Page 121 of The Duke and the Disciple

“It wasn’t...” Aesylt hurled again.It wasn’t the serum. I don’t know what this is. It’s the stench. It’s the... I don’t know what’s wrong with me.

“She’s done here,” Rahn said. He slowly stood. “Ella and I are here as guests of Pieter Dereham. If that doesn’t cool your blood, there are swords in the rack by the entrance.”

“The... fuck...” B whistled. “We’re not here to force anyone to do anything! She came here on her own. Ella’s free to leave if it’s what she wants.”

“Got what you wanted, did you?” Rahn retorted.

“Rahn...” Aesylt vomited through fresh tears. For years she’d been too broken to cry, and twice now she’d done it in as many days.It’s finally happening. I’m breaking into a million pieces.

“What did she say?” A asked, confused.

“I have you, Squish,” Rahn whispered, closing her in an embrace from behind. “Don’t think about anything else. It’s just you and me now.”

“Come on, let’s go, B.”

She didn’t begin to fully sob until both of the men had left.

“I don’t know what’s wrong. I wanted this, but now I feel so...” Aesylt went limp when he shoved her robe back through her arms. “You should have stayed away.”

“You should know by now I’d never leave you alone in a place like this,” he said and lifted her into his arms as he stood.

“Rahn—”

“Tell me about the stars, Aesylt.”

“What?” Her tears stained his robe, but his words brought her momentarily to life. That night in the tree came swimming back to her... the way he’d climbed for her, risked everything for her.

“Just press your face to my chest, close your eyes, and tell me about the stars, Squish.”

Rahn wasaware of the concerned and curious eyes following them down the red-carpeted hall as he carried a weeping Aesylt, but he was singularly focused on getting her the bloody hell out of there. They could think whatever they damn well pleased.

When he stepped into the green room with her, relief crept in. They were close. He would find the guards and get her safely into the wagon, and they could put the night behind them.

His gaze locked onto the door, but Pieter stepped in front of him.

“Whoa. Did something happen to her?” He was either a better actor than Rahn was aware of, or his concern was genuine.

But Rahn didn’t care about that either. “We’re leaving. Move.”

“Is she all right?”

“A bit late to be asking that,” Rahn muttered and shoved past, marching through a thick silence that followed him all the way to the welcome rush of fresh air.

Aesylt blinked languid and slow,like the world as it passed by at half the pace it should be while she bounced in Rahn’s muscular arms.

Rahn. Adrahn. Her scholar. She’d been running away from him all night, only to land right back where she’d started.

Tell me about the stars, Aesylt.

The trees bowed and bent, consumed by flames. But no, that wasn’t right. They weren’t on fire. The flickering was from the bonfires, and the bonfires were in the?—

Aesylt blacked out.

Rahn had been gently smoothingthe sponge against Aesylt’s tender flesh for the past hour. She’d woken intermittently, long enough to mumble gibberish before succumbing back to her heavy slumber.

She slept against his chest in the bath. The whole night seemed like a fever dream. Nothing else explained the gentle peace he felt listening to her inhalations and exhalations as the snow fell in soft flakes outside the window. It was a jarring departure from the fear and anger that had carried him down the long hall.

The bathwater had gone cold long ago, but the fire was keeping him warm enough.

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