Page 157 of The Princess and Her Grand King

“No, no, no.” Sinai pressed her hands to her ears, rocking harder. “It’s not real. It’s all in your head, Sinai. Your skin is not stretching. Your blood vessels are not swelling. It’s all in your head, it’s not real.It’s not real!”

It was no use.

The nausea bubbled up. Unstoppable like the blazing storm.

With a deep, moan of pure despair, Sinai doubled over again.

Blood spewed from her mouth in a violent stream, splattering across the floor and walls, painting the cell in her suffering.

Her body shuddered over and over again, her screams muffled by the sound of her puking.

Oh goddess, she was in so much pain. Too much…!

Vision tunneling, she fainted.

Chapter thirty-six

AWAY AND TOGETHER

“No!Gothroughtheback! Save yourself!” The sharp command echoed into the dim silence of the room, followed by sharp, labored pants. “Protect your mother!”

Emeriel’s eyes snapped open to the faint light of dawn filtering through the open curtains.

She turned, her heart clenching as she saw Daemonikai thrashing beside her, his chest heaving, his fists clenched white-knuckling the sheets.

“There are too many of them. I…” His voice broke, raw with helpless panic. “Too many of them.”

“Daemon…” Her hand hovered inches from his shoulder.

The memory of the last time he’d woken from a nightmare beside her flashed vividly in her mind. A moment that had nearly cost her her life.

“Myka, where is Alvin!?" his voice rose again, desperate. "Where is your brother!?”

Her throat clogged, tears prickling her eyes.He was trapped there again.

Reliving the terror of a father failing to save his children. It wasn’t real, but the horror in his voice was clear, cutting through her like a sword.

To hell with this.

“Wake up,” she whispered, then louder, “Daemon, wake up!”

Her hands closed around his broad shoulders, shaking him. “Don’t live through that again, I'm here.”

“How could you tell… the humans about us, Alvin? No matter how drunk you were, you shouldn’t have…” his panting grew louder, frantic.

Emeriel climbed halfway onto him, wrapping her arms around his shaking frame. “Come back to me, please.”

His eyes snapped open, his chest rising and falling fast against hers.

“You’re alright,” she soothed, willing him to believe it. “It’s just a nightmare. You are safe.”

“Emeriel?” His voice was disoriented, his eyes darting all over her face.

“Yes, it’s me.” She adjusted herself to better see his face, her hands brushing the damp hair away from his sweat-soaked brow.

He looked like a man who had clawed his way back from hell.

“Do you still have these dreams frequently? Or is it because of… what happened?”Losing our child.

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