Page 55 of The Princess and Her Grand King

Still, her eyes stayed on him, vigilant. She kept talking to him, even as her voice trembled.

His temperature fluctuated, sometimes warmer, sometimes colder, but it never reached that terrifying, bone-deep icyness again.

She watched over him as the night stretched on endlessly.

Only at dawn did her eyes grow heavy. The exhaustion she had fought tirelessly, finally closing in.

You can't afford to sleep. You must stay awake.

But in the end, fatigue became too much. Her eyes fluttered shut, and she succumbed to the pull of sleep.

Head resting on his chest.

Hands clasped tightly in his.

***

"Emeriel…"

The soft whisper drifted into Emeriel's dreams.

No… no, I just fell asleep,she thought groggily, her mind struggling to cling to the remnants of rest.I need more.

"Emeriel… wake up."

His voice.

Her eyes flew open.

It took her only a moment to remember where she was, why she was there, and whose warm body her naked one was pressed against. Whose hand was now softly stroking her hair.

Lifting her head, she looked at his face.

Those green eyes, once vacant and distant, stared back at Emeriel, this time full of awareness.

Theyblinkedslowly.

Chapter fourteen

AWAKENED BELOVED. ELUSIVE BELOVED.

"You’reawake,"Emerielbreathed,unable to believe her eyes.

King Daemonikai gave a slow, weak nod. “I am.”

Emeriel shoved down the giddy happiness rising in her. "How do you feel?"

"Tired," King Daemonikai rasped. "Dearest."

Dearest.

He had called herdearest.

"It’s me, Emeriel, not…"Not Evielyn.She almost said it, but didn't.

The barest hint of a smile touched his lips. "I know."

O…kay. That was strange.

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