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“Why won’t you let me tell them? They already know.”
“They know nothing.”
“They believe a shadow has possessed me, and that’s why we are in this cage.”
“If you confirm anything, they will find a way to be rid of me before I am ready. And if the touch doesn’t work, then I’ll need Clawdia to still believe you are without influence to consummate the bond.”
“You aren’t consummating anything with her. Stop talking about it.”
“But you are so adorable when you are angry.”
Zaide sighed, placed his cup on the side, and kneeled in front of me. “You are feeling yourself today?”
I managed a quick nod.
“And yesterday evening was akari bloodlust?”
I nodded again.
He sighed, his shoulders sagging with relief, before standing and heading to the bathroom without another word.
Clawdia and Charlie left the bedroom only moments later. My sunlight took one look at me and came straight over, her face scrunched with concern.
“How did you sleep? I’m so sorry you had to stay there.” She rested a hand on the cage.
“I’ve slept in worse places.” It was true. In my hunt for titans, I’d often had to wait out the slavers in strange places until I could rescue the new recruits. But it was never pleasant.
She huffed out a breath, and her eyes looked sad as she said, “We should have asked Elizabeth to make a bigger cage so you could at least lie down.”
I shook my head. “It was a long night, and no one was thinking clearly.”
“You seem to be thinking clearly.” She tilted her head as she examined much in the same way her soul pair had.
“I am,” I confirmed. Her eyes were bruised with exhaustion, and as she crouched in front of me, I could see how she pressed her stomach into her bent knees and hugged them tightly to add pressure. “How are you feeling this morning, my sunlight?”
She sighed and whispered, “Bloated. Achy. I barely slept because I was worried I’d make a mess and scare them.”
I frowned, wishing I could pull her into my arms. If I were myself, I’d be on my knees in front of her, easing her pain, divulging in her delicious blood. “It disheartens me that it causes you pain and worry,” I told her, then smiled. “But you smell delicious.”
She chuckled. “I’m going to take that as a compliment.”
“You should,” I replied, feeling better now I’d made her smile.
“What are you two whispering about?” Charlie asked.
She winked at me and turned to face her witch. “Nothing for your ears.”
Charlie seemed to guess just from looking at her and pointed. “You can’t fault me for freaking out a bit. I know it’s a natural thing, but I didn’t grow up with girls, and the whole thing scares me. What kind of people bleed for a week and just carry on with their day.”
“Women,” she replied blandly, and I laughed.
He shuddered. “Scary.”
“So dramatic.” She shook her head but smiled at his antics.
Just as with last night, I watched their easy banter, and longed for nothing more than to be a part of it. I hadn’t been part of a family for a long time and with Clawdia’s vision, it made me hopeful for the future.
She turned back to me. “Are you hungry?”
