Page 27 of Rule

I pressed the glass harder against her lipsand tilted it. Some juice spilled down her cheeks, and I breathed a sigh ofrelief when she opened her mouth and drank a few swallows.

“Good girl,” I said. “Drink some more.”

She drank more. Her eyes closed, but shecontinued to drink until the glass was empty. I quickly refilled it as Courtwiped the juice from her mouth and chin.

“Open, Evelyn,” I said as I pressed thefull glass against her lips.

“Cold,” she moaned.

“I know you are cold,” I said. “Drink thisand then we will warm you.”

She drank the juice obediently, falling backagainst Court with a small groan, when she was finished. I set the glass downand held my hand to her forehead. “She still has a fever.”

“It does not work that quickly,” Courtsaid. “At least not in juice form. She needs a kadana who can administer it byIV.”

“This is the best we can do,” I said as thehuman shivered in Court’s arms. “We will wake her up and make her drink the juiceevery few hours.”

Court nodded and slid out from behind her.He eased her onto her back on the bed and climbed off of it before picking herup.

“What are you doing, Court?”

“She is freezing. This is the coldest roomin the house.”

He carried her out of the room and down thehallway to his room. Like me, he had a fireplace in his bedroom, and hemotioned for me to turn it on as he tucked the human into his bed. He pulledthe covers to her chin, studying her pale face for a moment before turning around.

He scowled at the look I was giving him. “Donot look at me like that, Bran. We need to heal the human. She is our future queen.What do you think the king will do to us if we let his queen die?”

Chapter Seven

Court

I studied the human in my bed. The feverhad finally broken just after dinner, but she was still pale, and the bruisinghad not lessened. I’d piled two extra blankets onto my bed and kept the firegoing all day, but she still shook so hard the bed frame rattled.

Was she cold because she was sick or becauseshe wasn’t used to our cold months? Dana had complained bitterly during thecold months, but I couldn’t remember if she’d shook from the cold the way this humandid.

Probably because I’d done my best to purgeevery memory, every thought of the wretched female from my head.

The human shifted to her side and I wincedwhen she cried out in her sleep. I wondered if her shivering made her bodyhurt worse. Probably. I glanced at the door to my bedroom. Bran was putting Bellato bed and based on how long he’d been gone, she was fighting her sleep ritualas usual.

The human made another soft groan of painand I studied her trembling, shaking, blanket-covered body before making asudden decision. If the female died, who knew what the king would do to Branand me. I had to do whatever it took to keep her alive and well.

I stripped off my shirt and pants and slidinto the bed beside her. Moving gingerly, I put my arm around her, being carefulnot to touch the bruise on her side, instead resting my arm on her hip. Igrunted in surprise when the little female immediately shifted closer, pressingher entire body against mine like a lover, slinging her arm around my waist,and burying her face in my throat.

I knew she was only seeking out my heat,but my cock was already half-hard. I muttered an earth curse, hating the waymy body reacted to the female. But I couldn’t blame it. It’d been over threeyears since I’d fucked anything but my own hand, and while my head might hatethe human females, my cock had no problems with them.

She was still shivering madly despite the addedwarmth of my body heat and, without thinking, I rubbed her back. Her sharp cryof pain and the way her soft body stiffened against mine, made guilt wash over meand I snatched my hand from her back.

“Krono,” I said. “I am sorry, human.”

I could feel wetness against my throat and moreguilt covered me. I’d hurt her so much she was crying in her sleep. I rubbedher hip as she shifted against me again and her dark hair brushed against mychest like strands of pure silk.

“I am sorry, little human,” I murmured eventhough she wasn’t awake. “I did not mean to hurt you.”

“What are you doing?”

I twitched guiltily as Bran stood next tothe bed. He was giving me a look of disbelief and… was that a little bit ofjealousy in his gaze?

As much as I hated to admit it, a certain amountof satisfaction went through me. If Bran really was jealous, perhaps now hehad a better understanding of what I went through with Dana. Now he was theone standing on the outside looking in and wishing he could have the same loveand affection.

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