Page 68 of Legacy of Thorns
Archer reached the side of the bed and looked down at the sleeping girl. “We can’t just leave her asleep. I was a sleeper myself once, remember.” He swallowed. “I sometimes have nightmares where you never woke me up and I’m still stuck there, asleep, while my brother gets older and older.”
Daphne softened. “I didn’t know that.” She hesitated. “Do you remember those first moments after you woke up? How strong was the enchantment you felt toward me in those moments?”
“Overpowering,” Archer said promptly, still looking down at the girl.
“I’m worried about how long-lasting the infatuation has been.” Daphne frowned. “Your sleeping enchantment was somuch weaker than hers, and yet there’s been nothing weak about your infatuation. What will it be like for this girl?”
Archer grinned mischievously at her. “I suppose now would be the right moment to confess that the effect gradually weakened over time and completely wore off weeks ago.”
“Archer!” Daphne glared at him.
He continued to grin unrepentantly. “I needed something to entertain myself, and Fin’s reactions were too priceless for me to stop. Plus he clearly needed me to spur him on.” He shook his head. “He isn’t usually so bloodless and cautious.” His grin reappeared. “And it worked, didn’t it? I saw what happened after the ball.”
“That wasn’t because of you, infant.” Daphne sighed, gazing down at the girl. “What do you know of love?”
“Nothing, thankfully,” Archer said cheerfully. “You can tell that to the girl if she gets too attached.”
“I can try,” Daphne said dubiously.
“Gabrielle,” Archer read off the girl’s name plaque. “It’s a nice name.”
Up close the girl looked just as young and innocent as Archer had looked while asleep. It seemed impossible she was as old as sixteen, and yet Daphne had thought the same thing of Archer. She just wished the girl had some family to stand at her side and greet her when she woke, as Finley had done for Archer. Perhaps that was the silver lining of the Legacy’s infatuation. Perhaps it would soften the blow the girl was about to receive as she learned of the death of her only family member.
Archer dropped to one knee at the side of the bed and picked up one of the slender hands that rested against the coverlet.
“Well, here goes,” he muttered to himself and lifted it to his lips.
Chapter 23
Daphne
The girl remained still, Archer frozen beside her with her hand still in his. Daphne stared at the two of them, waiting for something to happen.
“Should I try again—” he started before breaking off as the girl’s eyes fluttered open.
She blinked several times, frowning at Daphne before catching sight of Archer.
“Oh!” Her pink lips formed a perfect circle, and her eyes lit up.
Archer quickly dropped her hand and stepped backward.
“Welcome back to wakefulness, Gabrielle,” Daphne said into the breach. “I’m Daphne.”
Gabrielle’s eyes remained fixed on Archer, her face flushing a delicate rose. “What’s his name?”
“Lady Gabrielle!” The loud cry from the fireplace saved Daphne the need to answer.
The sleeping woman from the fireplace ran across the room with surprising vigor and threw herself on the neck of the young girl. “You’re awake! You’re awake!”
She began to sob.
Archer seized the opportunity to back several more steps away, his expression one of mild horror.
Gabrielle wriggled out of the woman’s hold with difficulty. “Have I been asleep long, Nanny?” She glanced around the entryway. “Why, whatever is my bed doing down here? Have I been asleep a terribly long time?”
The old woman’s tears paused, her expression arrested. “I…I don’t know, Pet.” She looked at Daphne.
Heartened by the obvious connection between the woman and the girl, Daphne replied to the clear question in the woman’s gaze.
