Page 23 of The Beast King's Bride

No matter how much I hate him, that doesn’t seem right. “He should be resting. Did you call for the physician? He’s injured.”

“There’s no physician,” he says. “His majesty will recover.”

“What do you mean? Send for one, then.”

“There’s no one, human. They have all fled.”

“Fled?”

“I shouldn’t be talking to you. His majesty only asked me to make sure you’re comfortable and safe.”

“Safe from what exactly?” I wave a hand. “Those wild animals he mentioned? Wolves and bears? What animals?”

Jassin’s gaze darkens. “You must lock your door, human.”

“My name’s Ash.”

“Because of your eyes.” He nods. “Pretty color.”

“It is?” I stare at him. I hadn’t expected a compliment, especially not about a part of me that everyone always found so strange.

“Lock your door when I leave, and don’t let anyone inside until morning.”

“How can animals enter the palace? Don’t you close the front gates?”

“Just… close your door, Ash.”

“But neither of you has told me why I’m here. What am I supposed to do? Why get into all this trouble to get me here?”

“His majesty is the one who can tell you all about it,” he says and gestures at the table. “There’s food and drink. The fire will warm up the room quickly. Rest and tomorrow everything will be clearer.”

“I doubt that,” I mutter, but the moment he leaves the room, I pad over and lock the door as instructed and return to fall face-first on the bed—still in the Fae king’s coat, still in my sodden, mud-caked sparkly dress, too tired to even think about eating or doing anything but passing out.

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