Page 58 of Hidden Kingdoms

“Why are you practically naked?” I frowned.

“I can be completely naked though, if you’d like.” He smirked, and a laugh escaped me, his eyes brightening at the sound.

“No, why are you in my room practically naked?” The smirk disappeared as he took a step towards me.

“I heard you, Goldie.” His throat bobbed. “I heard you screaming.”

My hand went to my own throat as the memories flooded me, the cup of water clattering to the floor as I reached for the pendant that was no longer safely around my neck.

I had been screaming, in real life. As if the memory conjured it, I could feel heat flare across my skin.

“The fire. The fire, it got me again.” Panic laced my voice as the touch of the flames resurfaced. In two steps Kaius was in front of me, large hands cupping my face like I was something precious, soothing on my fevered skin.

“There was no fire, you were here in bed. I heard you screaming and I came. I woke you.” The words were simple, uncomplicated.

“Therewasfire! In my dream. It burned… it was burning me. I couldn’t move, Kaius. I couldn’t even use my magik. I couldn’t wake up. There was a voice, it said my name and then I was here with you.” Before I could stop them, the frantic words tumbled from my mouth as I relived it, pain flooding my body.

“Look at me,” he commanded, and I did. “Elodie baby, you’re safe. There is no fire here, I’ve got you.” He leaned forward, pressing a kiss to my head before wrapping me in his arms. My face was against his hard body, and I breathed into the contact, allowing the smell of sweet cedar to wash over me and chase away the lingering smoke.

We stayed pressed together for a long time, Kaius’ hand stroking lazily over skin that no longer carried the trace of my dream, and by the time we broke apart, I had relaxed a little. I pulled him with me to the bed, eyeing his attire once more.

“There’s no way you were casually strolling through this palace wearing next to nothing and justhappenedto walk past atthe exact moment I cried out in my sleep.” I kept my tone light, but I left no room for him to forgo an answer.

“You’re right. I wasn’t strolling through the palace in next to nothing past your room at the exact moment youcried outin your sleep.”

Screamed.

That’s what he had said earlier, I had been screaming. I stayed quiet, my silence a question in itself.

He scrubbed a hand over his dark beard before answering. “I was in the room next door.”

“Your room is next door?” I raised my brow.

He was a Lord. A fucking Prince. There’s no way his room was next to this tiny little one.

“It is a room, and I was in it. So that makes it mine, no?”

“Kaius,” I growled at his evasion.

“I stayed next door just in case… in case you might need me.” Vulnerability flooded his features.

Oh.“And you were staying there last night, too?”

“No,” he said, a slight frown creasing his brows. “Last night, I was walking around the palace and I ended up in this wing. I heard you screaming, I don’t know how and I… followed it and it led me here.”

“To me?” He nodded, threading a finger through the sweat damp threads of my hair. “And you stayed.”

“I waited until it seemed you were really asleep, and I was going to leave but I couldn’t. I didn’t want you to wake up like that again. With no one there.” Something about the way he was looking at me told me he knew exactly how that felt.

“And tonight? You were next door?”

“Yeah. I guessed you weren't going to let me sleep in here with you, so I thought that next door would be the best place to be. Just in case. These are all residential rooms and they’re mostly empty anyway.”

He had given up what I imagined would be a pretty comfy lordly room to sleep in a cramped one next to mine in case I had another nightmare and needed someone. I found it hard to comprehend the emotions that were bubbling inside me. Had he really done that for me?

He hasn’t lied to me so far.

“Thank you,” I whispered, reaching out and squeezing his hand.

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