Claus

Nine

After they had both changed for the night, Faryn turned off the lights and crossed the room to the bed, her Elven eyesight helping her find her way. Cassian had already tucked himself into the bed.

The covers were thick and heavy, and it was good the air conditioning was turned down, because if it weren't, she'd soon be stifling.

Cassian faced away from her and so she turned on her side, away from him, putting herself at the edge of the bed. His scent was sharp in her nose, but it didn't burn as much as it had when they first met. She supposed she would learn to tolerate it over time like she had with her Fae friends at home.

It wasn't long before his breaths evened out and deepened. The bed shifted, and she rolled onto her other side to find that at some point he had turned toward her. There hadn't been a time so far that she'd been this close to him when they weren't about to rip out each other's throats. He looked so at peace, as if the past few days hadn't happened and he was asleep in his own bedroom in Eiraacia. Hopefully, he didn't know how handsome he was. How many hearts had he already broken and how many would he break in his long life? When all of this was said and done, where would she be? Would she get to see him assume the role of the Tooth Fairy or would she be locked in the dungeon in the Frozen City? There the cells were cold enough that even she'd feel it.

Cassian gave off a surprising amount of heat, considering he looked like ice incarnate. In that cell, she would want that heat, these too thick blankets.

She closed her eyes, inhaling his scent, and she'd be lying to herself if in that moment if she said it wasn't strangely comforting.

Even with the jetlag, she was too aware, too wired. Switching positions, fluffing the pillows all did nothing.

When she opened her eyes to get out of bed, Cassian's mouth was parted just slightly; he was lost in what looked like a deep sleep. At least he could sleep.

Knowing his hearing was even better than hers, she tried to be as quiet as she possible as she made her way out from underneath the covers and padded across the floor to the bathroom. Once the door was closed, she flipped on the lights and came face to face with her flushed skin. A few drops of sweat had beaded on her neck. Turning on the sink, she rubbed cold water over her face and skin before she pushed open the bathroom's window, letting a cold December breeze into the small room. It hit her skin, cooling it. She sighed, resting her hands on the windowsill.

She couldn't sleep, not when the darkness her closed eyes offered only conjured up images of dungeons. Why hadn't her mom returned the call on Peter's phone? With Nick missing—with Faryn missing, shouldn't she be answering any numbers she didn't recognize? Maybe something really had happened to her.

Faryn needed to go to Ruhnerium—even if the risk was great. Clora was her only family. Faryn wouldn't—couldn't lose her.

Something brushed against her ankle, and she jumped back. A fog like Cassian's only this one blue hovered over the ground. It weaved its way between her feet, reminding her of a cat. It was beckoning her to follow it to its owner.

She shut off the bathroom light and entered the bedroom. The magic led her across the room to the door leading out into the hall. She eased it open and found Peter, the top buttons of his shirt undone and hair ruffled. With a flex of his hand, he called his power back to him. It surged for him and vanished.

"How did you know I was awake?"

He inclined his head down the hall, a silent request to walk with him. "A major part of my powers has to do with life. I can't create it or heal it, but I can sense it. I know when those around me are asleep or awake."