Page 78 of War of Her Heart

“Do you need to take your medicine?” he said as he pointed to my nightstand.

“I take that at nine. Did you forget?”

I could tell by the look on Sebastian’s face that he had another smart comment to say about my heart condition, but he knew it wasn’t the time.

But I also knew he hadn’t forgotten. He only said that to get my mind off of what just happened.

And it worked for a moment.

“Sebastian,” I said.

“Yes, love?”

I paused, contemplating my next words. How do you ask someone that you just did unspeakable things with less than an hour ago to sleep in the bed with you because you’re scared to be alone?

“Fine, I guess I’ll sleep in the bed with you.”

I looked at him with an annoyed look.

Get out of my head,I thought, knowing he would hear it.

“You let your walls down to let me in, and you haven’t put them back up. And when you say my name like that,” he paused, “and look at me like that, I can’t help but look to see what you’re thinking.”

I rolled my eyes at him.

“You look exhausted.”

I didn’t argue with him about that. After everything that happened tonight and the pain I endured for Sebastian to remove the spell, I could barely hold my eyes open.

As I took a step towards the bed, Sebastian said, “Wait.” He waved his hand towards the bed, and the sheets—the disgusting sheets where Calum and Nathara once were—disappeared and were replaced with clean ones. I had almost forgotten what had happened only hours ago in my room.

I crawled into bed and Sebastian followed me. He lay on one side of the bed with his arms glued to his sides.

He looked as if he was afraid to do something wrong, worried I would push him away again like I did earlier. Like I’d done every time he’d gotten close. But he was the only one who knew what I went through, and I knew that if I was with him, I was safe—something I hadn’t felt in a long time.

I pulled his arm away from his side so I could lay next to him and lay my head on his chest. The coolness of his body was such a comfort to me. Being able to sleep tonight without waking up in the middle of the night covered in sweat was welcome.

Once I allowed my body to relax, my mind went back to Astrid, and I couldn’t stop myself from sobbing.

“I’m so sorry that happened to you,” he whispered as he ran his fingers through my hair.

“I don’t care about what happened to me,” I said between the sobs. “Astrid was the closest thing I ever had to a mother, and she’s gone. I would rather endure a lifetime of torture if that meant she would still be alive.”

I felt Sebastian tense underneath me. If anyone was to understand how I felt, it was him.

I kept reliving the moment of her death over and over again. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get the image of that creature slicing open her neck out of my mind.

That creature.

I sat up to look at Sebastian.

“That creature,” I said as I tried to wipe the tears from my face. “What was that?”

“It looked like a dovamin, but it could have been anyone with a glamour. And the witch, well she could’ve done anything. Whatever she did to make you believe you were in a cell, she could’ve also made you believe the dovamin was there.”

“Does that mean they could’ve faked Astrid being there. And maybe she’s still alive?” I asked.

He paused as he searched over my face, seeing the hope form. “I will find out tomorrow. But please try to get some rest now.”

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