Page 83 of Bitten & Burned
Anton squeezed my hand. “I will pass along the message. But for now, admire the moonlight, luxuriate in your feather bed, and marinate in our protection...” He paused, looking around the room.“You know, I decorated in here, but it feels wrong now that you’re here… when you’re better, I should… we should… redecorate. Make it more…you.”
“More me? You mean a teacup graveyard where half-drunk tea goes to die? Piles of books and manuscripts, and scrolls? A huge mess full of parchment weevils?”
“Precisely. I want to look in here and know it’s yours. That you live here. That you’re… ours.”
I laughed softly. “You’re being dramatic.”
“Yes, but I wear it well, darling. It’s no easy feat, being this wonderful.” His smile was warm, and he bowed deeply as he backed out the door. “À bientôt, mon cœur, ma chatonne, mon chou.”
“My heart, my kitten, my… cabbage?” I murmured.
“Yes, sweet dreams, my cabbage.”
I closed my eyes, pretending sleep would come easily. Fig meowed softly as I scooted around to get comfortable.
I let my gaze drift out the window to the nearly full moon. I took a deep breath and prayed to my goddess:
“Inera, lady of mirrors, of light, of the shadows within it… hear my prayer. I know it’s been too long. I know I turned my face from yours, and only come crawling back now, when I’ve nearly lost everything. I lost your guidance, your tender ties to my magic, and tonight, I nearly lost my life. I was almost gone. I felt the dark closing in, and I don’t know why I’m still here. My body shakes, my wound burns, and I don’t know which way I’ll fall. If you still see me, hold me steady. Just long enough to breathe. Thank you, my lady...”
I exhaled, tears staining my pillow as I fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.
Twelve
A WILLING SUPPLICANT
Kravenspire, Sol, Verdune
17 Ebry, Year 810
QUIL
I saton the floor in Dmitri’s room. I wasn’t sure how I’d ended up here.
I’d walked. But not well. Not by myself.
Now I was here.
On the floor.
Because I wasn’t standing so well either. The bond wouldn’t shut up—restless and frayed, it tugged at me like it knew she was awake.
Leaning against Dmitri’s bed, I must have wiped my nose on his comforter a dozen times.
Fuck. I’m disgusting.
I sniffed again.
The door opened, and heavy footsteps. Heavypresence. Dmitri.
He sat down beside me. Not across from, beside.
“You’ve been in here a while.”
I nodded grimly.
“Want water?”
“No.”
