Page 117 of The Demon King's Destiny

Chapter 31

Evelyn awoke to sunlight coming in through the large window next to the bed. Birds chirped with the sweet song of morning.

She reached over for Marrok and winced, a deep ache radiating out from her sternum. Warm hands pushed her shoulders down to lie flat. Confused, she opened her eyes.

She was in a small, white room. Shelving along the wall held dozens and dozens of flasks and corked decanters. The smell reminded her of the medicines that had been forced down her throat when she was a child.

Marrok was sitting at her hip, his worried eyes roaming her face as his hand smoothed back her hair.Why did he appear so upset?

“Theron told me not to take away all of your pain, that you’d need it so you wouldn’t move around too much while you finished healing.”

The memories came flooding back. Dmitri. The cave. Her hands called to the elements, her defenses rising right along with her heartrate.

“Easy,” he soothed, lifting her left hand to kiss each of her fingertips. “You’re safe now.”

“Where are we?” she rasped, her mouth feeling like she’d eaten a bowl of cotton.

“Sanctus Femina. Hale ported us. Five days ago,” he answered, reaching to the side table to pour water from the pitcher into a small glass. “Thirsty?”

“Very.”

Marrok cupped the back of her head and helped her raise enough to take a drink. She reached for the glass, finally noticing the splint wrapped in thick bandages around her hand. She wouldn’t be able to hold anything in it for a long time.

“Let me take care of you,moj draga.”

Something in his voice told her not to argue. She allowed him to hold the drink to her lips while she sipped. When she was done, Marrok lowered her back to the pillow.

He set the glass down, then gave her his full attention. His hands rubbed up and down her arms, massaging tenderly.

“How—how did you find me?”

“I dreamwalked to you. I managed to pull you out with me.”

“Like the night with my, ah, underwear?”

His face sobered. “I’d say this was far different a night.”

Marrok inhaled a shaky breath. “He took you, Evelyn. He took you right from under my nose and there wasn’t a damned thing I could do about it. I thought I’d lost you.”

His golden eyes brightened, glassing over, causing her own to do the same. Her demon warrior had been afraid for her.

She reached for his face and he leaned down for her touch. “You saved me, Marrok.”

“You saved yourself.”

“Not really. I killed him, but I couldn’t do anything about the dagger in my ribs. You came for me. Saved me.”

“Theron saved you.”

Evelyn rolled her eyes. “So stubborn.”

“Says the female arguing.”

She laughed and winced again.

“Damnit. Don’t laugh if it hurts.”

“Don’t argue with me and I won’t,” she shot back.

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