had forgotten what the Seat of Power meant and how the people of this realm counted on him. The royal houses had been swayed into darkness. The Ring of Shadows rode viciously through the realm, taking and destroying and killing whatever it wanted. And the sovereigns did nothing to save their people. Without me, the realm would only continue to slip toward destruction.
“Have you never seen what the Ring of Shadows is capable of?” Arrick asked after a long time.
I shook my head. “The temple I grew up in was far removed from society. Heprin is peaceful. They have no formal army, only a royal guard to protect the king. Most citizens are stringently religious and spend their days in devotion to the Light. I did not know to expect… this.”
Arrick was quiet for a moment before he whispered, “Now you know.”
“Now I know.” When I grew tired of inspecting my water cup, I lifted my gaze. His was already on me, intense and steady. “I wanted to thank you for earlier,” I said.
“For earlier?”
Surely he knew. Or maybe he’d saved so many lives that I mingled in his memory with nameless faces and countless acts of service.
“For saving my life,” I told him. “On the platform. I would have died if you hadn’t been there to catch me.”
He shook his head. “I couldn’t believe you. I left you behind on purpose. I left you where I knew you would be safe and out of harm’s way. Yet you still managed not only to jump in the mess headfirst but find immediate peril. I thought I was going to lose you again.”
His words at once warmed and cautioned. “Again?”
He looked away and cleared his throat. “I meant completely. I thought I was going to lose you completely.” He cleared his throat again. “Not that I would have minded. I regret to inform you that you’re much more trouble than you’re worth. Unfortunately, I feel this nagging sense of responsibility for your safety.”
I didn’t know what to make of his words. Had he meant again? And if so what did that mean? Were my suspicions correct? Or was he exhausted enough that his words jumbled on his tongue and in his brain?
The second explanation was easy to believe. Especially since my own muddled thoughts struggled to make sense of anything.
“Oh really?” I teased even while I couldn’t let my suspicion go. “This nagging sense of responsibility is why you demanded to accompany me to Elysia? This is why you went out of your way, left your camp, and risked life and limb to escort me home?”
He gave me an exasperated look. “If I had known how much trouble you would be, I would have sent you on your way with a happy felicitation.”
I snorted. It wasn’t an attractive sound, but I was too tired to care. “Why don’t I believe you?”
He opened his mouth to suggest a reason, no doubt an untruthful reason, when a violent shiver racked my body. His brows drew down with concern. “Are you cold?”
I shivered again, unable to deny it. “I suppose I am. After the fire, my skin hasn’t quite recovered.”
He wrapped an arm around me, drawing me into the heat of him. I nearly moaned, such was the delicious feeling of his warm body pressed against my chilled one. His shoulder was equally as soothing when I lay my head upon it.
I took another sip of water feeling an overwhelming sense of comfort and relief. Something festered in the back of my mind, warning me that these feelings were dangerous, reminding me that I had work to do and tasks to finish. But the temptation to press deeper against him won out over all other concerns. It was too consuming.
I felt his lips against my head and I had to close my eyes against the eruption of butterflies in my chest.
“Rest now, Tess,” he murmured gently.
My eyelids fluttered closed without my permission. “For just a moment.”
His deep voice rumbled against me, lulling me deeper into the cocoon of his embrace. “For just a moment,” he promised. “But rest now. I’ll keep you safe.” His words became a distant whisper until at last I fell into the abyss of sleep. His hypnotic voice chased after me, changing from Arrick’s to someone else’s. “I’m supposed to keep you safe, Tessana. I was made to protect you.”
Sleep soothed my sore muscles and tired mind. When I woke hours later, the sun was headed toward twilight once again.
I