Page 54 of Burned to Obey

Slowly, we exit the forge, leaning on each other. The corridor is dim, though a handful of guards linger, startled to see us emerge. They blink at me with confusion, noting the tear stains on my face and Saru’s unsteady posture. One rushes forward, offering support. Saru waves him off. “We’re fine,” he mutters. “The poison is handled. No word of this leaves your lips, understood?”

The guard salutes, though curiosity blazes in his eyes. We press on, heading toward the Bastion’s medical wing. My heart still pounds, uncertain how rumors will spin. But Saru stands with me, his large arm looped around my shoulders, ignoring any stares. That unwavering presence soothes a fraction of my dread.

We reach the infirmary’s heavy doors. Inside, a cluster of minotaur healers bustle around cots. The moment they see Saru, they hurry forward, exclaiming that they heard he was poisoned. He waves them back with a curt gesture. “Minimal fuss. She needs care, too.”

I flush as they direct us to a quieter corner, examining him first. He slumps onto a cot, letting out a groan when a healer prods his chest. Another minotaur gestures for me to sit. I obey numbly, listening as Saru demands no excessive gossip. The healers nod, albeit uncertain. They drip a bitter solution down his throat to purge residual toxins.

One older minotaur kneels beside me, checking my pulse. “You’re trembling,” he observes. “Shock, perhaps. Let me see your brand.”

My heart leaps, fear swirling. But he only inspects it for inflammation, tuts about mild infection, then applies fresh salve. He has no idea I performed an arcane feat. My breatheases. Meanwhile, Saru’s caretaker mutters about how the poison would’ve killed him if it spread further. Saru merely grunts, occasionally flicking his gaze my way.

When the healers finish, they leave us with stern orders to rest. Saru’s eyes flick to me as we stand unsteadily. “To your quarters?” he suggests quietly, ignoring his own weakness.

I open my mouth, half wanting to protest. But the rawness in his expression decides it for me. “All right.”

We return to the corridor. Another guard tries to follow, but Saru dismisses them with a single glare, wanting privacy. We move slowly, arms around each other for support. Tension lingers in the air, but it’s overshadowed by relief. If we can survive Thakur’s poison, maybe we can weather the rest.

When we reach my room, he helps me inside. I hesitate, scanning the sparse space. My heart hammers with the memory of last night, but the immediate concern is that he nearly died from a senator’s treachery. He leans against the wall, horns angled down, chest heaving.

I guide him to my bed, letting him sit. He exhales, wincing, bandaged around his middle. “You’re the one who should rest,” he mumbles, eyes half-lidded.

I kneel at his side, resting a hand on his knee. “You almost died. Let me—” My voice cracks. “Let me be sure you’re okay.”

He musters a tired smile. “Thanks to you.” He places his broad hand over mine, warmth radiating.

My chest tightens, tears threatening anew. “I was terrified. When I saw you like that… I couldn’t bear it.”

He lifts my chin with gentle fingers, horns shifting as he studies me. “No more hiding from me,” he says. “We’ll face your Nullborn trait together.”

My tears slip free, but this time they’re tears of relief. He tugs me closer, guiding me onto the bed next to him. We remain fully clothed, but the intimacy of leaning against his broad frame sosoon after that harrowing event sends pulses of emotion through me. I press my cheek to his shoulder, feeling the steady thump of his heart. The brand on my forearm stings a little, as though echoing that beat.

We sit in silence for a long stretch, letting the crisis recede. His breath steadies, color returning to his cheeks. My own racing pulse quiets. Outside, the Bastion’s hum continues, ignorant of how close we came to losing everything. Thakur’s poison lingers as a fresh threat, but for now, we’ve escaped.

At last, I speak softly. “You’ll rest here? The healers said you need calm.”

He nods, head bowed. “Yes. But only if you let me keep watch over you, too.”

A fragile smile ghosts my lips. “Deal.”

We shift, lying atop the covers. I settle against him, mindful of bruises, letting the quiet hush cradle our shared exhaustion. His arm drapes around my waist, horns close to my hair. Each breath I take lines up with his, as if forging a new rhythm. For a moment, I recall the nights I spent alone, forging sabotage plans or trembling under a dark elf’s lash. Now, I share a bed with the minotaur who once branded me to keep me alive. We chose each other last night, and I saved him this morning. The Bastion might reel from these revelations, but in my small room, our bond feels unbreakable.

As sleep pulls at us, I sense the swirl of complications that tomorrow will bring: Senate inquiries, Thakur’s next scheme, potential rumors about my Nullborn power. But I cling to the memory of how Saru looked at me after I purged the poison from his blood—a look of gratitude, awe, and unwavering acceptance. With that anchoring me, I let my eyes drift shut, exhaustion claiming my body at last.

He touches my brand gently, and I murmur a soft sound, half asleep. His voice is a faint rumble. “Thank you, Naeva.”

I snuggle closer, tears slipping unbidden. “Don’t leave me,” I whisper.

“Never,” he replies, his breath warm against my brow.

A final wave of drowsiness closes in, carrying me into slumber. In the stillness of the Bastion’s night, we hold fast to one another, shaping a vow born not from duty—but choice. And though fear lingers, my heart finds solace in knowing we stand together, even if the entire fortress stands against us.

16

SARU

Iforce my body to move faster than it wants to. My ribs still ache from the recent poisoning, and each breath sends a dull throb through my chest, but I ignore it. I’m determined to find Naeva before she slips away. Some of the guards saw her heading toward the old forge chamber, that hidden place in the Bastion’s lower corridors where she sought refuge once before. I suspect she’s about to run again, convinced she’s a danger to me and the entire fortress.

I’m not letting her leave.

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