on his brow, and his hair was damp at the hairline.
“Are you all right?” he asked softly.
Roa stared at the blood on her hands. “AmIall right?” She held her hands out for him to see. “This is your blood.”
He shrugged—or tried to. It came out like more of a wince. “I can’t imagine it’s a nice feeling, being cornered like that in your own home.”
Roa looked away from his too-soft gaze. It wasn’t nice; it was terrifying. But she didn’t want him to see that. So she said, “This isn’t my home.”
A look of hurt flashed across his face. And even though the words were true, Roa regretted speaking them.
Dax took a deadly blow meant for her. And here she was, throwing it in his face.
Here she was, plotting against him, planning tokillhim, so she could save her sister.
A war raged within her.
Finally, Roa stepped toward him. “Come on.” Crouching down, she looped his arm around her shoulders. “Let’s get you off the floor.”
