"I wasn't—" The denial died on my lips. I had been absentminded, too focused on her. I shook my head and turned away, only belatedly realizing the instrument I clutched in my hand until it banged loudly against the table. "Shit!" I cursed, pulling the violin up and inspecting it to see if it was damaged.
Groffet tsked, the sound an irritating judgment in an otherwise silent room. I lifted my gaze and offered him a dark look. "If you have something to say, old man, say it."
Groffet waddled across the floor until he stood just on the other side of the table and then shuffled around it until he was at my side. His fat troll fingers reached for the violin, and though I narrowed my eyes, I released it to his grip.
"You have not played her in a long time," he said quietly, as he moved his hand down her neck and over her body. Several strings were missing, as was the bow. "But I believe you have found her again for a reason."
"There's no time for music lessons, Groffet," I said. "What have you found?"
Groffet didn't answer me right away, but as much as I hated it, I'd grown accustomed to his impertinence. He would speak when he was ready to and no sooner. "There is something in the works," he finally said after several long moments. He handed the violin back to me and took a step back. "But it will not be ready for a night or two. I must make the necessary preparations. I recommend you and the other majesties take this opportunity to heal. You will need it for what is coming."
Although his words were serious, my mind stuck on the word majesties. I snorted. "Since when do you refer to us by our titles?" I asked with a shake of my head.
Groffet smiled, revealing crooked, yellowed teeth and a small dimple set into the side of his face that I'd never seen nor noticed before. "The time is coming where all will know you only by those titles," he said cryptically, but before I could ask what he meant, he shuffled away and left me standing there holding an old violin.
I sighed. I would need something to keep my mind off of Cress and the others, something, perhaps that could distract me long enough for me to finally make a decision.
About her. About our Court. And about Faekind as we knew it.
Chapter Sixteen
Cress
My body ached in the most delicious way when I awoke the next morning. The warmth of a masculine body was pressed to my back. Real sunlight—at least, I was pretty sure it was real—streamed in overhead.
It was by far the most peaceful way I’d woken up since being captured. So, instead of ruining it by turning and waking up my bed partner, I exhaled and snuggled back into Orion's embrace. His arms tightened around me, pulling me back against him even more. A low growly noise sounded behind my ear as he released a breath.
"Cress." My name was a sigh on his lips and it made me smile even as my chest tightened.
We stayed like that for a long moment. His hands clenched and unclenched around my stomach and his heart beat faster against my back, letting me know that he was awake. As my sleepiness faded, too, I wriggled around until I was facing him, earning a deep, throaty chuckle from his lips. His dark eyes gazed intently into mine while his hand came up and brushed a lock of hair from my face. While his expression started off amused and pleased, it slowly morphed. His brows drew down low over his eyes and his lips pinched
"Cress, I—" he began
"What's wrong?” I cut him off, reaching for him. My hands moved over his naked chest and abdomen. “Is it the poison?"
"No, Cress.” His hands captured mine, stilling their frantic movements. “It's nothing to do with that. The poison is receding. I’ll be completely healed before the end of the day." His dark eyes met mine. “Thanks to you.”
“Are you sure?” I pressed.
“Yes.” He nodded and then lifted his hand to slowly stroke a knuckle lightly down the side of my face.
“Then what’s wrong?” I asked insistently, worry creasing my brow.
His pinched lips curled down into a deep grimace. “I…” Orion sucked in a breath and only when it shuddered back out did he continue. “You were taken because of me,” he said. “For