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Cora shakes her head, giving me that motherly smile that I came to rely on my first few days in the cells. “You don’t need to worry about anything right now, but healing.”
A harsh laugh escapes me. “There’s too many things on my mind for that.”
“Is that why you ran into a beast’s cave just to escape your demon?”
I bite down on my bottom lip as I give her a sheepish smile. “You heard what happened?”
“I might have threatened Kha’zeth when I arrived to see the state you were in. I thought he had hurt you. Giroth had to hold me back.”
She’s always been fiercely protective over others, especially those of us who were brought here. She fought hard to help us when she could have kept quiet and not been swept away from the Hound Master. Though that seemed to work out well in her favor.
My smile dies as I digest her words, though. Just the mention of Kha’zeth sends a fresh wave of sorrow through me, and it must show on my face because Cora slides closer, gripping my hand.
“What is it?”
My voice is thick with unshed tears – mostly because I don’t have the water to spare in my dehydrated body – and I swallow hard. Kha’zeth didn’t hurt me physically, but I’ve learned something about him recently that- upset me.”
Those words feel entirely underwhelming in comparison to my emotions but I don’t know how better to put it. Cora only nods, her face understanding.
“That’s why you ran.”
I let out a long breath. “I just needed to get away from him. I needed to think, and I can’t do that here, where everything reminds me of him.”
“And what is it that hurt you so much that you’d choose a howler’s nest over this manor?”
I throw a glare at her because we both know I didn’t choose that. I didn’t know what it was when I went in. Cora only shrugs, still looking at me expectantly.
“Well,” I say on a huff. “On Protheka, I had fallen in love with a dark elf.” Her eyes widen, and I can only laugh. “I know. I know. He was kind, though. He gave me food and helped me help others. He wasn’t cruel, and I… fell for him.”
I sigh, tugging at my tangled hair as I try to fight the stinging tears that are already filling my eyes. “When the demons attacked, he–Toklys–tried to keep me safe, but the demons slaughtered him in front of me.”
Cora rubs my arm as a shudder races through me, and tears well in my eyes. I press on, though, needing to tell someone that will understand. “I learned that Kha’zeth was part of the attack.” The sobs start to tear at me. “I told him about losing Toklys, about how bad it hurt me, and he never said a word. He watched me cry, and then I let him into my heart only to find out that he ripped away the man I had loved.”
She pats my hand. “I know that is hard to take. Laura’s betrayal crushed me, and Giroth was the one that abducted me, himself. It might seem wrong or harsh, but you need to talk to him before you decide to hate him and shut him out. I’ve learned that there’s more to these demons than meets the eye.”
I sigh as I settle back on the pillows, trying to calm myself. “Maybe.”
Cora issues a small ‘hm’ but doesn’t press it. All she says is, “Give it some time. For now, you just need to rest. You hit your head pretty hard, and everyone’s been worried about you.” She squeezes my hand. “Especially Kha’zeth.”
I want to snort, but I just mutter, “I’m sure.”
“He has. He hasn’t left your side the entire time that you’ve been asleep.”
“Then where is he now?”
My tone was sharper than I intended, and Cora’s comes out soft and soothing in response. “You started to stir, so he left. He said he didn’t want to overwhelm you when you first woke up.”
I hate the way that my chest tightens at his thoughtfulness. He didn’t want to upset me further, even if all he wanted was to see me.
I push the thought away as it brings new tears.
Changing the subject, I ask, “How is your life with the Hound Master?”
Instantly, Cora’s face lights up. It’s clear she loves her demon, and for some reason, it pains me to see her happiness come out so unbidden. I wish I could feel less conflicted.
“Giroth has been wonderful. I thought he was a big grouch when we first met, but like all men, he’s soft underneath. I swear that guy… I can hiccup and he’ll lose his mind, afraid it’s some terminal sign.” Her eyes gleam as she looks at me. “Much like another demon I know, who showed up at my house in a fit because some human girl in his house was sad.”
My eyebrows pinch together. “What?”
