Page 34 of Rule

“Bella is pretty?” She cocked her head atme and batted her eyelashes and I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Yes, you’re very pretty.”

She held up two fingers. “Bella is two.Bella is smart.”

“Very smart,” I said.

She touched my face with her small fingers,tracing my eyebrows and the shape of my lips before staring intently at myeyes.

“Green,” she said.

“That’s right, my eyes are green,” I said.

“Papa and Uda are green. Bella is purple.”

Her tail was waving back and forth behindher and when she saw me staring at it, she grabbed it and stroked the tuft of blackhair at the end. “Bella’s tail.”

“It’s, um, nice,” I said.

“Where girl’s tail?”

“Oh, um…”

There was a knock on the door and Bran’svoice drifted through it. “Human, may I come in?”

I froze, my breath escaping in a harsh gaspwhen Bella shouted. “Come in, Papa.”

The door opened. Bran, carrying a tray offood and – my mouth began to water – a glass of gallberry juice, stared at theway Bella sat in my lap.

“Hi, Papa.” Bella waved at him.

“I’m sorry,” I said, holding my hands nextto my head like I was being arrested as panic settled in my belly. “I didn’tknow she was in my room when I returned from the bathroom. She-she was hidingin the bed and she climbed into my lap on her own. I swear I didn’t touch her.Please don’t hurt me.”

A grimace crossed his face. “I will nothurt you for touching Bella, human.”

I wanted to believe him, but I didn’t knowhim at all, and it was obvious that both he and Court were incrediblyprotective of Bella.

He obviously saw the doubt in my facebecause he walked forward, set the tray on the bed, and stared intently at me.“No one in this house will hurt you, human. Ever.”

I believed him this time. Maybe it was thesincerity in his dark eyes or maybe it was just because he’d been worried enoughabout my safety to give me gallberry juice and sleep in a bed with me to keepme warm.

“You are supposed to be napping, Bella,” hesaid as he handed me the glass of juice. “Drink, human.”

I took the glass and drank eagerly. Itquelled the craving in my belly and Bran studied me. “Better?”

“Yes, thank you.”

“Do you need more?”

I shook my head and he frowned a little. “Ifyou need more, just say so, human. There is plenty and there is no point toyou being in pain and also suffering with cravings.”

“Why do I crave it?” I asked as Bella climbedoff my lap and snuck a piece of something yellow and juicy off the tray. She poppedit into her mouth and smiled happily.

“Bella, the warracot is for the human,”Bran chastised. He glanced at me. “If you are sick, you crave the gallberryjuice until you are healed. Why did you not join us for lunch?”

“I wasn’t hungry,” I said just as mystomach growled loudly.

Bella giggled. “Eat, girl.”

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