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22
Mina sighed, staring up at her bedroom ceiling. Aria had been in the city with her for two weeks, and in those two weeks, they’d gotten absolutely nowhere. The only times her friend seemed happy were when she was whispering to Lucy about their Solstice Ball plans, or when she was sleeping.
It all made Mina restless. The more she saw of Nilumaria, the more she wanted to see the more she wanted to understand. Looking at Aria, snoring soundly on the other side of the bed, Mina slipped carefully from beneath the covers and got out of bed.
She checked the timepiece on the bedside table and smiled. It was only about three in the morning. Right when she’d planned to slip out. Right when the city below seemed to be at its quietest.
Sliding quietly to the door in the wall, she grabbed the bag of riding clothes she’d hidden away, and slipped into the dark space between the rooms. She closed the door carefully behind her, and then let herself into the dark bedroom of the king.
Erik lay on his back, one hand clutching at a chain dangling around his neck, and the other fist in the sheet. His face contorted in fear.
“No, not her. Not her,” he gasped as she approached the side of the bed.
“Erik?” She called out quietly.
Twisting to one side, burying his face in the pillow, he groaned. His back bowed, and he cried out. “No!”
Mina gasped, and leapt forward, grabbing his shoulders. “Erik. Easy, it’s a dream. A dream.”
The moment her fingers touched his skin, his eyes popped open, and he grabbed her, flipping her over him and onto the bed, pinning her beneath him. He snarled, flashing fangs and blood-red eyes. A second passed, and then he jerked back, shooting across the room in the blink of an eye.
He pressed his hands to the wall, hiding his face from her. “Mina. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to.”
“It’s okay,” she said, getting up slowly. “I startled you. I’m sorry. You were having a nightmare.”
He turned slightly to speak over his shoulder. “I figured as much. I have them a lot.”
“Me too.” Mina said, walking slowly across the room. She reached out slowly and put a hand on his shoulder, turning him to face her. He was wearing only a pair of silk pants, and his sculpted form made it hard for her to concentrate, but any thought of desire vanished when she saw the red stain across the whites of his eyes, and his fangs pressing into his lower lip.
“I don’t want you to be afraid of me,” he said, refusing to meet her gaze.
She cupped the side of his face, brushing her thumb over his cheek, and smiled. “I’m not.”
He looked up, and his fangs retracted. “What else would dare haunt your dreams?”
She shrugged. “A lot of things. Death, being alone, losing the ones I care about.”
“Mina, I’d do everything in my power to protect you from those things. You know that, right?” He sighed, leaning his face into her hand.
“I know,” she said. “But you are no witch. You can’t predict the future any more than I can.”
He narrowed his eyes and slid his hands around her waist. “I am king, I can do anything I want.”
“Oh really?” She chuckled, arching an eyebrow.
“Not quite, but being the king does come with a few advantages.” He laughed, as the red faded from his eyes. “What are you doing awake so early? Did you need something?”
Mina’s smile grew. “Well, there was something I used to do when I wanted fresh air back home, and I was curious if there’s a place where we could go and do it here?”
“What is it?” he asked with a curious frown.
She bit her lower lip feeling like a child asking permission to play in the yard. “Horseback riding?”
His answering smile was blinding. “Horseback riding? I can make that work. Get changed, and we can head down to the stables.”
Mina rocked on her heels. “Can I change in here? I don’t want to wake Aria.”
He winced at the sound of her name and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. “Of course, you can. You can do whatever you please in here. I like having you close.”
