The Glass Queen (The Forest of Good and Evil #2) - Gena Showalter Page 0,133

wore a large tunic...and nothing else. Flutters teased my stomach.

“Someone changed me,” I said softly, not wanting to wake my babies.

“Your dress was—” His entire body jerked, as if the memory of the bloody garment was too much for him to bear. “You needed clean clothes, so I summoned Ever—the ever tardy Eve. As she bathed and changed you, I was the only other person here, and I swear I kept my back turned. I just couldn’t bear to leave your side.”

This boy...oh, this boy. Who could have known the heart of a gentleman beat inside the chest of a warlord?

He shuddered, adding, “You aren’t allowed to die, Ashleigh.”

I hoped he always felt that way, because the time had come to tell him about Leonora; I hadn’t changed my mind about that. This amazing, caring boy deserved to hear the truth. So, I would do it. I would give myself a few hours to wake up and center my thoughts, and then I would spill all. Would he believe me when I told him Leonora wouldn’t die when I died? That my death wasn’t a solution—yet?

“No matter what happens,” I said, “I want you to know that I’m grateful for you and everything you’ve done. Thank you.”

“You thank me?” He rubbed his fingers into his eyes and uttered a bitter laugh. “You owe me nothing, Asha. I owe you everything. I told you this while you were sleeping, but I need to know you’ve heard it. I’m sorry for what my family did to you, and I swear to you now, they will never hurt you again. They will be punished. Please, tell me you know I didn’t want you harmed this way.”

His vehemence touched me, somehow healing the wounds the phantom’s magic couldn’t reach. Wounds he hadn’t even caused. The disdain of my fellow Fleuridians...a friendless existence...years of my father’s rejection.

“I know you didn’t want me harmed.” I reached up to stroke his chest—his warm, strong completely bare chest. Silver glinted from a nipple and—hey! One of his bracelets wrapped around my wrist. The yellow one.

How lovely. “You gave me one of your bracelets?”

He held his breath. “I did, yes.”

The yellow...what did the yellow mean again? Wait. Yellow meant a commitment of marriage, right? But, that couldn’t be right. Could it? My eyes went wide. “Is this your way of...proposing to me, Saxon?”

He flushed for some reason. “Yes. But don’t tell me if you agree or not. Not yet. All right? Give me a chance to show you how good things can be between us first. We can discuss the...engagement in seven days, before the stroke of midnight. Like the fairy tale. All right?”

Reeling. “I...yes. I mean, yes, I will give you seven days. To consider an engagement. To you. Saxon Skylair. Future king of the avian. Marriage?” I gasped out. I would give anything to marry him, just not while I played host to Leonora.

Maybe an open-ended engagement?

He didn’t relax. “I have a gift for you.”

“Another one?” Marveling, I said, “Where has my grumpy warlord with a grudge gone?”

He chuckled, the sound of it pure ecstasy to me. “With you, the grumpy warlord is gone forever.”

Warm honey seemed to pour over me. “Oh, don’t say that. He’s fun to play with...and defeat.”

Another chuckle, this one rumbling and husky. All that warm honey got hot.

“Have mercy on him. He’s not as strong as you are.” He lightly smacked my bottom, and I yelp-laughed. The dragons stirred but didn’t wake.

“They must be tired,” I remarked.

“This is the first they’ve slept since we found you.” Saxon sat up, taking me with him. He kissed my cheek. “Let’s get up, clean up, and I’ll show you the gift. I think you’ll like it.”

He stood and drew me do my feet, but didn’t let me go right away. He held on to make sure I remained steady.

After giving my cheek another kiss, he gave me a little push toward the exit, saying, “Head to the next stall.”

Confused but excited, I walked over...and drew up short. Oh. My. Wow. He’d turned the stall into a luxurious bathing suite. A large tub was already filled, steam curling through the air, rose petals floating over the surface of the water. Along the tub’s rim rested the best toiletries money could buy. Things from every kingdom. Minty toothpaste from Sevón, with a toothbrush made from a split twig. Seaweed scrub from Azul. Perfumed oils from Airaria. A lotion from Fleur, made with more rose petals.

I soaked and