“BothJunandPallasare in good health.Theirbodies should recover quickly from their… ordeal.”Hewas always tactful, butIunderstood his meaning.Theirfae bodies had recovered quickly, but not all scars were visible.
“Thankyou.”
Henodded his head and exited the room.Ilooked at the pair.Junsat on the edge of the bed, looking at his lap.Pallasstood with her arms crossed, staring at me, butIignored her.
Jun’srobe was still pulled down from whereOryxhad examined him.Imoved to pull it back up, but he flinched away immediately.Stupid.Ihad to be more careful with him.
“Sorry,” my brother mumbled, still not looking up.Theexam had been hard on him.Iknew the tactic of placing one’s mind away from the situation to cope, butI’dnever seen it withJun.
“Don’tapologize.”Iknelt down in front of him. “MayItake a look?”Hedidn’t meet my gaze but nodded.Ireached out with my magic.Theshadows around his heart writhed as if they were content with his misery.Theywere spreading towards his throat and mind again.Icalled on the magic of the earth, but the shadows just twisted around it, snuffing out its light.
Somethingin me knew what to do.JunandIwere linked in a way that evenAbraxasandIwere not.Thevery depth of my soul was tied to his, and it called out to him.
Deepin my heart, there was a well of soft white light.Itfelt similar to the earth’s magic, but it wasn’t the same.Themagic of the earth flowed like water, ancient and untethered.Thislight felt like life and merriment and running through a palace courtyard chasing a brother as we were both breathless with laughter.Ipulled out one tiny spark of that light, guiding it intoJun.Thereaching shadows burned away.
Ipanted, finding it hard to catch my breath, and my heart stuttered.Junsat up a bit straighter and looked at me. “Thankyou,Tori.Ifeel better.Yourmagic is amazing.”Hegave me a sleepy smile.Itwas allIwanted.IheardPallashuff in the corner, butIignored her again.
“Let’sget you tucked into bed.”Iwinkedat him, and he rolled his eyes.Buthe let me gently reach forward and pull up his robe.Myheart stopped again whenIdid; it had nothing to do with magic.
Etchedall overJun’sback was an erratic latticework of scars.Theyweren’t bold, but a fae scarring was almost impossible.Myarm and my back were the only scarsIbore after years of battle.Ihad no doubt who had done this toJun.
Ifelt every inch of my skin heat with dragonfire, butIpushed those thoughts away beneath the ocean of my mind as much asIcould.Itwouldn’t do to drawJun’sattention to this now.Ipulled up his robe and helped him move back into the bed.Itucked the covers around him in an exaggerated motion that had him huffing in whatIwould count as a laugh.Iwanted to kiss his forehead but held back.
“Tori, a moment.”Ilooked atPallas, confused.
“Doyou want to be tucked in, too?”
Atthat, she rolled her eyes at me.Idecided whatever she was about to say wasn’t worth it.IgaveJunone last smile and left.
Myfeet lead me everywhere in the palace but to his bedroom.Ourbedroom.Myeyes ached with weariness, butIcould still feel his dragonfire as it tore through me, and his phantom claws pulled me to shreds.Iknew sleep would not find me, no matter whereIlay my head.
Fornot the first time in my life, it seemed sleep andIwere enemies.
Chapter 15
Pallas
Junlet me pet his hair as he fell asleep.Hehadn’t let me do that in ages.Afterhis breath leveled out into the steady, deep rhythm of unconsciousness,Itried to roll over and sleep, too.Iended up just staring at the dark ceiling for what felt like an eternity before gently rolling out of bed.
Islipped on one of those stupid night robes that were so loved in theDragonKingdomand headed for the door.Itwasn’t locked, but the brute and the orcessIhad seen before stood outside.
Thebrute turned to me. “Can’tsleep?”
Iclosed the door behind me, so we didn’t disturbJun, but also to showIwasn’t going back in.
“No,Iwas hoping to take a walk.”WasIa guest, asTorihad said, or just a prisoner?Thebrute and the orcess exchanged glances, but he said, “Alright, butI’llaccompany you so you don’t lose your way.”
Right.Hewas more tactful than the other soldiersIhad dealt with, but he was still just a soldier.Iwalked down the hall without another word, and he scrambled after me.Wewalked in silence for quite a while.Muchlonger than the princess would have held out, but eventually, the quiet was too much.
“So, it’sPallas, right?Howdid you end up here?”
Iraised my eyebrows at him.Washe really asking me that?
Colorrose in his cheeks. “Right, sorry… not a great question… how about… are you liking it here?”
Isaid nothing, and his face grew redder with each passing breath.Itwas almost… adorable.Hewas darker than an autumn plum when we both heard footsteps and saw the princess herself rounding the corner.
“Oh, thank the gods….”Iheard him murmur.
