Page 72 of Courting the Tiger King

Neah hugged her back just as fiercely before pulling away, pain pricking in her eyes as she bit her lip. “Zen, I’m so sorry. Romi—I tried, I really tried. I’m so sorry.”

Zennon shook her head, clasping Neah’s cheeks and wiping away the tears that spilled over. “Don’t be. She’ll be out of bed by tomorrow.”

She—”What?” Neah barely breathed the word, tentative joy and relief rising up. “She’s alive?”

The eyes staring into her own widened. “I didn’t–I thought you knew! We got to her in time. She’s going to be okay.”

At this point, Neah’s muscles gave out on her and Wren swung her up and into his arms. “Rest now,” he murmured. “You can see Romi later. Rest,caritas. I’ve got you.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

When she woke, it was without an ache in her muscles and to warmth and softness. Wren was in bed beside her, reading a book with a pair of tiny spectacles balanced on the end of his nose and a slightly warm glass of water sat on the table beside her.

He looked up when she reached for it, eyes gentle, and she appreciated that he didn’t immediately jump on her with a thousand questions. Despite that she had the same number for him. Was Romi really okay? What had Castor told him about where she’d been held? Were her parents alright? Had his curse broken?

Instead of voicing them all, Neah finished her water and set the glass down with a quiet thump before shimmying back down and under the warm covers. She curled up next to Wren and his arm came around her, stroking through her hair as he read his book and before long her eyes were closing again.

The next time she opened them, the sun was lower in the sky beyond the balcony and Wren’s cheek rested against the top of her head. As if sensing she was awake, he pressed a kiss there and then pulled back to look at her.

“Food?”

Her stomach answered for her, growling loudly and he smirked. “Coming right up.” His retreat from the bed stole some of the warmth, but she was content to stay there, waiting for him to come back. When he did, he was laden down with plates of food. Bacon, pancakes, toast and jam, sausages, eggs, and porridge and she licked her lips, wanting to inhale all of it.

“You’re the best,” she mumbled around a mouthful of sausage and then slapped his hand when he reached for a piece of toast. “Oops, sorry. Go ahead.” It had been instinct, but she would share her breakfast for Wren. She drew the line at bacon though.

Once her hunger had been sated, she used the bathing chamber to freshen up and then climbed back into bed. She wasn’t quite ready to face the outside world yet.

“Are you okay?” she asked eventually and Wren nodded and then shrugged.

“Yes. I’m glad you’re okay, that my curse is broken?—”

“Sonnet confirmed it?”

He nodded. “While you were sleeping. I still carry it though, in my blood.” Wren licked his lips. “She’s going to try and find a way to be rid of it entirely.”

Meaning his children wouldn’t also be afflicted. Neah smiled. “That’s great.”

He shrugged. “We’ll try anyway.”

Silence fell and Neah broke it first, tentatively reaching for him. “Are you okay?”

“I feel like I should be asking you that.” Wren laughed without humour. “I’m not sure how to feel about Castor. He was… I don’t know, Neah. Mad, perhaps? Feral? I think he truly hated me. He killed my father.”

Neah sucked in a breath and squeezed his hand gently. “I’m sorry.” There was nothing more she could say or do, time wouldhave to do the healing of that wound. But she could be beside him while it scarred.

“Did he hurt you?” Wren looked scared for the answer, his worry coming through from their bond, and her eyes widened.

“I can feel you.”

Wren squeezed her fingers and raised a brow. “Yes?”

“No, I mean, the bond. I canfeelyou.”

Wonder shone in his eyes. “I can’t sense anything yet.”

Her smile was brief before she thought back to his question. “No. A couple of the guards were a little rough, but most of the blood I was wearing wasn’t mine. He left five guards, one surrendered and I killed the other four.” She said the words bluntly, keeping emotion out of it as best she could, but despite her best efforts and the knowledge that it had been necessary, she knew their faces would haunt her the same as her other victims.

“You did what you had to do,” Wren murmured, seeing right through her.

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