Page 176 of The Crown’s Temptation

"I have you," he said quietly. He was already moving, steering me toward the stairs, and I let him because my legs had decided to become a general suggestion rather than a guarantee.

"You will need your cabin," I said. The words felt slightly further away than I intended them. "For cross redheads."

"Mm."

Down the stairs. Through the door. The pillow was cool against my face and the sound of the water against the hull was steady and even and very much the last thing I was going to be aware of for some time.

"And buxom brunettes," I murmured.

I heard him, or thought I did. Something quiet. Something said to the room rather than to me, in the voice people used when they believed no one was listening.

Only golden haired ones.

Or perhaps I dreamed it.

When we returned, it was almost dawn. He helped me tie the laces of my leather dress before we left the ship. I said my goodbyes to Forsamin and Elsan, who warned me to continue with my treatments.

“They taste terrible,” I said, wrinkling my nose.

“Then you are not chasing it with enough bad ale,” he said with a laugh.

Eravic touched my arm. “You are exhausted. I should escort you back, I have a feeling you did not arrive with guards.”

“I would never be so irresponsible, Duke of the Blue,” I said innocently. I laughed. “I am wide awake and will be fine.” Before he could protest I walked away.

CHAPTER 38

Bonds and Sleep

Dali was waiting at the entrance to the Darkway.

She looked me over and was either indifferent or annoyed, I could not tell which. "Teorin has not been pleased with your absence," she said. "Stay away from him today."

I looked at her. "Have you gotten from him what you needed?"

She smiled and did not answer.

I walked past her.

I did not examine why I kept walking past her chambers and down the corridor toward his. Some part of me that had no business caring was caring anyway, and after everything Eravic had told me tonight about what Teorin had agreed to and what he had decided not to do, I could not make that part go quiet.

I stopped outside his door and drew in a breath and knocked.

He answered.

He looked terrible. Pale, his eyes glassy and wild, his hair loose and uncombed. He looked like a man who had not slept and had not eaten and had been running on little more than fumes for days.

"Have you drunk any blood today?" I said.

He shook his head.

I felt a flash of anger at Dali that surprised me with its sharpness. I did not know what I had expected from her. I did not know why I cared. I cared anyway.

"Sit down," I said.

I reached past him and rang the bell on the wall. A creature appeared in the doorway, frightening to look at in the particular way that many things in Morrath were frightening to look at, and I said, "He needs blood." It nodded and left.

I turned back to Teorin. He had sat. He was looking at me like he was not entirely sure I was real, which told me the fever had already been going for some time.