Page 34 of The Dawn of the Cursed Queen

My cheeks flushed as I spun away. “I do apologize. Sashau said he was done.”

Oh gods. She lied to embarrass me. I knew it. She and Killie were probably laughing upstairs at how stupid I was. I couldn’t help the tears that pricked my eyes or my raging heartbeat.

“I’ll come back.”

I took a step back and turned toward the door. “Reggie,” Xio said. She did not raise her voice, and her tone was calm.

Reggie blocked my retreat.

“Miska, don’t be so dramatic. You’re fine. He’s not even naked, just half,” Xio said.

Reggie glanced down at me with that same warm smile. He nodded behind me, encouraging me to turn back around. I swallowed and spun to see Xio still sitting lazily on the carved rim. Cedaar looked up at her with a small smirk and shook his head.

The other healers made comments about him. They liked his physique, his smile, the way he walked, and other things that sent me scurrying from the room. But I think my favorite thing about him was how he never seemed to want to leave Xio’s side. He looked at her as if she hung the stars. It reminded me of the texts I loved to read. The others laughed at me for it, but I’d rather dream of magical princes than whatever this life held for me. Cedaar reminded me so much of the knights, protecting what he deemed precious. I didn’t see in him the rebel our queen described.

“See,” Xio said and stood, fully exposing Cedaar’s chest and shoulders above the water. He sighed and lowered his head, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “Not that I trust any of your healers anymore. Tell me,” she clasped her hands and took a step forward, “just between us girls, which one has a crush on my Cedaar?”

“Di—Xio.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat at her approach. Even if she didn’t mean to, the power she gave off made my skin crawl. When she wielded it, I had the overwhelming urge to run and hide. The queen hated she was here, complaining that she had brought darkness to their city.

“Ummm.” I looked behind her at Cedaar, afraid to say anything. His eyes were on her, not in anger but soft, as if something she’d said had shocked him. “I-I . . .”

“It’s fine, you can tell me. You’re not in trouble.” She stopped in front of me, placing her hands on her hips. Reggie shifted closer to my side.

“Xio,” Cedaar called from behind her, the water sloshing as he leaned forward.

She ignored him, keeping her gaze on me. It reminded me so much of the others when they would make fun of me or laugh at me for how I spoke, but I didn’t get that feeling from her. They called her a beast and lusted after Cedaar, but she had never been unkind to me. No, they made me feel like they actually cared when I talked, especially after the other night.

“Most of them do,” I whispered.

Xio made a sound of victory and turned to point at Cedaar. He groaned and rolled his eyes. She spoke to him in that language I didn’t know, and he quickly responded. He waved his arms, opaque water flying everywhere as they seemed to argue.

“They are harmless,” I added, drawing her attention back to me.

Cedaar whispered a thank you and ran his hand over the top of his already slicked-back hair.

“Oh, well, from what I heard, they weren’t in the beginning when we arrived,” Xio said.

“They fear you. They wouldn’t do anything to make you mad. Not to you, at least.” I didn’t mean to let the last part slip out, but Xio seemed to catch it. The whole room did, and they grew quiet.

“They would do something to you?” Xio asked, and for a second, she looked . . . concerned for me.

I shrugged. “I don’t think so. They don’t mean it.” It’s a lie I tell myself far too often. I shifted restlessly and looked away as Xio continued to stare at me.

“Xio,” Cedaar said again, and the warning was clear this time. Perhaps I had made her mad, too.

I shook my head. “Sorry, I’m getting distracted. I came for a reason.” I twisted my fingers in the long sleeves of my gown. “The others are gathering supplies and food to prepare for the meeting tonight, but we have a small problem.”

“What problem?”

“We used the last batch of herbs for the healing lotion, and the plant we need is in another realm. Sashau said we weren’t expecting to use so much given his wound, but we are out.”

“Okay.” Xio waved a hand. “Go get more.”

“That plant only grows at the edge of Requmn.”

Xio glanced back at Cedaar, who rested his folded arms on the edge of the pool, watching her.

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