Kit’s eyes lit with surprise at Nocturne’s use of his name, and then softened just enough to make her insides quake with a want both foreign and frightening. His voice was quiet and husky as he said, “You’re welcome.”
And then her eyelids slipped shut, and she listened to the sound of the fire crackling and the wind whistling outside, as she sank into a sleep deeper than any she’d had in weeks.
~
Nocturne slept for a long time. When she awoke, the sun was setting; it shone brightly through the glass wall beside the bed and set the room aflame. Nocturne was toasty where she was curled up in the general’s bed, beneath layers upon layers of furs.
With a groan, she sat up, gripping her head in her hands as a dizzy spell washed through her. Nine Hells, her temples throbbed like someone had thrust a blade through them. Her dark hair was a frizzy mess, sticking up in every direction around her head. She tried to comb through the tangles with her fingers but gave up quickly. She needed a bath.
The door swung open without warning. Kit strolled in, carrying a silver tray that gleamed in the firelight. When he noticed that she was awake, his mouth quirked into the slightest hint of a smile as he closed the door behind him. He was dressed in a light blue shirt, black pants, and black leather boots. Nocturne figured she had been out for a day at least, given that he’d changed his clothes again.
As he approached the bed, she shuffled over, providing enough room for him to set the tray before her. She tried not to show how hungry she was, but the smell of whatever was on that tray… Holy gods, it smelled delicious. Beef broth, toasted rye bread, a bowl of blackberries, and a mug of steaming ginger tea.
Her stomach grumbled loudly again.
“I expect you to eat everything,” Kit said as he settled into the chair beside the bed. “You’ve lost an unhealthy amount of weight since you arrived here.”
Nocturne glowered. “Is that a fact?”
The Wolf of Winter gave her that same crooked smile that made her insides quiver and her heart stumble a beat. “You bet it is.”
Nocturne knew it was true. Her cheeks were too hollow, the knobs of her spine too visible through her skin. And so, she did as the general asked, finishing every crumb of the bread, every berry, and every drop of broth, all the while asking herself why she was bothering to listen to him. She drank the tea last, relishing the feeling of the hot liquid coursing through her as she sipped. Even with the blankets and the warmth of the fire, the cold night she’d spent in the woods had left her wrapped in a bone-deep chill. She wondered if she would ever truly feel warm again.
“Look at you eat,” the general murmured in amazement as he studied the empty plate and bowl. “You’d think you haven’t had a real meal in years.”
“More like six weeks,” she said, and sipped again. Or was it seven now? Time in this hellhole had escaped her, but perhaps it was for the best. “Not all of one, anyway. I never finish what your men put on the table.”
His mouth twisted in disapproval. “And why is this any different?”
“Becauseyoutold me to eat it,” she admitted.
The Wolf smiled at her; his teeth were bright in the firelight. “Well, I suppose from now on I’ll have to make sure you eat every last bite of what’s on your plate.”
Nocturne kept her eyes on the mug in her hands, but her lips twitched as she suppressed a smile. “And will I receive an award, General, if I do as you say?”
He leaned forward and laced his fingers together. Strands of blizzard-white hair fell in his eyes, fluttering with the breaths he drew. When he spoke, his voice was low and rough with want. “Perhaps when you’ve done as you’re told, I’ll get a taste of you.”
Nocturne’s mouth popped open, and she glanced up at the general as fire flooded her entire body.“General,”she breathed.
The smile on his face grew just slightly, but his eyes darkened with unmistakable hunger. She was certain she should slap him for the silent invitation, but she couldn’t bring herself to do anything as her face turned beet-red.
“Yes, Miss Wycherley?” he murmured.
A breathless laugh slipped through her lips, and she pressed a hand over her mouth. The sound startled her. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d laughed. Butwhywas she laughing? She couldn’t have been more disgusted with herself at that very moment! And yet…
She was lonely, she realized. And had been for a very long time. The sudden longing for companionship struck her like a fist to the gut.
Kit’s playful smile faded, his eyes softening. It was more than possible that he’d never heard her laugh, let alone seen her smile. “See,” he whispered. “You’re not dead inside. Your fire just needs a bit of tending.”
Nocturne cleared her throat and took another sip of the tea. Dragging her tongue across her top lip, she looked at the general—only to find that his eyes were fixed on her mouth. When she cleared her throat again, loud and demanding, that feral gaze of his snapped up to meet hers.
And then he bit his lip, his eyes burning bright with a longing that filled the entire room. The look turned her body to jelly.
She dropped her gaze and traced her pinkie finger around the lip of the mug. The steam warmed her face and neck. “Is that lemon I taste?” Her voice was barely a squeak.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the general nod.
“It’s good,” she hinted.
