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CHAPTER 32
Ibegan to heal, and I really only had Bennett to thank for that. A month passed since he opened up to me, and I could finally say that I was almost pieced back together. There would always be parts of me that stayed broken, but I could live with them. Those parts of me encouraged me to try harder and to be better.
I started going to class again every morning with Amica. We practiced our craft more intensely in anticipation of another Red Bones attack. Sana was teaching us skills that we weren’t even ready for in the curriculum yet, but due to the times, we were desperate to have as many skilled healers as possible. Mendex and Amica finally became official, and she’d been in a constant rainbow-and-butterfly type of happy mood since. I envied them a little, but I was happy for them, even if their endless affection did get on my nerves most days.
I tried to talk with Miles, over and over and over again. I knock on his door, and time and time again he would intentionally ignore me. He no longer sat at our table in the dining room, choosing to sit with members of the Royal Guard instead. The loss of our friendship hurt, but I did all that I could do to try and fix it—I couldn’t change the past. I had to learn to respect Miles’ decision, even if it broke my heart to do so.
Bennett and I had been getting closer over this past month, although we’d been keeping it private. He brought me breakfast in the mornings, making sure I ate so I could re-gain the weight and muscle I’d lost. We trained together almost every day, practicing our connection and seeing how far we could take the Eadem Anima bond. It was fun, honestly, and I was becoming an even more skilled fighter, thanks to Bennett. We read together in the library and visited the astronomy tower each night, and I was—happy. He was always there for me, but wouldn’t push, still giving me time to myself and space whenever I wanted it. My nightmares began to come back, and instead of Amica coming in to wake me from them or being left to live out the terror, Bennett always found his way into my room. He would cradle me in his arms until I eventually fell back asleep. After a while, he began to sleep in my room at night, in preparation for the nightmares. I found that ever since I started falling asleep beside him, I didn’t wake up from nightmares as often. I was thankful for that little bit of relief.
As I lay on my side of the bed with my cheek pressed against a cool pillow, I couldn’t help but admire the man who slept beside me. He looked so young when he slept, as though he was just a kid. It was moments like these where I was reminded that we were only twenty. I wished I wasn’t forced to grow up so fast. I missed my innocence and naivety. I wondered what the old Rhia would think of me now.
“You’re up early,” Bennett mumbled into his pillow, his eyes still closed.
I yelped and then hit him in the face with my pillow for making me think he was asleep while I stared at him like a total creep.
“Oh, so it’s that kind of morning, then.” He smirked devilishly and grabbed the pillow beneath him, whacking me so damn hard I almost got a concussion. Bennett never went easy on me, and I loved that about him, but today I wanted to give him shit for it.
“OW!”
I wacked him back, right in the crotch, using every ounce of strength I could muster this early in the morning.
“You—did—not,” he said, croaking between each word as he fell on the bed in a fetal position.
I laughed so hard tears fell from my eyes, and I kind of felt guilty for the dirty attack, but it was too funny for me to really care.
“Come here, you little cheat.” Bennett pulled me tight against him, my spine pressed against his torso as he squeezed me. It was hard to ignore the close proximity and I tried to slow down my heart rate, so Bennett couldn’t feel my racing heart.
We hadn’t crossed that line, not yet anyway. I still needed time, and I liked the place we were in as friends. I was afraid I would ruin what we had if I took it a step further.
“Father is having me run one of his little court errands today,” Bennett said, letting go of me after a few more moments. “Something about needing to have more royal faces out in the town or whatever. So I won’t be able to be with you much today after breakfast. I will be back in time for the astronomy tower, though. I promise.”
I hadn’t had a meeting with Pater since the attack, and I was more than fine with it. I wasn’t sure if it had to do with a lack of tips, or perhaps he’d given me a break, but either way I was fine with it. I’d miss Bennett, of course, but perhaps I should spend some girl time with Amica tonight.
“Have fun without me.” I smirked.
“Never,” he said, kissing my cheek quickly before rolling off of me and strutting out of the room, most likely to grab me breakfast.
I pulled the comforter over my head as my cheeks heated and wondered how the hell I got in this position. He was back in no time with a mug of steaming almond cocoa and a pile of pastries. I practically had more almond cocoa running through my veins than blood at this point.
I tore into the flaky croissants, thanking the stars for this beautiful creation of a bread.
Bennett chuckled at my dramatic show of devouring the croissant. “I don’t understand how you can eat the same thing every day and not get sick of it.”
I shrugged, continuing to savor the pastry. “Why change perfection?”
He shook his head before walking through the doors. “I’ll see you tonight.”
“Be safe,” I called after him.
Not even a minute after the door closed, I heard footsteps scurrying up to my door and a knock I could have recognized in my sleep.
“Come in, Amica!”
She strode into my room, still in her pajamas, and flopped on the bed beside me. “Finally. I thought he would never leave.”
“Were you listening to us?” I laughed.
She shrugged. “It’s hard not to when we’re neighbors.”
