found the room empty again. After the night before, I thought I’d be relieved to not face his intense presence this early, but instead, my shoulders deflated at his absence. Where was he going every morning? I thought we were supposed to be in hiding. He only had one motorcycle to dispose of.
Slowly, I rolled up, pausing to take a breath several times on the way. Placing my feet on the ground, I clutched my head, leaning over my legs. The idea of scrubbing my teeth and drowning in a shower sounded like heaven.
I stood, bones cracking, and shuffled to the door, feeling decades older than my not even twenty years. My birthday was coming up in a few months, the day fae celebrated Samhain all over the world, an ancient Celtic festival. Another reason I never wanted to observe my birth—it was a sacred day for fae.
Caden always threw me a party, trying to cheer me up, but I would have been happier ignoring the whole thing. To me, my birthday represented my mother’s death. Millions were murdered and killed that night. Our world crumbled into chaos, never to be the same again. And for us in the East, nothing but hardship came after. The day the wall fell was filled with hate, sadness, heartbreak, and blood.
“They really wanted to make sure I was dead. It was the night of the Fae War. Right before the final barrier fell.” Walking down the quiet hallway, I rubbed the space between my eyes, recalling Warwick’s admission the night before. He had died when I had been born.
Life and death.
“Oh, gods.” I groaned at the reflection in the mirror. My pale skin appeared almost blue under the dim lighting, my veins showing through my thin skin. My cheeks were gaunt, my eyes bloodshot, and my body was covered with bruises and marks.
Once, I had been the perfect bait for powerful leaders, a lure for generals and delegates. Heads of state had courted me for my unusual beauty and wit.
Now? I looked haggard and beaten down by life.
Washing my face and teeth, taking care of business, I headed back to the room, halting in shock at the person leaning against my door.
“What are you doing up?” I tilted my head at Rosie. Dressed in her silky negligee and robe, her makeup smeared under her eyes, hair in tangles, she still looked better than I did. “Shouldn’t you be sleeping for another six hours?”
“I should be, yes. But thanks to your man, I haven’t gotten to bed yet.” She trailed me into the room, her throat husky and low.
“What?” I spun to her, regretting my quick movement as a brick of dread plummeted to my stomach.
“Oh relax, luv.” She swished her hand, tugging at her robe with the other. “It’s not what I meant. Though I won’t lie to you and say I wish it was for that reason.” She winked at me. “But because we’re friends, I could never do that to you. Plus, he doesn’t want me…” She arched an eyebrow at me.
“I have no idea what you mean.” I rolled my shoulders back. “And he’s not my man. You have full permission to go after him.”
“Right.” She snorted, twisting a strand of her hair, not believing a word I said. “I was ushering my last customer out when he was leaving. Told me to tell you to stay put.”
“He said what?” I blinked at her.
“Think his exact words were, ‘Make sure she doesn’t step a fucking foot out the front door.’”
“Oh really?” I folded my arms. “He leaves each morning but orders me to stay put like a dog? He has no say over what I do.”
“Funny, he knew you’d say that. He told me, quote ‘hogtie her if you have to, use your cuffs, but she doesn’t leave.’” She curled her fingers in quotes.
Indignation detonated inside, breaking my hangover into tiny pieces, leaving only rage and obstinacy. “He said I couldn’t leave through the front door. Did he say anything about the back one?”
“Oh, I know that look.” Rosie grinned wickedly, rubbing her hands together. “I mean, I wasn’t against tying you up. You are seriously sexy, but once upon a time, I was married to a controlling man. I’m all for putting them in their place.”
“You were married before?” The peek into her life, the realization she was completely human with a life before this, punched me in the gut. As much as I pretended I didn’t judge people