Heartless

❆ Twenty-Six ❆

Twenty-Six

I awoke with a startled cry lodged in my throat and jolted upright in bed, clutching at my neck where his lips had been consuming me alive. Hissing at the sudden movement, I fell back against the pillows and touched a hand to my head— the other was weighed down by, as it appeared, Beast. His head lay flat beside our tangled fingers, crimson lips slightly parted and emitting gentle snores.

    Massaging my temple, I glanced back down at him in the dark lighting, the fire long dead. It was a dream, I heaved in relief. Just a dream.

    I paused. Was that what I was? Relieved that he wasn't letting me go? For so long I'd wanted nothing more than to be as far away from him as I could get; I'd nearly escaped twice, been caught both times, and nearly killed him trying to get out. But here I was feeling the effects of fear wash over me at the thought of him releasing me. I wasn't a prisoner, he'd said, but I wasn't allowed to leave. Up until a couple weeks ago, I'd hated his guts, loathed his very existence. Now I couldn't imagine being apart from him and it terrified me. I wasn't supposed to love this man, this beast; no, I was meant to carry out our father's wishes and help get my brothers over the mountain and into the city, safe from harm.

    But I'd fulfilled my job, hadn't I? They were already there— I just wasn't with them.

    A light knock tapped on the door. I whispered a quick "come in" and smiled when Lumea poked her head through. Usually, I didn't take much notice to her grand clothes, since they were always too detailed to commit each piece to memory. Today, however, my eyes took in her ragged pants and wrinkled blouse, the frayed ends of her white hair that shot out of its messy plait, the dark bags under her eyes. She smiled and held up her hands, a silk robe in one hand and a jar of red bath salts in the other. "I thought you might want a bath," she said quietly, her eyes darting to Beast's still slumbering figure hunched over at my bedside.

    I waved her further into the room. "Is that your polite way of saying I stink?" She laughed. She set the robe and jar on the desk and stood at the edge of the bed, holding her hands out for me to grab onto. Carefully, I slid my hand out from Beast's grip and sat up. She helped me upright and held onto me as I waited for the room to stop spinning before touching my feet to the ground.

    In the bathroom, peppermint-scented steam rose from the pool of suds, candles lit and splayed around the room, bright enough to illuminate the great room but dim enough to not stir a headache. Lumea left to grab the towels and I began to undress. Easing into the water, the sting of the hot water was a welcomed pain that I gladly enjoyed. The scented steam rose from the tub and filled the room with clouds of perfumed air. I sighed softly and slipped completely under the surface. Bubbles scurried to the surface. I watched them rise and float like frightened animals clawing to get to shelter and away from the nightmare behind it. I blinked as the candles illuminating the room flickered and waved. As I drifted there under the water, staring up at the blank stone of the ceiling with my hands pressed flat on the sides of the tub, a smile crossed my lips.

    I got dressed in Lumea's room as she set the table for breakfast, but if I were honest with myself I would have told her I didn't have much of an appetite this morning. My head still pounded when I moved, and I couldn't stand for more than three minutes, but she said it was progress. At least I wasn't throwing up anymore or fainting, so that was a good sign.

    I was halfway toward the dining hall when I heard the shouting. The raised voices were all too familiar, and before I knew it I was limping and staggering down the corridor toward the sounds. In the foyer, a small voice rose above the others.

    "Ada!"

    Kenji's smile seemed to smack me in the face with one of my own. He leapt through the air and crashed into me, wrapping his arms tightly around my waist and nuzzling his face into my stomach. My back hit the wall with enough impact to let my head tap the stone and for my smile to wane. Black dots spilled across my vision. I latched onto his small shoulders and waited for the dizziness to pass. Another hand seized my arm and held me upright, warm sparks firing through my veins.