Page 115 of Fallen Heirs

“Feed me more, my king.”

A thud sounded and a guttural groan.

“Is that enough for you?”

“Fuck… yes… yes. Please.”

“I do love it when you beg me, Commander.”

I tuned out quickly and made my way down the corridor.

A few doors down I came to Ore’s room.

I listened, first only hearing his breathing, which had me frowning because he was supposed to be asleep, yet it wasn’t easy and calm, but rough and wild, more like panting, and his pulse was jumping. The rustling of sheets reached me after a few moments too.

I carefully opened the door, eyeing the bed to find him twisting in the sheets, sweating in his sleep, his breathing growing choppier.

“Stop! Don’t do this!” he started crying out. “Mom!”

Damnation.

He started thrashing then as he continued shouting, then slamming his head against the headboard in his sleep.

I couldn’t allow it to continue.

He was supposed to be resting after the hit he’d taken earlier. Hurting himself physically in his sleep wasn’t going to accomplish that.

Alena had told us that the concentration magic in the blast Lenora had struck him with had been intended as a death blow. It would have killed most beings. Thank hell Orpheus Hart wasn’t most beings. Saryan had said that if Ore hadn’t recently come into his full power, he wouldn’t have survived it. His despicable mother had actually intended to kill him, to murder her own fucking son.

And as much as Ore could usually take things on the chin and keep moving forward, it was clear that this had hit him hard, that it was actually affecting him as very few things could.

I burst toward the bed, then reached out and stroked his face. “Orpheus,” I called carefully.

He flinched, but still didn’t rouse.

“Ore, wake up,” I called, shaking his shoulders.

He jolted and then suddenly bolted up, both his palms aflame with his purple fire.

I jerked back. “It’s all right. It’s just me, just Xavier.”

He blinked his wide eyes, that wild look in them receding gradually.

And then he sucked in a breath and pulled his magic back, dropping his hands onto the bed.

He looked around the room, then back at me, taking in the situation quickly. “Why did you wake me? What’s happened? Is this location compromised? Has she found it and—”

“We’re fine. Everything’s fine.”

He rested his head back against his pillows. “Fuck. Good. Good.”

“Do you want me to get your father?” I asked, perching on the edge of the bed beside him.

“He’s just been reunited with Marlowe after days apart. I’m sure they’re immersed in one another right now.”

“From what I accidentally overheard, they’d already gotten to the meat of it. Pun possibly intended. It should be winding down any moment now.”

“Dark Fae, remember? The King at that. It’s going to go all night, believe me.” He shifted his weight in the bed. “Besides, I’m fine.”

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