Page 64 of A Tongue so Sweet and Deadly

Even in the streets of Vastala, she hadn’t been without food for weeks at a time.

While she’d refused to use her “gift” during those years—hadn’t been able to bear it after what had forced her there—there had been other ways.

Getting into the trash cans outside the more upscale taverns late at night would always help fill a screaming stomach.

And when she couldn’t do that, she hadn’t been beneath capturing the rodents running between the buildings.

But now…

There was nothing left in her to make her get out of the bathing chamber and into bed.

She didn’t even want to think about having to go down those stairs to wherever the kitchen was to get the food she desperately needed.

Closing her eyes, she decided to rest for a while.

Perhaps after some sleep, she’d have more energy.

Chapter

Thirty

The smell of meat woke her, bile making its way up her throat, forcing her eyes open.

Steam trailed beside her, and for a moment, she thought she’d imagined the scent—that she still lay in the bathing chambers.

But the cool sheets caressing her body and the soft mattress she lay upon made her realize she was in a bed.

The steam came from a cup of broth on her nightstand.

A big glass of water accompanied it, and some type of grainy bread lay on a small plate beside the soup.

Wincing, she made herself sit up, shifting the pillows to support her.

With shaking hands, she drank from the water glass before lifting the cup of broth and taking a small sip.

Lessia had to set it down when a wave of nausea rolled through her, but after breathing deeply, she tried again.

Slowly, she was able to swallow down half the cup, and her vision became clearer with each sip.

After taking a few bites of the bread, she could think clearly again, the fog of hunger and exhaustion lifting.

She sucked in a breath.

Someone must have helped her into bed.

With a pounding heart, she peeked under the blankets, then blew out a sigh of release when she saw the towel was wrapped tightly around her body.

But as the silver snake winding its way around her arm glinted in the dim light when she lowered the sheet, her pulse picked up again.

A knock had her snap her head to the door, and she shook her head when the motion made the fog in her mind return.

Before she had time to speak, Merrick opened the door between their rooms and stalked inside.

Lessia dragged the covers to her chin.

“Can you stop barging in here? I’m not decent.” Her voice was raspy, and her tongue wouldn’t fully cooperate, a lisp sneaking its way into her words.

Merrick softly closed the door and leaned his back against it, his head tilted so that his silvery hair fell forward.

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