I nod against him, but I cannot speak. He cups my cheek and his warm green gaze meets mine. “Do you want me to help you undress?”
I tense, and his eyes fill with pain. Cash moves to his side. “We will not touch you in any way that makes you uncomfortable, Ella. We simply want to take care of you.”
I nod, ashamed that I would have such a reaction to him. They took care of me before without pushing themselves on me. I trust them.
Carefully, they undo the bindings of my dress and slip it from my shoulders as they guide me to the tub. Steam rises from the surface, and as I sink deep into the warm water, I feel my muscles beginning to unwind and relax.
Finn gently washes my hair as Cash runs a soft cloth over my face, neck, and shoulders, cleaning away all the blood.
“You are very brave, Ella,” Cash says.
Numbly, I stare at the water, watching as the clear liquid slowly turns pink from all the blood on my skin. I shudder inwardly. “I don’t feel very brave right now,” I murmur. “I know he’s dead, but…” I clench my jaw as I swallow against the hard lump in my throat. “I’m still afraid.” I look to Finn. “What if someone followed us here? What if they come after all of you too?”
Finn takes my hand. “We made certain no one followed us. We are safe here.”
I want so much to believe this. But if the wolf shifter that attacked me took the form of the prince, that means that he and whoever he’s working with were able to either kill or abduct the prince before that.
And if they can get to a prince—a man surrounded by royal guards and safe in his castle—they can get to anyone. None of us are truly safe.
I don’t point this out, however, because it will do no good. We have nowhere else to go.
Cash and Finn help me stand and wrap me in a soft, warm towel to dry. Cash hands me a nightgown. The light blue material is smooth as silk against my skin. It’s held up by two small straps over my shoulders and only goes down to mid-thigh.
Usually, I would feel shy about wearing something so revealing, but ever since I’ve met my guards, they have done nothing but protect and take care of me. I feel neither ashamed nor embarrassed to dress in front of them now.
I know it’s only been a few days that I’ve known them, but it feels like it’s been a lifetime. I suppose it’s the bond that causes me to feel this way, but I don’t care. My guards care for me and would never hurt me. That’s all that matters.
Nyx comes up the stairs and walks toward us. He holds out a small tin, and I stare down at it curiously. “It is healing balm.” His warm honey-brown eyes meet mine as he hands me the container. “Magically enhanced. It will heal your injuries.”
I thank him, and he looks to Cash and Finn. “The rest of us will be downstairs. You two stay here.”
“We will,” Finn replies.
As he turns to leave, I grip his forearm, stopping him abruptly.
He spins back to me with a curious expression.
“Please,” I whisper. “Be careful.”
A warm smile crests his lips. “I will,” he murmurs. “Rest, Ella. We will keep watch while you sleep.”
Sleep. As if that’s possible after everything that happened this night.
“Thank you,” I barely manage.
As soon as he’s gone, Cash takes the small tin from me and opens it. Tenderly, he applies the ointment to my cheek, and I release a sigh of relief as the pain fades then disappears completely. I walk back to the bathroom mirror, marveling at how I’m now completely healed.
I smooth my hand across my cheek as Cash moves up behind me. “Is the pain gone?”
“Yes. I don’t hurt at all anymore. How does that work? I don’t understand. And... where are we? Is this your home?”
Finn moves up beside him. “We brought you back to our kingdom.”
I search his eyes in concern. “I thought Kai said it was forbidden for you to bring a human to your world. Aren’t you going to get in trouble for bringing me here?”
“Not unless someone finds out.” Finn lowers his gaze as he continues to concentrate on spreading the balm across my back from where small shards of glass cut my skin. “But no one will know, and no one will find you here.”
“How do you know?” I peer over my shoulder, unable to fathom why they would take such a risk.
“Because we have hidden this place with an enchantment, shielding it from unwanted eyes.” Finn explains. “As long as we keep the shield up, no one will be able to find us.”
“And no one but us knows about this place either,” Cash adds. “We built it many years ago, shortly after we bonded. A sort of... escape for us, you see. A place to get away when we wanted to be alone.”
I study him a moment. “You say you are all bond brothers, but what does that mean exactly?”
“It means,” Finn begins. “That we are all bound to each other. We are a unit—able to speak to each other with our minds and thoughts. We are as close as brothers.” His lips quirk up in a smile as he looks to Cash. “Perhaps even closer since we know so much about each other.”
“But how were you all brought together?” I ask, curious to understand.
Cash holds out his arm, pointing to a glowing mark on his forearm. As I stare at it, it begins to glow even brighter. Finn steps forward and extends his arm as well, and I note that he has the same marking.
“This mark, “Cash gestures to it. “Each of us was born with it. It is the mark of the Chosen One.” His eyes snap up to
