“Well… thanks. That would be amazing.”
He all but bounced away, clearly pleased. Thorne watched him go with something unreadable in his eyes. When it was just the two of us again, we started down the corridor toward my chamber.
After a moment, Thorne broke the silence. “He likes you, you know.”
“Yeah,” I murmured. “I’m starting to get that.”
“Elira—”
“Elle,” I corrected softly.
He sighed. “Alright. Elle. Just… be careful.”
I frowned. “About what?”
“Leo. Slade. Phoenix.”
I stopped walking. “What are you talking about?”
“You’re not planning to stay, are you?” he asked, voice low. “You still see this place as a prison. And maybe it is. But if you're thinking of running—don’t take them with you just to leave them behind.”
I stiffened. “You think I’dusethem?”
“I think,” he said carefully, “not long ago you called us monsters. You didn’t trust us. Hell, you hated us. If you’re just pretending now, just to earn trust or protection—”
“I’m not,” I snapped, heat flaring in my chest. “I’m not playing anyone.”
He studied me for a long moment. “Then don’t give them hope unless you mean it. They’ve bled for you. They’d bleed again. That’s not something you just walk away from.”
I didn’t know what to say to that.
So I said nothing.
**
When Thorne left me at my chamber, I found Leo already inside, fussing over the small table near the window.
He didn’t see me at first. His brow was furrowed in concentration as he straightened the tablecloth for the third time. It was oddly endearing—this fierce warrior trying to make a meal look perfect.
I watched him for a full minute before saying, “It looks fantastic.”
He jumped, spinning around. “You’re here!” His grin lit up the room. “I—I didn’t know what you liked, so I got a bit of everything.”
He stepped aside to reveal the spread: roast beef, roasted potatoes, buttered vegetables, fresh fruit, a tower of flaky pastries, and—of course—an entire loaf of crusty bread.
“That’s a lot of food,” I said, raising a brow.
Leo rubbed the back of his neck, sheepish. “Yeah, I panicked.”
I stared at him. The lion shifter who could knock a man down with one swing… looking nervous over a dinner setup. He was all lithe strength and golden charm, but right now, he looked vulnerable. Open.
And maybe Thorne’s warning had shaken something loose inside me. Or maybe I was just done pretending.
I crossed the room, took Leo’s hand, and led him to sit on the edge of the bed. He followed without protest.
“What are you doing?” he asked, voice low.
“I don’t know,” I admitted.
