Page 101 of Untamed

“My favorite.” Fermín rubbed his palms together.

Lucas met my gaze with a twinkle in his blue eyes. Though he had boyish charm and a sweet character any lady could appreciate, I longed for only one man’s attention, even if it meant going to the corners of the world.

My feet wouldn’t stop moving despite a thirst that needed quenching and other needs having not been met in some time. The grand palace entrance opened into the high-ceilingedatrium with the luxury of maids lined up to serve my every whim.

“Your Majesty, do you need a drink?”

“Yes, some hibiscus tea.” I continued like an arrow to the infirmary.

Two maids darted off.

“Your Majesty, should I prepare a bath?”

“Yes, that would be lovely. Thank you.”

“Your Majesty …”

I didn’t hear the next requests because the infirmary held only young men and none so handsome as the one I longed to find.

A paunchy nurse with a knowing smile approached. “You must be on the hunt for the looker. He’s with your Papá in the king’s corridor.”

“Thank you.” If I could have flown, I would have. Decorum fell to the polished floors. I darted as if Whyzer Patro himself chased me up the stairs and to the guarded doors where Papá and Mamá slept.

The tall guard winked at me and opened the door. A long empty corridor, barely lit, stretched in front of me, reminding me of how I’d traversed this space to beg for time with Zichri.

Firelight poured from Papá’s bedroom through the cracked open door. This time, instead of hiding, I pushed the gilded piece of wood open.

The back of a tall fellow with strong shoulders wearing a bloodied tunic and a plain vest stood at Papá’s bedside. His shapely figure, evidence of time spent cultivating strength. Compassion seeped from him and into my senses.

Mamá touched Papá’s chest with a glowing hand. Laude watched from the other side of the room with her beau at her side. The clear expectation in her hopeful eyes glowed all the brighter when she caught sight of me. Without skipping a beat, she waved at me and bounced on her toes.

Zichri’s slow turn revealed the perfect slope of his nose, two giant brown eyes, and lips I longed to kiss. The penetrating look he steered in my direction left me breathless.

He bridged the gap and hesitated to take my hand, signaling with a peek over his shoulder at why. Papá hadn’t allowed for a match between us, and Zichri longed for us to get all the approvals stamped and sealed.

I wrapped my arms around Zichri, feeling his heat and the pitter patter of his heart still wild for the evil we’d defeated. Zichri remained stiff. Perhaps it was that Papá’s gaze shifted toward us or that Zichri needed to go home and check on the state of his family. I smiled at Zichri, needing to make this quick.

“How is he?” I touched Mamá’s back.

“I’m fine.” Papá’s voice sounded much too raspy for his normal self. His eyebrows drooped over swollen lids. “Your mamá just fusses over the details.”

“He’s swollen in places that need much healing.” Mamá continued to work on healing him through her touch.

Laude drew nearer. “I’ve offered the last of the petals from the island. They healed Jaime but His Majesty refuses.”

“They’re poison.” Papá drawled.

“They healed Jaime and Zichri and Minerva,” Laude’s voice rose a pitch“if all accounts are true, and I’ve seen poison at work and it’s not good—” She would have continued but Papá’s finger wagged in the air.

“Not that type of poison, my dear.” Papá shifted his attention to me. “Eventually, indulging in the power of those petals will make you long for eternal life by your own will of power, but they’ll steal your soul and leave you like a husk. They need to be destroyed.”

I lowered to Papá’s eye level, considering how Zichri had consumed some. “Is it immediate?”

“No.” Papá's simple response allowed me to breathe several slow inhales and exhales. “Do you have a request to make of me?”

“Not now, Papá.” I patted his calloused knuckles. “You need rest.”

“Daughter, you can ask of me anything. If I don’t make it, I want you to know you have my blessing.”

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