Page 28 of Rule

What is wrong with you? The human is notin your bed because she wants to be, and she did not ask you to join her and dismissBran. You’re acting like a froden.

My sense of smugness faded, and I gave Brana weary look. “The human is still cold. I am trying to warm her.”

“Is that right?”

The doubt in Bran’s voice made my anger flare.

“Yes, Bran. In case you have forgotten,this woman is our future queen. If she dies -”

“How could I forget? You have beenmentioning it all day,” Bran said.

“Because our lives depend on keeping heralive,” I snapped.

He snorted irritably and I scowled at him. Ididn’t want to fight with him, and I hated that even two years after Dana, ourfriendship was still not the way it used to be.

It never will be. You should leave.Leave Bran with his daughter and find your own path.

Like always, that thought sent panicskittering through me. The moons I’d spent on my own had almost driven me madwith loneliness. I would rather live with Bran and be reminded every day ofwhat I’d lost, then return to living alone.

“Court, did you hear me?”

I made myself focus on Bran. “What?”

“I said it is not working. The human isstill shaking.”

Bran was right. The little female wasstill shivering wildly. She was hitching in breath in weird, erratic motionsand every few seconds, she made a low moan.

“I just climbed into the bed with her,” I said.“She will warm soon.”

Bran glanced at the fireplace before strippingoff his shirt. I watched in shock as he yanked down his pants and left them onthe floor before sliding into the bed behind the human.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

Bran grabbed my tablet from the nightstandand scrolled through the screen. “Setting an alarm so we can feed the humanmore juice in a few hours.”

“No, why are you in the bed?”

He gave me an impatient look before slidingcloser to the human. “Helping to warm her.”

“If you touch her back, you will hurt her,”I said.

“I am aware of that.” He left only asliver of space between his chest and her back. “But it will still help.”

I didn’t reply and he closed his eyes, restinghis head on the pillow behind the human’s. I closed my eyes as well, onlyvaguely aware that my hand was still rubbing her hip. To my surprise, her shiveringceased after a few minutes. Her breathing evened out and the small cries she madein her sleep stopped.

Bran was already asleep. The sound of his rhythmicbreathing filled me with both an aching sadness and contentment. It had been yearssince Bran and I had shared a bed with a woman and the familiarity of it wasalmost overwhelming.

Krono, I had missed this. If I tried hard enough,I could pretend this was our life again. The way it was before Dana destroyed us.

* * *

Evelyn

I became aware of two things simultaneously.I was finally warm for the first time since I landed on the Draax planet, and thehorrifying, vomit-inducing pain in my side and back was gone. I was still notone hundred percent, my back and my ribs ached, and my shoulder felt tender, butI was no longer in the agony I was.

I could have cried with relief. My bodyhad finally started the healing process and my immune system had kicked in andkilled the infection. Thank God.

Not your immune system, Evie. You’d bedead now if it wasn’t for the Draax.

---