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Noah clasped his cousin on the shoulder. “I don’t think so—"
“Let’s do it,” I said, interrupting what was sure to be Noah stopping the whole thing before it started. He really looked uncomfortable now. Gabe motioned his hand forward like he was giving Noah first go at me.
Noah’s movements were light and easy, and he made sure not to hit his stick against me at all. I hated that he held back, even if I knew I shouldn't be doing this. I should have taken the break.
Gabe came forward swinging. He was using a fake sword. The movements took me by surprise, especially since Noah wasn’t fully out of the way yet, and I turned too slowly.
Gabe’s blow struck me in the side of my head, and the last thing I heard was Noah yelling my name.
* * *
I wanted to moan from the pure pleasure the massage on my shoulder was bringing. My body was floating, like it was high on a cloud. A rhythmic rubbing on my right shoulder was the only thing grounding me and keeping me from floating away.
Even as I tried to make an appreciative sound or open my eyes to see what the heavenly feeling was, I couldn’t move. Opening my eyes was hard and I crashed back to reality.
I’d been knocked out by Gabe’s sword. Accidental, of course, but the blow had sent me straight down. I flinched, attempting to gain control of my body in some way again. Nothing was working though.
The hand touching me was so gentle, so loving. I didn’t want it to stop. So I stopped trying to wake up from this relaxing state, and I let myself enjoy it a few more moments. Whoever was working on my shoulders was genius. My bets were on the captain. The amount of injuries he had to have seen…
Wake up, I told myself. You can’t lie here forever. Besides, I didn’t need another thing to be embarrassed about. Passing out in the middle of training from one of the goofier fae wasn’t exactly something to be proud about.
My eyes flickered at first, adjusting, and I blinked the haze away. Noah was sitting in a chair next to my bed. Noah was the one rubbing my shoulder.
I turned my head to look at him, and with his face calm and reading his book in his lap, he almost reminded me of the old Noah. But that Noah might be gone forever. Or at least gone until I could show him how poor his choice was in Vanessa.
“There you are,” he said as he looked up from his book. “I was starting to worry you’d never wake up. It’s almost dinner.”
He announced it so plainly that for a moment I didn’t react. Then, panic hit me.
“No, no, no, dinner?” I cried. I bolted upright in bed. “I’ve been asleep too long. Vanessa will be asking for me and she’ll be furious,” I said. I could not catch a break. I’d missed getting her ready for lunch, so I could only imagine what she’d say about missing dinner as well.
“Hey, hey.” Noah rose and touched my shoulders. When I wouldn’t look at him and tried to get off the bed, he became firmer. “Cora, stop. Just sit and slow down. You don’t need to worry. I told Vanessa you’d be mine today.”
Mine.
Why did that word have to sound so good? Though I was sure it would enrage both Vanessa and the queen, it melted inside of me, soothing deep parts of me that were hurt and giving me hope that glowed inside. Logically, I knew I wasn’t his in that way, but just to hear him say it was enough to make things seem like they might get better again.
“How’s your head?” he asked.
“It’s okay, did you heal me?”
He grinned sheepishly. “Yes, but don’t utter a word to anyone. Somehow my healing seems to have increased slightly. I’m not sure if it’s because I’ve been trying to feed more on the energies around me or if something else is causing it, but it’s like some of my strength in my power has returned.”
“Noah, that’s amazing,” I said.
He nodded. “It is. If I can monitor it and see what happens in the coming months, perhaps I can encourage feeding from other sources and see if that helps anyone else with their magic.”
This Noah was the old Noah. The one who dreamed of no feeders and helping others. Having the fae strong from the earth, not from humans. Where had this Noah been?
“Gabe feels terrible. I think he might have started crying to Nicole that he hurt you. I should have been firmer in having you sit out. I apologize,” he said, taking my hand in his.
I pursed my lips. “It was my decision. And I chose not to listen after everyone said to be careful. I’ll make sure I tell Gabe it’s all right too.”
I leaned back on my pillow and closed my eyes. My head did feel fine. Whatever magic Noah had used for healing had done wonders. Even my exhaustion was lessened, but that could have also been because I’d slept all day.
Noah sat up on the bed, touching his hand to my thigh. The sizzle I’d missed from his fingertips was there, like he could etch his touch into my skin.
He looked at me slowly, behind hooded eyes. “Can I ask you something?”
