AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Someone has delivered chocolates. The wrappers are piled sky high on the bedside table, along with a discarded mug. That he’s drinking the tea is a small comfort. There is also a neon green plastic yard cup with an extra long straw angled towards the pillow. It’s empty now, but at least he’s had some water.
Every little sign that he is doingsomethingto take care of himself fills me with a little more hope. Even so, enough is enough. I know that everyone - everyone but me that is - says that he needs time, but maybe gentle hands aren’t helping as much as they are all thinking.
I take a deep breath, which I instantly regret, and take the box of twelve books to place them on the chest of drawers on the other side of the fire.
“I bought you some books. I’ll leave them here. You need to eat more of your dinner.” The words tumble out a lot sterner than I intend, but holding back the lecture thatwantsto spew forth is a challenge.
There is a shuffle under the blankets as I move around the room, using the tea towel I always have on hand to wipe down various surfaces until I reach the bedside table. Scooping the chocolate wrappers up and tucking them into the front pocket of my apron for disposal later, I catch his unnaturally white face glaring out at me from under the blankets.
“Why would you do that? It’s not like I need the books without my gift.” He spits the words like the venom of a childish, tiny snake on the attack.
I bend to swipe up the yard cup so he can’t see the face I pull. Hedoeshear my loud snort though, as I take the cup to the bathroom and quickly refill it. While I’m in there, I rehang the towels too, noting that he is, at least, showering too.
“You don’t need to be a genius toreadTheo.” Embarrassment and irritation prickle under my skin at Theo’s haughty dismissal of my present. He’s still scowling away at me when I reenter the bedroom.
His unique brown eyes, rimmed with gold with bright golden flecks, are blazing with anger, but hey, after days of nothing but apathy, I’ll take anger. When I lean against the door frame, folding my arms over my chest, I swear I see Theo’s eyes flick to my biceps straining under my shirt. But when I blink again, he’s back to trying to kill me with his mind from the comfort of his nest.
“When was the last time you read for fun?” He looks so perplexed he stops trying to set fire to me with his thoughts.
“What do you mean? I read all the time.” His voice, already strained from lack of use, goes oddly high pitched as he gets evenmore defensive, scrambling up onto his knees to argue, blankets still wrapped firmly around his body.
Not going to lie, I enjoy seeing this more fiery side of him. It’s shown up a few times on our trek home, and itdoessomething to me.
“Right, yes, we all know you’re a genius—” his outraged snort interrupts me.
“Was.Wasa genius Roan. My gift is gone now, remember?” I suck at my teeth and nod, not giving into the bitterness of his words.
“Right, your gift is gone, and you’re no longer a genius. But that’s not what I asked. When was the last time that you, Theo, read a book,any book, for the fun of it?” He looks… stunned. Like I’ve smacked him across the face with a dead fish, and I realise I’ve hit a nerve. “Gods, when was the last time that you didanythingfor the fun of it? Because it was whatyou, Theo Hivercouer, wanted?” I watch as a myriad of emotions play across his face, until his pale, deathly white cheeks flush red hot, his eyes narrowing in outrage.
“You don’t knowanythingabout me, Roan. Get out of my room. NOW!” With a tired sigh, I ignore his bellowing outrage and heave myself off the bathroom door to leave.
“Right, suit yourself. Either way, the books are on the drawers.” I pause, hand on the door, unsure whether to push my luck any further. But then, I decide, in for a penny, in for a pound, and I turn back to face him, huddled back inside his blankets. “And this room stinks. The bedding needs to be changed, and the room aired. If you aren’t going to leave your nest long enough to let someone else do it, I’ll have sheets brought up, and you can do it yourself.”
“Fine. Anything else?” His words are icy cold and hard. I wonder if I’ve pushed too hard and how much it will hurt whenthey get their revenge on me tomorrow. Edith might not even wait if she decides to check on him again tonight.
“No, Theo. That’s it for now. I’ll check on you soon.”
***
Edith thankfully, didnotturn the poker match last night into a strip poker match. She did, however, goad an orc and minotaur into a knife fight, so swings and roundabouts I guess.
Seff and Tor have both been in today, and neither eviscerated me on their way out for upsetting Theo. It was somewhat reassuring.
Unfortunately, it takes all day to get on top of things with work. Everything built up while I was off in the Woods, and now, because I’m the boss, I have to deal with it. By the time I’m done, it’s late, and for about thirty seconds, I consider not going up there.
But I made a promise. And I really want to see what happened to the sheets I sent up with Seldon earlier today.
And I want to see Theo. Like an addict in need of a fix, the urge to check on him, reassure myself he’s okay, is overwhelming.
My chest is tight as I walk down the hall to his room, the vise-like band around my chest tightening its grip with each step. My skin burns, my nerves on fire. Anxiety. Anticipation. They fire through my nervous system in rapid pulses.
He doesn’t answer my knock on the door, but I didn’t expect him to either, already turning the master key in the lock.
Every cell in my being relaxes at the sight of him, curled on his side, the ghostly lines of his shoulder barely visible above the quilt. But I see it.
See the way it slopes down into his neck. The elegant, delicate lines there. See where the curling tendrils of his copper hair kiss his skin.
The air evaporates from the room, while my eyes feast on the tiny hint of exposed flesh, like an animal starved. The feeling in my chest swells, urging me toward the bed. I lick my lower lip, tugging it between my teeth as my traitorous feet drag me closer.
