𝔸 ℂ𝕠𝕦𝕣𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕃𝕠𝕧𝕖 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕎𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕙 (Book 2)

Thirty-Seven

I woke the next morning in my bed with soft blankets wrapped around me. The first few moments as consciousness returned were blurry and disorienting. I sat up, rubbing my eyes as I finally recalled last night's events. Cauldron boil me.

    I was embarrassed. Beyond embarrassed, really.

    I had cried. Cried. And then I'd begged him to stay. It was awful and weak and I scolded myself for it as I got out of bed and walked to the bathroom. I wasn't in any rush. In fact, I'd rather not leave my room at all. I'd be perfectly content to never face Rhys again. Unfortunately, I had things to do.

    I washed and changed quickly. I walked to the door and opened it, the smell of food hit me almost immediately and before I knew it I was nearly flying down the stairs and towards the dining room.

    My steps were eager as I rushed down the halls. When I'd finally reached the dining room, turning a swift corner my eyes caught on the array of foods that littered the table. I'd forgotten how much I loved food.

    I knew I wouldn't be able to eat much. At least, not if I didn't want to throw it all up later. And yet it still looked so good.

    I licked my lips, so enthralled with all of it that I failed to notice Rhys sitting at the table as well. I stopped short as my eyes found his. I didn't know what to do. Was I meant to say something?

    A wave of relief hit me as he simply gestured to sit. I needed no further encouragement as I sat and began shoveling all assortments of food onto my plate. We ate in silence, neither of us really knowing what to say.

    I cleaned my plate and started sipping the tea I'd poured for myself after a few minutes. It was then that I finally broke the silence, "Thank you," I spoke firmly, and yet the words were quiet, "for what you did last night."

    Rhys spared a small smile, "Don't mention it."

I returned the small smile as I leaned back in my chair and brought the cup to my mouth. I looked at him again, noticing that his expression had gained a haunted edge. He was looking at me as though he wanted to ask me something.

    I sighed, "Out with it."

    Again he looked at me with such curious eyes that I feared what he was about to say. "I felt you," he began, "that's how I knew about the nightmare." he shook his head as he looked down, sipping from his own drink. "I saw snippets. Clips of what you were seeing." his eyes clouded over, "barely anything, but..." he trailed off as he looked up again his gaze questioning.

    I knew what question he was asking. I'd already spilled my guts to his Inner Circle, and I was already going to hell. What was the point of secrets now? "You told me about the Illyrian camps," I spoke, "How I grew up wasn't very different. When we acted up we were punished. Sometimes we were beaten until we couldn't walk, others we were whipped to the point where we wanted to die, others we were...." I shook in an attempt to mask the memories, "My overseer was one of the cruelest. But he was also the best. His lessons were always the worst."

    I met Rhys's eyes, "My nightmares sometimes reflect that." And that was that.

    Rhys nodded, thankfully accepting that that was all the information I was willing to give.

    He reached for a pastry on the table, "Are you ready for today?" he questioned.

    No, probably not. "Yes."

    Rhys stood from his seat with a smirk as he walked over to me. He extended a hand, "Shall we, then?"

─── · 。ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───