With an eager nod, Charlotte blinked back tears. “May I see him?”
Aamina nodded, releasing her hands and leaving her to enter Perry’s bedroom.
Standing in the doorway, her eyes raked over his body lying peacefully at rest. The light of a single candle flickered,casting a warm glow on the bed. How she hungered to go closer, to inspect for herself that he was well.
Tossing a glance over her shoulder, she stepped into the room. The steady sound of his breathing told her the worst of his suffering had passed. Her eyes could only satisfy her so much, his proximity a temptation too great to resist.
One touch.
Just one final touch.
Then she would leave him. Leave to God what she hoped, with her entire heart, only He could repair. There was nothing more they could do.
Stroking the back of her hand on his still-heated brow, Charlotte savored one last caress. She moved her hand down the side of his arm, only a whisper of a touch, and curved the tip of her fingers into his.
Staring down at the strong hand that had once held her so reverently, her breath caught. Tears gathered in her eyes, and she blinked to hold them back.
This was goodbye.
It had to be.
Whether he lived or died, from this moment, she had done her best. And she would continue to do so by staying away from him. Keep to her own private rooms and cease dreaming of what could have been. For that destiny had never been hers. She would watch him leave on his mighty horse with a smile on her face.
Because she did her best.
Even if her best meant losing him forever.
Chapter Nine
The light. Merciless light slipped through the cracks between the curtains and Peregrine squeezed his eyes tight against the invasion.
Pain pounded in his shoulder, a flash of memory pulling him out of his daze.
Blinking, he opened his eyes, assessing his surroundings. Bright, buttery yellow wallpaper surrounded him, and lux golden fabrics hung over the bed. Soft linens brushed against his skin as he moved.
His hands skimmed over his half-naked torso, the movement producing pain in his right shoulder.
He was half-naked in an unfamiliar bedroom.
His arm ached from his injury, the source of which was a blur of memories.
Perfect. Absolutely perfect.
Lifting his good arm, he propped himself up, careful not to lean on his injured limb.
A wave of memories clashed within his mind.
He had been shot.
Mercury nearly finished the job ofkilling him.
Then somehow, he was transported to this mysterious place. Perry frowned, his brows gathering as he tried to make sense of the images floating in his mind. His heart raced within his chest as panic seized him. He must find someone. Anyone. To give him answers.
Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, he stood and immediately regretted the decision. His vision blurred around the edges, and he braced himself back on the bed.
“Oh, dear! No, you mustn’t stand, my lord. ’Tis too soon,” a maid fretted, rushing to his side and helping him slip between the sheets once again.
“Where am I? Who are you?”
