Page 132 of Ravenrose

My fingers curl against his admittedly warm chest. He’s not wrong; my hands are ice cold. I want to leave them where they lie. Stars, I want to inch my whole body closer and steal more of his warmth for myself, but I jerk my hand away instead.

He lets me.

“Just take me back,” I repeat. I need—I need out of here and away from him. Confusion floods my head.

“No,” he says, and my eyes snap to his. “You’re not going anywhere.” He reaches up, and I feel his fingers in my hair again, and my heart rate picks up. “You’re injured.” He looks me over pointedly. “And you’re exhausted. You need to sleep. And you’ll do that here,” his voice lowers, “where I can keep an eye on you.”

I shake my head, already opening my mouth to protest, but he cuts me off. “We can call a truce for just one night, can’t we, Princess? We’ve already done it once.” The corner of his mouth ticks up before quickly turning solemn again. “This fort is many things, but friendly to the fae, it is not.” He breaks our shared gaze, his eyes dropping to the mattress below. “I should never have left you alone.” He looks back up at me, his eyes searching mine. “But I give you my word, no one will harm you here. You’re safe with me—tonight.”

I stare at him.

Safe? With Ayer? The incongruity of that statement echoes through my mind.

Sensing my hesitation, he sighs, leaning in closer. “I’m not leaving you alone again.”

I feel something inside me clench at his words.

“So you can choose.”

I wait for him to elaborate, but he doesn’t.

“Choose?” I question, my voice coming out rough and scratchy.

His eyes flick to the mattress and then back to me. “You can either stay here, in my warm, comfortable bed—with me.”

My pulse quickens, and I swallow hard.

“Or—” he jerks his chin toward the door, “we go back down to the dungeons.” I stare at him. “Together.”

“You wouldn’t—” I start in surprise.

He nods firmly. “I would. I told you, Princess, I’m not leaving you again. Not here.”

When I fail to move or speak, he continues. “I personally would prefer the warm bed to cold stone, but of course, it’s your choice.” His eyes move to mine, refusing to look away this time.

Avoiding his penetrating stare, I pretend to survey the room. The crackle of the fire Ayer must have lit at some point, the thick fur blanket, the bolt on the door. I know my answer. And I already hate myself for it.

I look up at him from beneath my lashes—studying his face—looking for any sign of deceit. The words he said earlier… I’m still hesitant to trust him, but my body holds no such qualms. The need to crawl closer to him, to sink into the warmth radiating from his body, is too strong to fight.

Releasing a slow breath, I give the smallest possible nod of my head.

He doesn’t hesitate to take that as confirmation. He leans back, his arm snaking around my waist as he does, pulling me back down with him.

I stiffen immediately in his hold, my mind resisting every second, while the tension slowly bleeds from my body.

“You’re freezing,” he reminds me, and the last of my resolve melts away into that bloody heat of his.

I’m so cold.

So tired.

And so, against my better judgment, I give in.

And sleep.

Chapter 55

ROWAN