Gabriel glances at me. “Something funny, little bird?”
“Oh, you know.” I attempt to gesture in the direction we’d come from, but my hand flops in the air. “That.”
I must be even more tired than I originally thought, because keeping my head up suddenly feels like the most strenuous of tasks.
How does Gabriel manage to look so gods-damned chipper and handsome at the same time? Other than the slight darkness beneath his eyes, he doesn’t even seem tired. It isn’t fair.
“No, I don’t know.” He turns the key, leaving it in the lock to return his eyes to mine. “Enlighten me.”
“It’s just... this.” I point to him, then me. As if that explains anything.
I swear he’s biting back a chuckle. “Oh?”
I wave my hand towards the door. “And... this whole... room situation. Quite frankly, it’s a lot.”
And I’m fucking exhausted. From today, from riding, and from being around Gabriel and dealing with the pull I feeltowards him. Wanting him and not giving in to those desires is wearing me down.
“And this... amuses you?” He arches a brow.
How do I tell him I’m laughing so I don’t cry? That weariness is etched into my very bones and infused into the core of my being.
I’m not sure how to properly articulate it, at least not in this state, so I don’t try. “Yes, it does.”
“All right. If you say so.” He pushes open the door. “We should... Oh.”
There’s something about the tone of his voice, the stiffening of his shoulders, and his sharp inhale of breath that has alarm bells ringing in my mind.
“What’s wrong? Is it... Oh. Oh, no.” I peer around him, immediately understanding the problem. It’s all about size—or the lack thereof—because this is a very small room with one equally small-sized bed clearly meant for one person.
My fingers tighten on the doorframe, and a lump forms in my throat.
“So this is the room,” Gabriel says, still standing beside me. “It’s...”
“Tiny,” I say.
For the suns’ sakes, I’ve seen bigger closets. Even the sole window isn’t very large. It’s as if this room were built for dolls and not people. I could cross it in five paces, maybe less.
Gabriel makes a sound of agreement in the back of his throat. I’m of half a mind to go downstairs and tell the innkeeper that I’ve changed my mind—I’ll take the stables—but before I can do that, movement comes from down the hall.
A door opens, and a cloaked woman steps outside. She’s chatting with someone still in the room, and her face is turned away from us, but that doesn’t stop me from noticing the badge on her chest or the sword on her hip.
She’s a soldier—an Enforcer. There’s a tightness in my chest that has nothing to do with the size of our room or Gabriel’s proximity. There are four types of soldiers in the realm: Watchers, Enforcers, Protectors, and Hunters.
What is she doing here? Is she looking for me?
Panic buzzes, and there’s a sharp ringing in my ears. My tiredness vanishes, replaced by sheer alarm.
“Fuck,” Gabriel breathes. His hand lands on the small of my back, and he pushes me towards the room. “Get in, now.”
Did he know I needed his help? That fear had frozen my legs, and without him, I would’ve been incapable of movement?
I’m standing inside the door, shaking like a leaf, and I can’t seem to make it stop. The soldier was so close, and once again, it felt like I was standing in front of my death. If she’d turned and looked at me, this all would’ve been over.
First, Hunter Erlet. Now, this. Will I never experience a moment of peace?
Gabriel follows me inside, shutting the door and sliding the deadbolt across the top. He turns the lock, which falls with a resoundingclickthat booms despite the ringing in my ears.
Removed from harm’s path, I should be able to breathe easily, but I can’t. How long can I outrun danger before it catches up with me?
