donned it, wishing she could have a warm salt bath before dirtying the flowing fabric against her skin. Surely these Emberhawk bathed. Sylendrin had appeared to be very well-groomed—she’d even noticed the scent of lavender as he’d helped her down from the cocoon.
A knock on the door nearly jolted Kira out of her skin. She tossed her filthy pajamas in the bottom of the armoire and shut its carved doors.
“Yes?” she called in a fractured voice, then swallowed to clear her throat. Please let it be a call to dinner.
“Kira?”
Ryon’s voice.
Her muscles tensed like internal armor. She didn’t respond.
“Kira, listen, I’m sorry. I don’t want to bother you. I just need to use the bathroom . . . please. My wound needs to be cleaned.”
She nearly told him to go wash it out with swamp water. By “bathroom” did he mean the room without a bathtub in it?
Kira hid her throwing knife in the folds of her new outfit, which was so big she had to tighten it with knots. A dark facet of her soul wanted him to come at her again just so she could put the blade to good use. She’d win the rematch—apparently he couldn’t use invisibility this time.
“Come in,” she growled.
The door creaked open, and Kira prepared her most pointed glare. But Ryon didn’t even look at her.
“Thank you.” He kept his gaze down and moved slowly to the side door. He cradled his arm close, as if her mother’s dirtied handkerchief no longer did him any good.
Kira’s chest voided its tangled emotions as she watched Ryon slip into the bathroom. He looked like an injured, guilty puppy.
No, I refuse to feel sorry for him. It’s all his fault I’m in this mess! Kira stood still, unable to move, lest she start crying or yelling at him again. He’s a liar and a thief and probably one of the Jade Witch’s spies. Acting and manipulating people is part of his job. Don’t fall for it.
As she moved silently to the other side of the bed, she grappled with her anger, trying to get a better view of whatever he was doing in there. She heard the tearing of fabric and a sharp intake of breath.
“Please let me sleep on the floor in here.” Ryon’s voice sounded strained. “You can close the door and bar it with a chair or something. Just make sure you lock the main door too.”
He’d rather be locked in the bathroom and sleep on a cold stone floor instead of giving up the charade and getting his own room? Maybe he actually was serious about protecting her. Or maybe he was just too stubborn to admit that he’d lied.
“Am I supposed to believe that a chair would keep you out?” Kira murmured.
“It’s not me you should be worried about. But I am truly sorry for doing that without permission and scaring you.” Ryon’s dusty cloak came into view as Kira rounded the corner. “I know you’ll never believe me, but it was in your best interest.”
Kira snorted. “You made me break my oath to the goddess and stole what I’ve been saving for eighteen years. Don’t pretend you care anything about my best interest or have any idea what that would be, since you obviously have no understanding of Malaano traditions.”
Ryon’s head peeked out, eyes wide. “Don’t tell me that was your first . . .”
Kira looked away to peer out the long window to the grass outside. “Is that so hard to believe?”
“Well, yeah. I’d think . . .” Ryon disappeared back inside the bathroom.
“Think what?” Kira snapped.
There was a long moment of silence. “That a girl like you would’ve had plenty of suitors.”
“Well, I did. I mean, I do.” She didn’t have to tell him that every guy in Navarro had given up on her. She wasn’t looking for apple-knockers who didn’t care about their education, anyway. “I just kept my oath with all of them. And then you ruined it without my permission or any care in the world.”
“Kira, I had no idea. I’m really sorry. I will continue to apologize until you’re satisfied, or if you let me try and make it up to you somehow, I’ll do my best. But don’t accuse me of not caring, because if I didn’t, I obviously wouldn’t be here right now.” Ryon’s voice quieted. “And if you’ll allow me to continue to try and protect you and keep my promise to Tekkyn, I swear I will do better.”