Flustered by these strange feelings making my head spin, I point to the bed. “You need to sleep there. I won’t take no for an answer.” I put my hands on my hips and pin him with a glare. “Besides, we’re both adults. We can share a bed without it meaning anything more. It’ll be... fine.”
I think.
I hope.
He raises a brow, but rather than continuing to argue with me he dips his head. “All right, it’s settled. I’ll sleep in the bed.”
“With me,” I add in case he missed that part.
“Yes, Birdie. With you.” His eyes smolder, and there is a fire in my core burning hotter with each word we exchange.
“I . . . Well, okay. Good. That’s . . . good.”
I think?
My chest tightens as Gabriel stands, reminding me how big he is. When he steps towards me—because where else is he supposed to go?—I realize how tight this room is. How small. How utterly unprepared I am for this.
“I am going to go find us some food,” I say in a hurry, swallowing past my dry throat. I did fairly well ignoring Gabriel’s muscles while I tended to his wounds, and he’d insisted he keep his shirt on while I put on the sling, but now there’s nothing left to distract myself with. “Why don’t you clean up?” I avert my eyes, trying to douse the heat in my core. “And then... I’ll be back.”
Or I may wait for the ground to open up and swallow me whole, because suns fucking save me, have I gotten more awkward? The uncomfortableness of the entire conversation has momentarily made me forget my exhaustion. My cheeks are flaming, burning nearly as brightly as my Mark, as I hurry to thedoor. I half expect it to be locked, but the knob turns beneath my fingers.
I exhale, opening it. And . . .
We’re not alone.
That’s not unsurprising, but it’s still disappointing. Two sets of eyes look down at me. An older man with tawny skin and short, grassy green hair is standing next to a woman—the female guard from earlier who warned me to drink slowly.
Her hair is still braided, and this close, I can see that three gold hoops rest in both of her ears. The guards are dressed similarly in dark brown pants and black tunics, and they’re both armed with a dagger and a short sword. Clearly, they’re here for more than a social visit.
They look at me expectantly, and it’s only then that I realize I’ve been staring.
“Hi.” My fingers find Amelia’s bracelet, and I spin it around my wrist. The movement is awkward with the heavy cuffs, but it soothes something deep inside me.
The man’s brows rise as if he can’t believe I’m speaking to them, but the woman smiles softly.
“Hello,” she says, a trace of kindness in her voice.
And then... silence swells as they stare at me expectantly.
I barely tamp down a groan. Gods help me, this is awkward. I probably should’ve thought about what I’d say before I opened the door, but the time for that has passed.
“How can we help you?” the female guard asks, saving me from myself.
“I was hoping to find some food.” As if on cue, my stomach grumbles. I flush, squeezing the sun between my thumb and index finger.
“Food?” the man repeats as if he’s never heard of the concept.
“Yes. There’s some water in the room, but there isn’t anything to eat.” It feels like ages have passed since I had the crackers, and I don’t know when Gabriel last ate.
“I see,” the man says, his voice making it clear he thinks the request is ludicrous.
Evidently, I won’t get anywhere with him. I turn to the woman, widening my eyes. “Please, my... friend needs to eat. He’s been hurt, and he requires sustenance to heal.”
Calling Gabe my friend doesn’t really feel right. After all, friends don’t kiss their friends the way he kissed me, and I’m pretty sure most of them don’t have fated bonds, but that’s a problem for a later time.
“I don’t know...” The woman gnaws on her lip and looks down the hall before glancing back at her companion. “Maybe we should?—”
“No, Skyler,” he growls. “It’s not a good idea.”
