AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Arianna looked at the blood covering her hands. She’d scented his fear and hated it. Her stomach clenched at the thought of anyone fearing her.
When his hisses of pain stopped and she couldn’t feel anything more, Arianna eased her magic from his body, letting it flow out of muscles and tissues the same way it’d gone in. Sweat rolled down the back of her neck, but Arianna forced herself to meet his gaze.
Her breath hitched. She didn’t meet with anger or violence. Instead, a sort of childlike wonderment filled his eyes and in that moment he appeared more Fae than demon.
She shifted her gaze back to the wound. “Some healing the body has to do on its own, but you shouldn’t bleed to death at least.” She hoped. It could still be too late.
Rion remained silent so Arianna stood and padded toward the kitchen. She reached for the jars with shaking hands and struggled to spoon the herbs she needed into a kettle. He knew now. Knew who and what she was. Would a demon bow to his would-be queen or would he seek to destroy her?
She carried the kettle toward the fireplace and hung it above the flames, keeping her eyes averted while the tea steeped. A breathe, then Arianna turned toward his bedside and poured the brew into a cup and set it on the little, wooden nightstand.
He remained silent and Arianna risked another glance his way. Rion’s lips had parted and his eyes were wide with disbelief. She grabbed the blanket at the foot of his bed and draped it over his shivering body.
“Why?” His voice was barely a whisper.
Arianna backed away from the edge of the bed. “Why what?”
“Why would you—why did you do that?”
She averted her gaze again, Talon’s voice screaming in her head. “I couldn’t just watch you die.”
“Anyone else would have.”
“I’m not anyone else.” She cradled her elbow. “Besides, you’ve never really done anything to me.” At least not compared to what others likely suffered.
A mocking chuckle rumbled through his chest and he winced. “A kindness for a kindness?”
“Isn’t that how the world is supposed to work?”
“If only.” Pain flashed across his face though she wasn’t sure it had anything to do with his wound.
“You should rest.” She withdrew into the bathroom to wash her bloody hands. It coated everything. Her clothes, the floorboards, the sheets, but with his gaze following her, Arianna left the mess alone and curled up next to the fireplace.
They had a long night ahead. If Rion didn’t survive, she’d have to take action and risk capture as she made a break toward the base of the mountains.
She threw a log into the fire and paused as a sudden realization hit her. When exactly had she started calling him Rion?
Chapter Nine
Rion
Rion stared at the swirling lines in the ceiling. The night wore on and the roaring fire shifted to glowing embers, but he couldn’t sleep. His throat burned, but when he’d reached for the tea, his body had recoiled in a sea of pain. He didn’t have the strength to try again.
Rion tilted his head and let his gaze roam over the female curled up beside the dying fire. Her body shivered beneath the thin blanket.
Arianna, she’d called herself. Arianna, a female from Móirín. Arianna, their rightful queen.
He tried to shift his hips, but pain lanced through his body and he bit the inside of his cheek to keep from crying out.
Ironic. To be fatally injured by a male from Móirín only to be healed by a female from the same country. He knew how rare healing magic was and the legends surrounding it. But such things were only for children and fanatics. The stories stated their magic could heal any injury, even ones to the soul.
A smirk played on his lips. He’d witnessed the physical aspect of it at least, though his soul was well beyond anyone’s saving.
Queen. He tasted the word on his tongue and glanced at her again.
Let me help you.
Her words echoed over and over. A kindness for a kindness.
