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As soon as I am quiet, I am able to hear the other sounds around me, Khijhana’s low growl and the king's murmured words of comfort.
I don't put the pieces together until I realized that my feet are wet.
Why are my feet wet?
Frantically, I look down only to realize that the king is standing hip-deep in a shimmering pool of water.
No, no, no.
I open my mouth to scream again, but I'm startled into silence by Khijhana's snarl and Einar's hiss of pain.
"Zaina, I need you to calm down before your chalyx gives me more than a warning bite," he says softly, fixing me with his pale blue gaze.
"No," is all I get out through my trembling lips.
What I want to say is,No, I will not calm down. No, I will not go in this water.Or any water, ever again. A pained expression flits across his face.
"You are warmer than you were before, but you are still shivering. It is not enough, and we have no way home without going back out into the cold. This water is warm."
Steam rises from the glowing pool, so I'm sure he is telling the truth about that, but my answer doesn't change.
"Please," he says again. “These are supposed to be healing waters, and youneedto heal.”
"No." I shake my head rapidly. "Out," I order him.
His face is resigned, but he turns and sits me on the cave floor.
"Khijha," I call, and she comes exactly where I want her, between myself and the king, her large furry body covering mine from his view. I don't need to feel more vulnerable than I already do.
I burrow my face into her side, taking deep, ragged breaths, fighting against the shivers that threaten to consume me.
"Zaina." Einar says my name softly, once, then twice, before I finally lift my face to meet his eyes.
There is worry there, and fear as well. Emotions I had wondered if he was capable of, let alone would bother with for my sake.
"What?" I breathe out.
"I know you don't want to go back into the water, but please don't make me watch you die." For the first time, his mask slips completely away, and instead of seeing tiny fragments of the emotions he tries to hide, I am hit by the full force of his anguish.
And I want to tell him yes, but I can't.
"I can't," I say that last part out loud. "I feel better now," I tell him, and it's not quite a lie.
He squeezes his eyes shut for a prolonged blink, then leans in closer to me. Khijhana lets him. She stiffens and settles protectively on my lap, her body covering my torso. Even standing in the waist-high water, he looms over my seated form.
"You can't go back out there like this." He shakes his head. "I know you don't trust me. Truthfully, Zaina, I get the feeling that you don't trust anyone entirely, and also that you probably have good reasons for that."
His stare burns straight through me, and I feel naked in more ways than one.
"But I need you to believe that I would never let anything happen to you. I need you to know that I meant what I said on our wedding day when I promised to protect you. Don't make me go back on my word."
He holds my gaze steadily, waiting for me to respond, but I have no words. It doesn't seem to bother him, though. If anything, I wonder what my face reflects, because his eyes widen a fraction in what looks a lot like hope.
"Do you believe me?" he asks me in a strong voice.
I find myself nodding, a single, traitorous dip of my chin.
Slowly, he holds out a hand.
