“If you don’tloveher,” she pleads, the words a strangled sob, “thenlet her rest.”
My blood chills so fast all four candles in the sconce sputter out, my animal a statue inside me.
Watching.
“Your first mistake was assuming a measly four-letter word could encapsulate the way I feel for her,” I say, tilting my head to the side, slicing Mersi with a stare I hope she feels all the way to her bones. “Your second was assuming I’lleverlet her go. Make a third and we’re done.”
There’s a moment of taut stillness.
Mersi’s cheeks swell, a smile breaking across her face, reaching her eyes. Confused, I frown, watching her loosen the knot of her apron strings.
Taking it off.
She bunches it in her hands and swats a tear from her cheek. “Then she doesn’t need me anymore,” she says, peering up at me through glassy eyes, a fresh smile welling, though it stems a little when she looks at Orlaith. “Give her a kiss for me. Tell her a measly four-letter word cannot encapsulate the way I feel about her, and that I’ll be over to share tea when she’s well.”
My frown deepens.
She nears me, and I give her my back, standing stiff as she passes—not wanting to risk contact between them, though she still sets her hand between my shoulder blades and whispers, “If you hurt my girl again, I’ll find a way to spike your stew with senna.”
* * *
Ikick the door open, storm into my room, and set Orlaith on the bed, her body flopping against the mattress in a way that threatens to shred my skin.
Sethimfree.
“Milaje …”
I brush my hand across her sweat-dappled brow.
She makes a gurgling sound that breaks my chest, then opens her eyes, pupils so blown there’s nothing left of the violet. Her stare rolls around, like she’s searching, her breaths beginning to saw. Faster.
Faster.
“Rhordyn?” she rasps, reaching—
I capture her seaweed-bound hand, planting it against my cheek. “I’m here, Milaje. You’re safe.”
Her brow buckles, eyes squeezing shut.
I bracket her face with my hands—soft enough that she can hopefully sense me there without agitating her wounds—and imagine she can see me. That she’s whole, healthy, smiling and not broken in my bed.
“Is this a dream?”
“No,” I say past my thickening throat.
It’s a nightmare.
I scent her blossoming relief, and she sobs through another wet breath, nuzzling against my hand. Crying out a sharp wail of pain that makes me want to crush this fucking world in my fist.
“I’m s-sorry …”
So am I.
Her other hand lifts, her face a twist of agony as she blindly reaches for my chest, setting her palm atop my heart.
Her features soften the slightest amount.
“I don’t want to go,” she whispers, her tone growing a spine of …determination.“I need you to know I want to stay right here forever. With you.”
