Page 46 of Destiny Redeemed
As I tried to push myself up, my gaze landed on the figure slumped in an armchair beside the bed. Prince Anderic, his golden curls tousled and his usual immaculate attire rumpled, was fast asleep. His jacket was gone, leaving him in just his shirt, the top few buttons undone, revealing a hint of his chest. My breath hitched slightly, and before I could stop myself, my gaze lingered.
Ilyana! Not the time for that.
Heat crept up my neck in a slow, mortifying blush. I forced my attention upward, away from the distracting glimpse of skin, and instead studied his face.
As he slept, the dangerous edge he always carried had dulled, his expression free of its usual sharp intensity. He looked… almost harmless. Almost. But I knew better. Still, the thought didn’t bring the same unease and fear it once had. Strangely enough, it brought something else—something I wasn’t ready to admit… yet.
But one thing I could admit, at least to myself, was that Anderic had wormed his way past my defenses. Somewhere along the way, without me even realizing it, he had become my safe place.
Swallowing against the dryness in my throat, I reached for the water glass on the bedside table. My fingers, weak and trembling, barely brushed against it before it tipped, toppling over with a loud clatter.
I let out a string of colorful curses even my brother would be proud of.
Anderic jerked awake instantly, his hand flying to his hip where a sword would usually rest. His sharp, alert eyes locked onto mine, scanning me as if assessing for danger.
“Ilyana,” he breathed, relief evident in his voice. In an instant, he was by my side, helping me sit up and reaching for the pitcher to pour me a fresh glass of water.
I accepted it gratefully, taking small sips. “Your Highness,” I rasped, wincing at the sound of my own voice. “Don’t tell me you’ve been playing nursemaid all this time. What would the court gossips say?”
A ghost of a smile tugged at his lips. “They’d say I’ve finally lost my mind, no doubt,” he murmured, his voice lower now, almost thoughtful. Then, his gaze darkened, somethingunreadable flickering in the depths of his golden eyes. “Perhaps bespelled by an enchantress,” he added, his tone softer, more dangerous. “What else could explain it?”
The air between us shifted, thickened. The intensity in his gaze sent warmth curling through me, creeping up my neck like fire licking at dry kindling. I should have looked away. I should have said something witty, something to break the tension.
Instead, I found myself holding his stare, lost in the heat of it.
Then, his expression sobered, though that intensity never faded. “How are you feeling?” he asked, his voice quieter now, as if the answer mattered more than he wanted to admit.
“Like I’ve been trampled by a herd of wild horses,” I admitted. “But I’ll live. How long was I out?”
“Three days,” he replied, his brow furrowing. “Your injuries were worse than we thought. The physician said you needed rest.” He hesitated for a moment, then exhaled, as if releasing a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.
I blinked. Three days. No wonder my body felt like lead.
Anderic’s gaze remained fixed on me, sharp yet unreadable.
Tilting my head, I asked, “Now, are you going to tell me how you found me, or do I have to guess?”
Anderic exhaled sharply, running a hand through his disheveled curls. “When Laurel told me you’d been captured by the Red Cross, I nearly—” He cut himself off, his jaw tightening before he took a measured breath. When he spoke again, his tone was calmer, more controlled. “Anyway. Since we didn’t know exactly where Red was keeping you, it took me almost a week to find you.” His eyes darkened. “If I’d had access to that gap-toothed brat, it would’ve been a lot easier.”
His gaze flicked to me, narrowing in accusation.
I blinked innocently. “Tommy. That brat’s name is Tommy.”
Anderic huffed but continued. “We had to blow our entire covert operation on the gold smuggling case just to smoke out the Red Cross.”
I stared at him, startled. “You knew?”
His answering look said,Of course I knew, you dolt.Instead, he said, “And now the Red Cross knows too.”
I swallowed, shifting uncomfortably, but before I could say anything, he added, “I could ask howyouknew about it too, but it’s not like you’d answer.”
I avoided his gaze.
Anderic sighed, pushing himself up from the chair. “Well, I should leave. You need rest.”
As Anderic turned to leave, the bed creaked dangerously under my weak attempt to sit upright. “Wait,” I rasped, my throat still raw from days without water. It wasn’t the most commanding plea I’d ever delivered, but it stopped him.
He paused mid-stride, his broad shoulders stiffening before he turned back, his golden curls catching the warm light from the lantern on the nightstand. His piercing blue eyes locked on mine, unreadable. “What is it now, Ilyana?”
