Page 69 of The Blood Crown

She didn’t even bat an eye as she found a stack of clean clothing, folded and waiting on the bench at the foot of the bed. The pants, the shirts—all her size—save for the crisp white button down, oversized as she preferred. Softly worn and broken in . . . not new like the other items.

An olive branch.

Turning toward the bed, she stopped short at seeing a plate heaped with food. Crisp bacon, nearly burnt just as she preferred it, eggs fried to perfection, and the thick brown bread she’d grown so fond of here loaded with pats of melting butter.

A moment later, a dull thud hit the table, a mug of rich dark coffee, swirled with thick cream appearing beside the food.

Her stomach grumbled, and with a defeated sigh, she tucked into the offering.

Drawing the shades, she slipped between the sheets, sinking into the bed with a full stomach and closing her eyes.

She willed sleep to claim her, but images flashed through her mind, racing. Twin streaks of red across a black stone floor . . . A twisted scar . . . The feeling of Ven’s lips against her throat.

It does not need to mean anything beyond these walls.

She rolled over onto her other side, squashing the pillow underneath her head a little harder than was necessary.

Finally giving up, she padded to the wardrobe, already knowing that she would find boots her size waiting at the bottom.

Warm light glowed from beneath the glass doors of the tower.

Embra was tidying up the greenhouse as Aurelia walked inside, dark green braid swaying over her shoulder as she balanced a stack of glass jars, placing them on one of the tall shelves that lined the tower. She wore a pair of practical brown pants, a thickly knit cream sweater against the chill, pushed up to her elbows.

“Let me,” Aurelia offered, taking the flasks from Embra’s hand and placing them in the tidy row.

No sooner had she taken her hand back, and Embra crushed her into a hug, her strength taking Aurelia by surprise—as it always did.

“It’s good to see you, my friend,” Embra whispered.

An unexpected tear slid down Aurelia’s cheek as she held onto the female. The emotions hitting her all at once—they’d finally made it back here. They were finallysafe.

“It’s good to see you, too,” she murmured.

Embra pulled away, unabashed as twin streaks of silver rolled down her pale green cheeks.

“How is she?” Aurelia asked, nodding toward the darkened room beyond.

Embra glanced toward Valea’s sleeping form. “Stable,” she answered quietly. “But beyond this point, there’s no telling.”

“And Karro?” Aurelia scanned the room, seeing no sign of the Wraith.

Embra let out a heavy sigh, “I told him he wasn’t doing her any good exhausted and hungry.”

“You kicked him out,” Aurelia chuckled.

“I kicked him out,” Embra replied, crossing her pale green arms over her chest. “He’s not allowed back in here for a full six hours.”

“You know he’s stubborn enough just to sit outside on the steps.”

“He can do as he likes with that time." She shrugged. "But he will not behere." She turned, busying herself again. "He can’t offer her strength if he doesn’t take care of himself as well.” She shook her head, emerald hair swaying. "He snaps at anyone who gets too close. Won’t let anyone give her synthetic blood,” she said with a toss of her braid. "He was driving himself mad sitting at the side of her bed—you’d think he was . . .”

Whatever the female realized in that moment made her mouth snap shut as her brown eyes raised to meet Aurelia’s narrowed gaze.

Was it possible? That Ven’s sister and Karro . . .

But whatever crossed both of their minds remained unspoken. Better for Karro to realize that for himself.

Her gaze dropped to her booted feet as she bit off a curse.

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