Page 63 of The Pakhan’s Hidden Heir

But resting isn’t what my body has in mind.

I drift off almost instantly into a very fitful sleep, fraught with nightmares and ghost images of every enemy I’ve ever had. It’s agonizing and torturous.

It’s dark and the hour is late.

I hear Raina’s voice soothing Felix but then a scream. I try to run to her, pushing as hard as I can, but my body won’t cooperate.

I can’t move.

My legs are stuck, trapped in some bog of mud or water.

And then I see in the distance a man with a child.

He wears dark clothing and a sinister grin.

I call to them, but Raina looks at me, smirking over her shoulder as she waves her fingers goodbye, and turns with the man, looping an arm through his.

They walk away as I scream and thrash, and when I pull my weapon to fire, it melts in my hand, oozing to the ground in a molten puddle as I draw back in pain.

The dream is so real and intense I jolt awake soaked in sweat with my heart racing.

My body won’t settle no matter what I do, but my head still swims so violently if I tried getting up I’d fall over.

Then I hear Felix’s soft cry, and Raina’s soothing tone through my door, and I know she’ll never let anything happen to him.

She may be unhappy with me right now, but that’s my fault. I’ve pushed her away.

She is upset, but she forgives easily; I know that.

And tomorrow when I go to her and give her that ring, she’ll come around.

She’ll see I’ve only done what I’ve done to protect her. I’ve had no choice but to be the way I am. Life made me this way. I don’t know how to be different.

But as I drift back off, I can’t help feeling like I should get up. Except I just drank too much to make myself get out of bed.

24

RAINA

Felix won’t settle no matter what I do. I bounce him on my chest and pace the length of the room, patting his back, but he keeps up that loud, hitching cry that I’m positive will wake Bastian.

And tonight of all nights, I need this child to be sleeping, not wailing his head off.

Akim told me to be ready and I am, but if we walk past Bastian’s door like this, he’ll catch us.

“Shh, shh, please,” I whisper into Felix’s cheek, tucking the blanket tighter around him. “Shhh…”

Akim slips through the door without a sound and pulls it shut behind him. He’s dressed in dark clothes, a duffel bag hanging off one shoulder, and he crosses to me scowling. “Shut that kid up,” he grumbles.

“He’s just fussy, he won’t⁠—”

“Do you want him to wake the house?” His eyes are stormy and full of anger.

He stands to lose a lot if he’s caught, but sometimes there’s nothing I can do.

He takes the duffel off his shoulder and pushes it into my free hand. “Everything you need is in there and we have about ten minutes to get out of here before the guard change is complete.”

I shove my feet into my shoes and sling the bag across my body, shifting Felix to my other arm.