Page 62 of Caged

Sylas stares at me, unblinking, for so long I put my hand out to touch him. His huge, scarred hand wraps around mine, and he brings it to his face, inhaling deeply.

“This is everything I could ever want, myeregri,” he says. “You, me, young in your womb. Our young. Young we created. You are truly my fate, Alex, and I would move planets to be with you forever.”

ALEX

Sylas won’t sleep unless I do, and it’s clear despite his impressive physique and ability to heal, he is absolutely exhausted.

“Why don’t we go home?” I suggest.

For an instant, his eyes light up, then they darken again. “Not until you are well.”

“I am better,” I say, knowing full well I still can’t make it to the loo on my own. “I want to be back in our nest.”

A shudder runs through his wings and it’s obvious he feels the same way.

“Not until Sontok says you can leave,” he replies instead of agreeing with me.

“Since when did you start taking orders from her?” I gently tease him.

I love how he is with her, and with all the others who come to offer little gifts and check how I’m doing. It seems the whole of Ryle was invested in my recovery. Sylas hardly growls at all. Instead he almost graciously accepts their presence and their gifts until I start to shift uncomfortably on the bed, and only then does he chase them away.

“Since she saved your life,” Sylas states, sitting on the edge of the bed and taking my hand. “I will always be grateful to her for ensuring you stayed with me.” He glances down at my stomach which is the same size as it ever was. “And for giving us news I never expected.”

“Come here.” I pull at his hand.

“I don’t want to disturb you,” he says.

“I’m not so fragile, and I want your arms around me,” I say.

Sylas huffs amusingly, my huge gladiator, all muscles, feathers, and scars, attempts to get onto the bed as carefully as he can. Finally, after a lot of scuffling, I can lean into him and trace my hand down the edge of one wing.

“It wasn’t just her who saved me. You did your part too.” I feel him relax under me. “You went back into the forest to get the herb she needed for the anti-venom.”

“I shouldn’t have let you go into the forest in the first place,” Sylas says with a yawn to end all yawns.

“And I never would have seen the apros.” I stroke down his wing again. “And I wanted to be there. I wanted you to chase me. None of this is on you.”

“I nearly lost you,eregri.” His chest hitches. “I nearly…” He swallows. “Like I lost them.”

Despite my aching bones, I turn to face him, my hand on his chest as he stares straight ahead.

“Them?”

“My warriors, when I led the rebellion, the one which resulted in my sentence to the dome and their deaths.” A muscle jumps in his jaw. His hands ball up.

His eyes close.

“Sylas?” I touch his cheek. He’s so tense it feels like he might break. “I’m here, my love.” I cup his face in my hands, stroking my thumbs over his skin. “Touch me. I’m here for you. Please, Sylas.”

With a struggle, he opens his eyes and stares straight at me.

“Touch me,” I exhort.

His hand trembles as he places it against my cheek.

“Alex.” He rasps my name.

“Yes,”

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