Page 48 of The Nightmare Queen

Rorin clears his throat, stiffening before letting go of me and scooting to the other side of the bed, “the uh- the flesh on my arm suddenly felt like it was melting off my body which was a…startling way to wake up and so I came in here…and you looked like you were having a fit. Flailing and—”

My cheeks heat. “I wasn’t flailing.”

“You were flailing and kicking. I didn’t want you to hurt yourself, but—” His stare drops down to the obvious bloodstain on his sheets, “looks like you already did. Why are you bleeding?” I reach for the edge of the sheet, throwing it off my body quickly so I can stand. But unfortunately for me my diced up leg doesn't cooperate with the motion and my knee immediately buckles. I stumble forward and his hand snatches my wrist angling my body towards him in the process.

Hazel eyes zeroing onto the bloodied mess overlapping faded silver scars. “Did you – did you do that to yourself?” He asks, his voice flabbergasted.

I don't have to answer to you,I think and point to the door, “out.”

“Eveera, did you do that to yourself?” He asks again, harsher this time the tone of his voice dropping an octave.

I shrug. “Fell on my weapons. Now get out.”

He moves me out of his way and slips off the bed. It's as he crouches down that I notice he's shirtless. His muscled chest, dripping in sweatthat I can't tell if it's mine or his reaction from the rune's effects. He grips my ankle and forces my leg up. “You fell,” he says dryly putting his face closer to the flayed skin. If his voice didn't already give away that he doesn’t believe me for a second, his eyes do as they look up at me through thick dark lashes. “Falling made these precise slits in your thigh? What did you do? Line up all your blades face up next to your bed? And because if that doesn't sound stupid enough, you mean to convince me that you just what – rolled off? Tripped maybe and landed on top of them?” He's angry. An emotion that isn’t his to have, so I point at the door again, clearly indicating what I want him to do.

“You didn’t answer my question.” He growls.

It’s because of your people that I do this. Because of those memories. Because ofyou. The words rest on my tongue. I don’t want his anger, I don’t want his pity, sadness. "I don't have to." He doesn't move. If anything his grip tightens on my ankle. “We are not friends,princeling.” I snarl, leaning down.

He huffs out a laugh with no mirth in it. “No, we aren’t. But I cannot have my…leverage…mutilating herself.”And there it is,my conscience whispers.He's not angry because he cares, he's angry because he think's he'll lose what he bought.“Maybe I’ll just go tell Axel orBlondiewhat their queen has been up to. See if they can get a better explanation than ‘I fell on my weapons.’out of you.”

My lips flatten together. “You won’t.”

He drops my ankle like a hot coal, “they know?” his spits, the words pure venom. Rorin stands abruptly, finally listening and storming out of the room. I feel relieved for a moment until I hear the door to the hall open.

I limp after him as fast as I can, furious the nightmare came anyways and that he felt it. “Rorin.” I shout but he ignores me, continuingto stomp down the hall. I finally catch up to him, colliding into his back as he stops short. “EVERYBODY UP!”Dear gods, hear we go.

“Rorin!” I hiss. “What do you think you’re doing?”

I am met with silence once again, his hand coming behind him and clamping over my mouth and nose. “Having a discussion with your guards.” Wield is leaking out of his free hand. The mist floods onto the floor and under the doors of our men. His hand covering my mouth shakes as he tries to keep control on the mist.

“Why the hell do you care?!” My words are a muffled mess behind his calloused palm, while my nails tear down his forearm trying to remove it from my face. But with preternatural strength he keeps it secure against me. I try to summon my own Wield, hoping to break his concentration, but it’s mine that breaks with the sound of men coughing and heaving. Doors slam open as they all spill out into the hall with us. He doesn’t pull the Wield back until every one of them is doubled over – Mousy and Bennett included. He lets go of my face but only to move his grip to my chin.

He stares coldly into my eyes. “Idon’tcare.” He says, “but they—” his left hand points at each of my men, “should.”

"What in the fucking bleeding gods was that about, asshole?!” Axel shouts, the first one to regain his breath.

A sardonic smile spreads across Rorin’s face as he continues to stare down at me. “Asshole, sure. But you five have got to be the dirtiest fucking scum to allowthisto happen.” All of them bristle at the insult, the two brothers with defensive Wields, flare theirs. “Someone better have a damn good explanation forthis.” The grip on my chin vanishes only to return around my upper arm. It’s a power move as he drags me from behind him so they can all look at my bloodied thigh. Axel's face frowns and Maxwell and Orem won’t even look at me, their gazes turning down.

“Rorin.” I say a third time, this one a warning.

He shakes his head turning to look at the men. “You have one job. Protect her. And by the looks of the scars resting underneath the fresh ones, you've failed.”

Mousy takes a step towards the prince, “Ror, maybe this is none of our business. There is no need to concern yourself with another one of her unsavory behaviors.” Axel opens his mouth, and by the look on his face I know exactly what he is going to say.

It’s too soon!The voice in my head screams.“Axel, mind your place.” I snarl.

“No." He growls at me, sticking a finger out at the prince. "Don’t tell me I’m shitty at protecting her, you self important dick. You want a damn answer for that? Look no further than mommy and daddy.” He takes a step forward, Armond and Max lunging out to grab hold of him.

“Axel, enough.” Armond warns. Axel's head whips back and forth between our men and myself. “He honestly wants us to believe he has no idea what his own kingdom did? What his parents had a hand in?”

I rip my arm out of Rorin’s loosened grip. “That's it! Reminder for you all that I am a fuckingqueen.I don't answer to any of you.” A door slams closed and I notice Ezra has stormed off. I follow suit, turning my back on the rest of them and limp my way to any exit back to my room.

Rorin came back after some time slamming closed every open door in his wake, I could feel his frustration through the seal. I sink against the stained glass window trying to block out Rorin's emotions. By the looks of it outside,there are a few hours left until dawn breaks. I make myself comfortable on the cushions of the window seat knowing that sleep won't come for me again. On nights when it got really bad, Vada would coerce me into riding on her back as aftercare for how I handled things. What I wouldn’t give to be on Vada’s back right now, gliding alongside the stars.

The princeling’s velvety voice trickles into my mind. “You’re still awake.”Apparently, I wasn't very good at blocking him out.

"You’re slamming and general asshole behavior kept me up.” I tell him.

---