“Not today, but soon.” He smiled when she stomped her foot. “I’m going to be fine.”
Her glower was her only response.
Chapter Twenty
Lexi bither tongue as Cole slowly dressed. His hair was still damp from the shower he’d taken, and he’d trimmed his rough stubble into a neat beard along his square jaw again. She’d helped him with the buttons on his tunic, but it was all he would let her do.
He slid his feet into soft leather boots and pulled a dark red cloak around his shoulders; he pinned it at his throat with a wolf broach. When he finished, the cloak fell forward to cover most of his tunic and chest. Lastly, he slipped his father’s sword onto his back.
“You could get yourself killed,” she said.
He lifted the last bottle of healing potion, removed the stopper, and downed the contents. He set the empty bottle down and crossed the room to stand before her. Tilting her head back, she took in all of his six-foot-seven frame as he towered over her.
Even having just risen from the dead, he was gorgeous with his black hair and Persian blue eyes. The tips of his pointed ears poking out through his hair made her recall how much he enjoyed having them touched.
His broad shoulders blocked out the sun shining through the window behind him. She grasped his arms and squeezed as she tried not to think about every horrible thing that could happen to him outside this room. He would never admit it, but he was still weakened from what happened.
“You can’t return to the fight,” she said.
“Not today,” he said. “But soon. The dark fae have to see me out there now, though. They have to know I survived whennopurebred dark fae would have. And the sooner they see me, the sooner they’ll know.”
“Know what?”
“Not tofuckwith me again. They’re not going to take me down.”
Lexi gulped, but she didn’t know if she was afraid for him or what he was about to face. She retreated to the chair and lifted the short sword she wore onto the battlefield. She’d kept the larger sword in hand, but the smaller one had remained by her side. Unfortunately, she had no stars left.
“I’m coming with you,” she said as she strapped the sword on and returned to his side.
He didn’t argue as he held his arm out to her, and she slid her arm through his.
“When this is over, you’re going to sleep,” he said.
“So are you.”
He smiled at her. Lexi tried not to let her apprehension show as he strode toward the door with far surer steps than she would have believed possible.
She hoped he could keep this portrayal of strength up as he unlocked the door and opened it. Niall turned toward them; he froze when he spotted Cole.
“Milord!” he blurted.
His eyes ran over Cole as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. His mouth opened and then closed again.
“Niall,” Cole greeted.
“You’re… you’reup.”
“I am. Thank you for protecting her.”
“Of course, milord.”
Niall broke into a smile before bowing his head. He stepped aside as Cole exited the room. Lexi kept her arm locked through Cole’s. She watched his every move and felt for every vibration as she searched for any sign he was weakening.
Lexi tried to imitate Cole’s air of nonchalance as they strolled down the hall. Shocked by Cole’s emergence and the fact he was walking after he’d been stabbed through the heart with fae metal justyesterday, Niall didn’t follow them at first.
Then, he rushed to catch up.
“How many did we lose?” Cole inquired.
