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He froze. After the king’s interruption, he’d forgotten his earlier suspicions, but he couldn’t deny their merit now.That’s no remnant.His mouth went dry as he made a careful perusal of the area. She wouldn’t be hiding out in the open, but there was a second door—the entrance to the dressing room.
In four days’ time, he was supposed to meet Tes in there, though he’d had every expectation that she would arrive early to spy on him. But notthisearly. She wouldn’t be able to use the teleportation ring again so soon, and she wouldn’t have the supplies to linger for so long. Especially not in her dressing chamber. The room wasn’t secure enough, and she loathed the place, besides.
Yet where else could she be?
Silently, Ber turned the knob and opened the door. He’d only managed a single step inside before he was hit by a wave of…her—her energy, her scent. And worst of all, her emotions. All at once, the source of that relentless ache became clear. Tes. Her pain swept through him until he could barely breathe.
How can I feel it?
But he didn’t take the time to ponder. He had just enough presence of mind to lock the dressing chamber door behind him before his heart carried him to the tiny alcove. That wretched little room buried in the corner behind two massive shelves.She’d only told him once why she never went back there. Afterward, he’d tracked down her former nanny and ensured she had a meeting with a large set of stairs.
He edged sideways through the narrow entrance, his gaze landing on the area where the bed should be. Too dark. Biting back a curse, he dug in his pocket for his favorite memento: the small marble Tes had given him when she’d first mastered creating them. Though in truth, he’d claimed it, declaring it perfect for him since it required less magic to use.
A slight brush of magic brought the marble to life, but its small glow was largely swallowed up by the darkness of the place. Still, it was enough to find her. His Tes, huddled against the wall. Shuddering. In pain. He dropped the marble, letting it cast its light from wherever it landed.
Near the foot of the bed, he lowered to his knees, half-crawling across the narrow strip of floor until he reached her. “Tes,” he murmured.
She didn’t flinch. Instead, her head lifted slowly from her crossed arms. Her eyes glimmered wetly in the pale, bluish light. “How did you know?”
“Does it matter?” He brushed a strand of damp hair from her tear-stained face. “Come here.”
She surprised him by nodding, but he couldn’t pull her into his arms in their current position. So he climbed onto the bed and settled against the corner. Without a word, she uncurled herself from her cramped position before scrambling up beside him. Then he gathered her onto his lap and held her.
Simply held her.
Chapter 20
Night Claims
Blessedly, the beat of Ber’s heart beneath Tes’s ear drowned out the memory-voices in her head. It lulled her, the steady sound she knew so well, until she melted against him. With his arms banded firmly around her, he rocked gently from side to side as though soothing a child. And the remnant of that child who’d been locked here responded, for the motion worked just as readily to calm her.
After a time, his hold loosened. He brushed her sweat-dampened hair away from her face. He rubbed circles over her back. Tes burrowed her face against his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist. It might be a mistake to rely on him, but she couldn’t deny that his very presence helped. If only she could be certain that he wouldn’t use this against her. That he wouldn’t—
His hand cupped her cheek, and with a gentle press of his thumb, he tilted her face up to his. “Why are you hiding here, my heart? You promised that you wouldn’t try to kill me this time, so it isn’t for that. Why torment yourself by arriving in this awful place so very early?”
My heart.
The spot behind her breastbone burned, but she couldn’t say if it was in pleasure or pain. “Where are you hurt?” she whispered.
“What?” His fingers twitched against her cheek. Then he shook his head slightly. “Ah, you must have heard your father speaking. I was injured in an attack, but I’ve already been healed. Stop looking for an excuse to evade my question.”
Did he sense nothing from her, then? “I wasn’t evading. Just tell me where you were injured, and I’ll answer. You know I’ll be stubborn about it.”
His little puff of laughter warmed her forehead, and his eyes glittered with amusement as he stared down at her. “Fine. A light globe struck my shoulder, along with a tiny bit of poison-coated branch. Now what are you doing here?”
“I’m here because…” She slid her hand up his back, her fingers settling on the spot where she was sure he’d been injured. “I had a relentless ache in my shoulder that wouldn’t go away. Right here.”
His eyes widened, but “surprised” seemed too simple a description for the look on his face. Stunned and fierce, yes. But also…knowing. Her brow furrowing, Tes wiggled back enough to fully straighten in his lap. The clearer vantage point didn’t help her decode his expression any better.
“Youfeltthat I’d been hurt?” he murmured.
Tes shrugged. “It appears so.”
“Then I wasn’t imagining the pain.” His throat worked. “When I opened the door a few minutes ago.”
Her heart thumped hard, then started to race. He’d sensed her turmoil, too. It must have been what had drawn him to her—which should have been impossible. “But we’ve never linked. You never wanted to do so.”
“Untrue.” He ran his fingertip over her bottom lip, sending a thousand little shivers through her. “It’s rather a dream I neverdared to manifest. It was too risky. I’d had no idea what I might have to do in defense of Toren. And of you.”
