His winter blue eyes sparkled in the starlight. A corner of his mouth tugged up. “Wouldn’t that be lovely. More time with you.” He pulled me toward his mouth and after kissing lips and necks and nibbling earlobes, we forced ourselves to stop before our desire overwhelmed us. He ran soft fingers along my back until I fell asleep in the warm comfort of his embrace.
Chapter 26
For two days I hardly slept. Dozing off a few times only to be woken by night terrors of the Fae taking me and no one remembering my existence. No one to mourn my absence.
During the day I focused on my studies and worked so hard training for the tournament, that I collapsed from exhaustion and a cracked rib. The first day I’d trained with Zyacus. The second, I took turns training with Aric and Legacy. Legacy was the one who cracked a rib. Aric had been spectating. Talk about the awkwardness in the room since he and Legacy wouldn’t say a word directly to each other but both of them insisted on training with me… One of them had to give.
I could have healed it myself but I was so weak I couldn’t even lift my arms. Lack of our usual food and hardly any rest had taken its toll. As Aric lifted me into his arms, he said, “You won’t be able to fight in the tournament tomorrow if you don’t get some sleep.”
I sighed, “I’ve tried.”
Legacy hurried to catch up when Aric made for the exit. “Maybe you should sleep with Zyacus.”
Aric looked at Legacy. “Yes, I’m sure sex is the cure for all her problems.”
“I didn’t say sex,” Legacy bit out. “I meant, sleep next to him. You said the night you two laid outside together was the last time you slept. Maybe being around him comforts you, I don’t know.”
When we reached the infirmary, Legacy shoved the door open and held it for us. Aric set me down on a bed.
“I’m going to get you something to drink and eat,” Legacy said and hurried off.
“She may be right about being with Z.”
I caught myself in a mirror across the room. Around my eyes had darkened and my cheeks looked slightly gaunt. I’m a total mess. “Where is he? Why didn’t he come to train with us again?” I couldn’t remember the reasoning when Aric showed up instead of him.
“Kingdom business,” he answered.
A healer approached us and her stern gaze fell from Aric to me. “What happened?”
“I think my rib may be broken,” I said, with my side feeling like it was on fire. My body felt so heavy, like I could melt into the soft bed I rested on.
“She’s also not sleeping.” Aric looked at me for only a moment then back to the healer. “Or eating enough.”
“Well, food is rationed but the princess shouldn’t be without enough,” the healer said, tucking her brown hair behind her ear. “I’ll get you a healing potion, something to eat, and a sleeping tonic.”
My heavy eyes shot wide. “A sleeping tonic? No, I don’t want that.” I didn’t want to be drugged and forced to sleep. Legacy had tried to force me to sleep with the spell and I’d woken minutes later screaming from a night terror.
“It’s nothing bad dear. It will only help you get some rest,” then she walked away before I could say anything further against it.
Legacy came back with a muffin. She shoved a chunk in my mouth before I could even ask. It really hadn’t been that long since I’d had a muffin but as the sweet berry flavor burst on my tongue it felt like forever.
“Where did you get that?” Aric asked, his voice didn’t have its usual Legacy-edge.
Lifting her hazel eyes to him, she half smiled. “I’ve had a secret stash preserved for emergencies.”
I sipped a healing potion through a straw and watched the walls between them slowly come down. “That was smart,” Aric said. “Uh, how have your classes been this year?”
They talked for a while and the dissolving tension between them made me feel better. As did the food, relaxation, and healing potion. I sat up and stretched ready to get back to training.
Legacy reached for me. “You need to rest. Just take the sleeping tonic.”
I looked at the clear drink beside the bed that could have been water. “No, I’ll be fine. Let’s get in a little more training before I have to fight tomorrow.”
“Dragon’s breath, you’re stubborn.” Legacy rolled her eyes. “Don’t make me get Bindy or Zyacus.”
“Don’t get me for what?” Zyacus asked, strolling into the room with his usual cocky swagger. I’d come to realize that was just the way he walked.
After both Aric and Legacy talked about me like I wasn’t even there, explaining all of my supposed ailments, I shot to my feet. “Fine I’ll go try to get some sleep.”
As I headed for the door I caught Aric giving Zyacus a shove toward me. Not that he needed prompting. He swatted at Aric’s hand, and the vampire prince laughed. At least his mood lightened since he’d somewhat made up with Legacy.
When we entered the hallway, Zyacus put an arm around my waist. “If you wanted me to sleep with you to chase away nightmares, all you had to do was say so, princess.”
Truthfully I was too tired for witty banter. So I laid my head against him. Without questions he scooped me up and spelled to his room. There he set me on the bed. Climbing in and drawing the blanket over us, we curled into each other and within minutes I was lost in dreamland.
When I woke it was dark. A small candle gave off a little light as did the stars shining through the window. The treacherous Fae moon bathed the room with a scarlet tint, reminding me why I’d had trouble falling asleep before. I placed my hand on the steady rise and fall
