Page 99 of Starkeeper of the Fractured Crown

A violent shiver washed through me before I felt the instant relief start to spread, my body slowly relaxing into Cole’s.

My eyes fell shut, the warmth of the fire finally penetrating through my freezing clothes, melting the frost across my skin, thawing my bones as exhausted relief trickled through me.

Trick ran a thumb over my cheekbone. “It’ll take about an hour to feel normal again,” he explained gently. “But you should be able to stand, talk, and walk again in the next few minutes.”

I was too exhausted to respond, so I ignored him,concentrating on my breathing.

His presence disappeared a moment later, Cole’s wings casting shadows across me as he pulled me in tighter.

It took me a few minutes to open my eyes again. I looked at my fingers, the purple fading to white and finally to bright pink.

Well shit. Now I owed him something. I was sure that would come back to bite me in the ass.

I ran my tongue over my lips and looked up to Cole’s wings, my muscles sore. Part of me wanted to touch them, but the other part of me just wanted to sleep for the next few weeks.

I found myself relaxing into him for several seconds longer. Listening to his heartbeat, which brought me just an ounce of comfort.

I had gone into that castle today with the sole purpose of giving Mark a life I could never give him. A better life, and I left telling Evanora Fairshield that he was mine and I wasn’t giving him up, on the sparce advice of a corrupted High King.

I put a target on his back.

So, what did that make me now? Was I still selfish? Was I a monster? Was I a good sister for standing my ground or a terrible one for giving him such an uncertain future?

After another minute or two, I finally flexed my toes in my boots, tested my fingers, and once I decided I could feel them all, I forced myself to try and get up.

Cole remained where he was, folding his wings back, offering me a hand which Igratefully took as I got up with the grace of a newborn fawn.

The Fallen General got up with ease, still holding my hand, my other gripped into his shoulder. “Take it easy,” he instructed as I stared at my trembling legs.

I hadn’t felt this weak since last winter. It was frustrating.

What was even more frustrating was the fact that the two strongest males in the world, probably, were watching me as I proved to them that humans were the weakest species on the planet. I understood that to be true, but I also felt demeaned.

I released Cole with finality and forced myself to stand on my own, the world spinning around me. I flexed my hands at my sides and turned to find Trick standing in front of my favorite wall, shoulders relaxed as if he belonged here. “What are you both doing here?” I asked, my voice hoarse. My cheeks were burning. Whether that was from the heart or my own humiliation, I wasn’t sure.

Not two hours ago, I had been seconds away from cumming in an alley outside the castle because his shadows had fucked me, which I hadn’t known was even possible. I had wanted to kiss him. To feel his hands all over my bare skin.

He had done that within seconds. He had changed my mind of him every single time we were within shouting distance of each other, and I hated it.

I had the will of a shrew, and he loved exploiting that.

But I liked when he exploited it too, so what did that say about me?

“Cole mentioned a dream you had while wewere away,” Trick stated without looking back. “About ‘them’ killing all of the High Kings and High Queens with the Staff of Elder.”

My brows furrowed at that, and I turned to Cole, irritation growing. “Why was that something that needed to be relayed?” This irritation had nothing to do with him, and I recognized that. I was angry at myself and at Trick, not Cole. Cole had done nothing wrong.

He walked by me towards the table. “You told me it was more information. Some information needs to be shared with the man who sent me here to gather said information.”

“It was adream,” I stressed, annoyed at the way he had replied. “I didn’t actually think it meant anything.”

“It did,” Trick stated evenly. “Do you not record your dreams?”

I ignored him and made my way to the sink, wishing it was just Cole and I. My steps were slow, trudging, my bones cracking with each step, but I didn’t feel so weak anymore, which was nice.

If I had had the ability, I would have had a stockpile of Deyla Owl hearts in my cupboards, but not only were they in that impossible location, they were also endangered. There weren’t many left. Probably Trick had destroyed a little owl family by saving me and that was enough incentive to add a little bit of anger to my already fuming hatred towards the male.

I turned on the hot water and looked out of the window. It had started to rain again. Maybe the snow wouldn’t come fully for a while. The rain, I could handle, but the snow was difficult without properclothes.

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