after the adrenaline rushed through me during that critical moment, I was even more exhausted. My throat ached like it’d been burned, and I still needed to cough here and there. “Thank you…” I’d thought my life was over. I’d thought my sister would have to listen to the sound of the knife stabbing into my body over and over. But at the last possible second, he returned.
Magnus walked out.
“Wait, where are you—”
The door shut and locked.
I stared at it, so disappointed that I didn’t know what to do with myself. I wasn’t sure what I expected, but at least a few words, a conversation…something. He saved my life, and then he just disappeared.
I lay on the bed and stared at the spine of my book.
It was as if it were talking to me, and not from the words on the page.
I grabbed it and pulled it to my chest, holding it like a stuffed animal, gripping it like a lifeline. Tears welled a moment later, a catharsis that came from nowhere. Every time I complained that my food wasn’t right at a restaurant, every time I groaned when I had to walk to work in the rain, every time I was annoyed when my date showed up late…all of it felt so fucking stupid.
I never should have taken anything for granted.
Never.
Fifteen minutes later, the door opened again.
I immediately sat up and abruptly wiped my eyes with the back of my jacket, cleaning myself up, embarrassed that someone would witness a moment of weakness.
The woman who ordinarily delivered dinner came in even though it was earlier than usual. She brought a tray that was overstuffed with food, everything piled high on the plate and toppling over. There were two bottles of water there too.
The second I looked at it, my stomach rumbled.
It was the first time the woman actually looked at me. She was several decades older, as if she could be my mother, and her eyes softened like she pitied me, like she wanted to place her palm against my cheek and tell me everything would be alright. But a look was enough to convey that kindness.
She walked away.
“Thank you.” I pulled the tray into my lap and ate at the edge of the bed, almost too tired to even eat.
Then Magnus entered, wearing the same jacket and cloak like the other guards. But this time, he lowered his hood once the door was shut behind him, revealing his face because I already knew exactly what he looked like.
I stopped eating.
He carried a mug of hot cocoa to my nightstand. Then he dug into his pockets and pulled out a tube of medicine to apply to my neck, a couple pain pills, and a medical ice pack. His head turned slightly, and he glanced at the book lying on the bed. “You’re reading it.”
“I’ve already read it. But I’m reading it again…” It was my bible, my therapy, my hope.
“Eat.” He didn’t look right at me, never giving me direct eye contact even though his hood was down. His brown hair was a little longer this time than it was weeks ago. His jaw was covered with a shadow because he’d ignored the shave for a few days. There were thick veins up his neck, like his skin was so tight that the rivers popped out. He moved to the chair against the wall near the door and took a seat.
His presence gave me more comfort than the food in my lap, but I was starving and weak, so I grabbed the fork and continued to eat.
He leaned back into the wall, his knees apart, his eyes looking at nothing in particular. He had masculine angles to his face, noticeable cheekbones, and his brown eyes conveyed a constant sense of indifference. He’d shouted in that clearing just minutes ago, but now he didn’t seem angry.
I continued to eat, my eyes down most of the time, though I couldn’t help but to sneak a glance at him from time to time.
He was still, as if he were encumbered by his thoughts. He didn’t say anything to me, but he lingered like he might.
I liked having him there. After being terrorized by that asshole for two weeks, I didn’t want Magnus to leave my cabin. He was the only power that I had, the only weapon in my arsenal. “Did you just get here…?”
He nodded.
If he’d arrived just thirty seconds later, he would have seen my dead body hanging from that