AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Thank you,” Grayson said, tucking the packet into his pocket.
“No need to be brave,” Devon said. “Take some now. It will help you sleep. I expect you to come see me first thing in the morning.”
Now it was morning, and Grayson didn’t want to move. He didn’t want this quiet moment with Mia to end. Just lying beside her brought more peace than he had words to express.
She was still curled on her side, looking at him.
He realized she was waiting for an answer, so he forced a thin smile and hoped it was reassuring. “No, I don’t need more medicine yet.” That was a lie, but he wasn’t about to tell her how bad the pain was.
Mia shifted, moving until their arms brushed. She set her bandaged hand on his chest and rested her head against his shoulder.
He couldn’t resist draping an arm around her waist and easing her closer. His heart beat faster, and he wondered if she could hear it—feel it.
After a long moment, Mia sighed. “I should go. Tyrell always trains men in the morning, so I can get into his room easily.”
Grayson’s spine stiffened against the mattress, and he tightened his hold on her. “I’ll come with you.”
“No. You need to see Devon. He said he wanted to do a thorough examination first thing in the morning.”
“It can wait.”
She drew back enough to look at him. “No, it can’t. You need to take care of yourself.”
Devon had said the same thing before leaving last night, but he’d added in low tones, “You can’t take care of her if you’re dead or incapacitated with pain.”
That thought was what made him finally acquiesce. “You’ll take Fletcher with you.”
She nodded.
There was a knock on the door, and Rena announced herself through the closed portal.
Mia sat up, and so did Grayson.
Fire ripped over his jaw, and he had to clench his teeth to keep from making a sound.
Mia slid off the bed, calling out, “Come in.”
The maid did, and she looked a little cautiously between them. Grayson could tell he made Fletcher’s wife nervous, but he was used to that.
Rena curtsied haltingly toward Grayson, then more fluidly for Mia. “Shall I summon breakfast?” she asked.
Mia looked to Grayson. “Would you like to eat before visiting Devon?”
“No.” He was in too much pain right now to eat, even though he was starving; he’d barely eaten anything Mia had handed him last night. “I’ll go see him now.”
“All right,” Mia said. “We’ll have breakfast once you’re back.”
Grayson held her gaze, his focus intense. “Be careful.”
Her face softened. “I’ll be perfectly fine.”
She wouldn’t even see Tyrell, he reminded himself. So he tipped his head and made his way out of the room. Fletcher stood in the hall, silent and alert.
They exchanged nods that spoke volumes, and then Grayson stepped away. He didn’t head for the stairs that would take him to Devon, though. Instead, he stopped by Tyrell’s room to assure himself his brother was indeed gone. Once satisfied, he made his way to the physician’s ward.
His movements were stiff, and he was careful not to move any more than necessary—especially his neck. Because whenever he shifted, it sent a stab of pain to the roaring burn on his face. The pain was somehow worse than yesterday, and he wasn’t sure how that was possible. His hands shook, and his breaths came out shallow and taut. He hadn’t made it far before he paused in a shadowed alcove and pulled out the packet Devon had given him last night.
He took a pinch of the powder with trembling fingers, and the bitter taste permeated his mouth as it dissolved under his tongue.
