Page 42 of Seized to Sacrifice
Letting out a sigh, Elle went to the casement and surveyed the valley. The evergreens stood tall, and the other trees were just beginning to grow their spring buds. The sun warmed her skin, and she took in its rays, stretching her body higher to meet it.
Regardless of what had happened yesterday, she was stronger today. She hadn't realized how frail she’d been feeling since she had woken in the forest.
Elle heard that door opening and turned swiftly, relaxing when she saw that it was Nyx.
He looked concerned when he saw her up and about.
‘Perhaps you should get back into bed.’
She shook her head. She’d had enough bedrest.
Nyx put down the mortar of herbs he’d been carrying on the table that he’d righted sometime in the night. All of the books were in tidy stacks now instead of the chaotic mess of before.
‘The book wasn't to your tastes?’ he asked, looking at the small volume she’d left on the bed. He seemed amused when she wrinkled her nose at it.
‘Is it to yours?’ she said, watching him and wondering anew why he was being so kind to her.
He shrugged. ‘I've read everything in our library many times. All of these on the table have been recently loaned to me by the Great Library in Kitore. I read to pass the time, so new books are interesting to me no matter their subjects.’
‘Were any of them damaged when you threw them all over the floor?’ she asked.
He looked sheepish. ‘Thankfully, no. That wouldn’t have been a very enjoyable conversation when I next made the journey to the capital,’ he said with a grin.
She smiled back and his expression faltered.
‘That’s the first smile I’ve seen since you’ve been here. I’m sorry.’
Her cheeks heated and she suddenly felt embarrassed by his attention.
‘Is this keep a family holding?’ she asked, changing the subject.
‘Of a sort,’ he muttered.
She frowned. ‘Why do you never answer my questions properly?’
He quirked a brow. ‘Perhaps you ask the wrong ones.’
She rolled her eyes at him, pretending annoyance though she was enjoying the banter between them. Being with him was easy, as if they were falling into old habits.
‘We knew each other before very well, didn’t we?’ she asked quietly.
‘Do you remember something?’ he said carefully, not looking at her though his shoulders tensed, and she realized he was very much interested in her reply.
‘No,’ she said, but couldn’t work out whether or not he was pleased by her reply.
‘Come,’ he said, turning back to her, his face blank. ‘Back in the bed. Close your eyes. You’re still healing.’
‘I don't want to sleep,’ she complained. ‘I'm awake. Perhaps I should resume my work in the kitchen.’
She didn’t want to go back to the cellars, but she’d rather be doing something other than trying to keep the boredom at bay up here in Nyx’s room.
‘No,’ he said coldly.’ You're not to go back there alone.’
‘But Eruk is—’
He put up a hand to stay her words.
‘You’re not to go down there,’ he said again.
