Grounding the Storm ✓

Chapter 27

The next time I wake, my body is still shivering. I realize quickly I've been asleep for about an hour. Daylight hasn't changed and through the wall of windows facing the woods beyond, the sun drifts over the nearby hillside. We still have a few hours of daylight left, more than I wanted, as I was hoping to sleep through the night instead of staying awake through this torture.

Renit's room is silent. Silk drapes hang over the four-poster bed, a sickening shade of blood. His chambers are the same size as my own and decorated similarly except for the lack of pillows against his window and the desk. Why wasn't I given a desk? I wonder if he looks out and reads against the presence of warmth leaking through the windows or if he even bothers with reading at all. Renit himself is a history book.

A small stack of papers sits neatly tucked into the corner of his desk. An array of feathers collected from around the courtyard stick out of a rusted copper cup, a selection of pens mixed in. To think the prince collects feathers...he wouldn't want me to know that.

Wherever he went, he left the door open to his armoire. Mixed in with the fabrics are different shades of blacks, greys, and not a single other color. There is hardly any variation between the shirts, tunics, and doublets but I can't say the same for the weapons neatly placed in holders inside of the door. The handles of each dagger are different—either in color or design.

My eyes fall on one in the top right corner, the handle being jagged rock painted to look like fire. The blade is a glistening silver and along the dull edge, carved flames create the intimidating look a wielder might need.

Every part of my body hurts. My neck feels ready to snap when I turn my head and even looking in one direction creates a heaviness in my eyes and the skull behind. I hadn't slept for long and the entire time; I shivered. Now my body is as stiff as a board.

When my body breaks out into those shivering convulsions, bolts of pain I didn't think possible shoot through me.

I drift back off to sleep, nestling into the pillows and the warm blankets mixed with the fur-lined jacket he tucked me into until the door creaks open followed by two voices mingling together. They're arguing and with each clipped word, my teeth chatter to block out the noise.

I recognize one voice to be Renit's and the other to be Hallie's. They sound irritated but as my hips tighten with the chill and my shoulders jostle and ache, I couldn't care less. Hallie walks over first and places her gloved hand against my shoulder.

"Wake up, Roux," she orders. "Otherwise I can't do this examination."

Renit stands at the foot of the bed, arms crossed. He watches me like a commander watches their soldiers. A prince born to fight, never to show that he might care for the woman nestled in his bed, underneath the covers and his very own jacket. I turn with a wince and curl myself from the tight ball I had wound into before. Hallie, in all her glory, stands on the side of the bed and neatly takes off her white gloves, resting them on the bedside table.

"Now that you've interrupted my stroll, I missed out on a perfectly good opportunity to chat up a courtier," she complains. White lines her eyes and the color of violet glistens, like flowers blossoming in spring. Contrary to the white line of shadow, her lashes are as dark as a night-veiled river.

Renit drags a hand over his face. His hair is a mess like he constantly ran his fingers through it on the way here because of Hallie's protests. "Not now, Hallie. Don't tell me about that," he warns.

She clicks her tongue and places the back of her hand against my forehead and then my cheeks. Hallie's touch is so warm that I lean into it and squeeze my eyes shut for a second of reprieve. "You're so fickle. I don't know how you put up with him." I realize the words are directed at me so I do my best to smile but my body chooses now to break out into such a violent shiver that I double over myself.