His loyalty might be bought, but I would take advantage of it while I had it.
Chapter 24
Iwoke to a loud thud and muttered curse.
I jerked upright, scanning the shadow-filled room through my sleep-hazed vision. A surge of alarm shot through me as I realized Sainte was missing from his cot. My gaze darted to the entrance, where a figure loomed near the doorway.
Sainte stood flush against the wall, a knife gripped in his fist. Positioned out of sight of the intruder, he waited in utter silence, poised to strike anyone who entered.
His chest was bare.
The dips and curves of his muscled torso caught the moons’ dim light, his trousers undone, hanging low on his hips.
My throat tightened, and I must have emitted a choked sound, because his head swiveled toward me. I forced a grin, pretending I wasn’t appraising him like a piece of meat. He nodded, his expression solemn as his attention returned to the door. Whether he was unaware of my plight or simply focused on what lay beyond, I couldn’t tell. I strained to make out anything, wondering if it had been his curse that woke me.
A smile played on my lips as I allowed my gaze to wander down his powerful frame, imagining him asleep with a knife in hand, ready to spring into action against intruders. The thought of his protective presence filled me with reassurance… and the sight of his physique sent strange flutters through my stomach.
Sainte’s body showcased a divine blessing, his muscles defined without excess bulk. The firelight from the hearth cast shadows, highlighting the tautness of his frame. Each sinew stood out, even the smallest of muscles.
The door to my sleeping chambers creaked open, snapping my focus to the present. Lyana’s head peeked through, her sunken features illuminated in the faint auburn glow. Tear streaks glistened on her cheeks as her gaze found mine.
I threw the blankets aside, and she burst into the room, not waiting for me to meet her. She flung herself onto the bed, crashing into me, and I wrapped around her, trying to steady us both.
“Shh, it’s all right,” I murmured into her hair, glancing at the doorway.
A shadow moved, and I caught Sainte’s eyes. He spun, knife in hand, but the figure hissed something that caused him to pause.
Lyana sobbed, her weight pressing me into the mattress. Sainte spoke in hushed tones, then ducked inside, retrieving his tunic. With a frown drawing his features, he gave me a long look, then shook his head before slipping into the shadows, closing the door behind him.
“Hush, hush now,” I murmured, guiding her closer.
I held her, feeling every tremor of her sobs. They echoed in the quiet room, each on a release of pain and fear. She curled into my embrace; her face pressed to my chest. I whispered reassurances in the darkness, hoping my words brought some comfort.
When her cries faded, I wiped her cheeks with the blanket and offered a pillowcase for her to wipe her nose.
“What good is royal bedding if you can’t use it to wipe your snot?” I asked.
She wadded the silky fabric, then flopped onto the bed. When she rolled to her side, offering her back, my heart ached. I scooted in, pressing close. Her body shook with a shuddering breath. I embraced her, listening to the hearth crackle in the darkness, staring at the dark orange light flickering on the wall. I smoothed her frizzed hair, snuggled in, and nestled my chin on her head.
“El?” Her voice, tight and raw, broke the silence.
“Hmm?”
“Do you think he’ll ever forgive me?” Another sob hitched her words, and she trembled, on the verge of tears again.
My embrace tightened. If she could justfeelme holding her, everything would be all right. “Who?”
“Grimm.”
Her body went rigid, wetness trickling down her cheeks as she opened her mouth in a silent sob. A gasp broke the silence as she shook against me, trying to stifle her cries.
“He loves you. Of course he will forgive you.”
Thrice-curse Adastrus and may he rot beyond the Veil, endlessly devoured by Nothar’s wolves.
“He didn’t know.” She sobbed. “Hedidn’t know!”
She jerked the blanket over her head and screamed. I held her close, murmuring as she struggled to calm herself. Heart shattered, I waited, smoothing the hair from her face until her breathing steadied.
