Page 78 of Cages and Crowns
Chapter Forty-Four
The Caged
It wasn’t hard to lose Nithe as I weave through the maze of hallways with an ache building low in my core. I knew where I was going, but he stopped along the way to find Enzo. I close the door to my room, flicking the lock.
I abandon the pale dress, letting it fall to my feet in billowy waves, and walk over to the dressing room, slipping a different nightdress over fresh undergarments. I glance at the crown that is set on a shelf in the closet. It’s beautiful, albeit creepy with the skull, but it’s so different to the one I was forced to wear in Noterra. The one I haven’t seen since I got here.
I wonder what they did with it.
I exit the dressing room and a slight shiver slides down my spine. The air is cool, despite the heat during the day. I’m curious how summers in Rakushia will compare to Chatis or Noterra. We are quite a bit farther north, but it’s flatter here. There isn’t the humidity or fogginess I grew up with, and so far it doesn’t seem to get aswarm.
I climb through the large window, stepping out onto the balcony. Something of which has become a nightly routine. Being outdoors, it allows me to breathe. I don’t feel…suffocated.
The stone feels good against my bare feet, staving off the heat that seems to be radiating from me continuously. I feel ill today, as if food is stuck in my throat. I am nauseous, weak, and tired. I need to sleep, but I can’t.
I'm afraid I’ll see him.
The door to the room opens and I spin around. Nithe walks in, a smirk plastered to his stupidly handsome face.
“Stop breaking my lock!” I yell and climb back through the window.
“It’s notyourlock, it isourlock.” He remarks before throwing himself on the bed.
“What are you doing?”
“Relaxing?” He says matter-of-factly.
“Go do it in your own room.”
“This is my room.”
“No, it ismyroom.”
“We are wed, husband and wife, married, tied together–” He starts to joke, and I debate throwing something at him.
“I get it. But I don’t want you here.”
“Well that’s too bad because they already cleared out my room. Yours is bigger and has a balcony.” He shrugs before closing his eyes and relaxing into the pillows.
“We are not sleeping together.”
“I have no desire to have sex again, Rosie. Maybe tomorrow?” Gone is the tear-filled man who is broken like me, and in his place is the stranger who keeps appearing. The one who uses humor to hide his pain. The one who brushes everything off to seem unbothered.
“That’s not what I meant, and don’t call me that!”
“I am too tired to argue with you. I am sleeping here, get over it.” Hesighs as he relaxes deeper into the blankets.,
“Nithe,please.” My voice cracks and his eyes open. He looks at me, taking in my changed nightdress, clenched fists and furrowed brows. He slides off the bed and walks over to me, I step back but he isn’t fazed. His hands find mine and force them to relax.
“I have to stay here. If my father finds out we aren’t exactly a happy couple, I am not sure what he would do.”
“He knows what we are.” I retort. “I can’t do this, Nithe. I was forced to marry Tobias, forced to be his in all ways. After earlier, I can’t–”
“Hey,” he drops one of my hands and cups my cheek. “I know. I’ll sleep on the couch.” His thumb brushes under my eyes, catching a stray tear, before he bends down and kisses my forehead. His hands leave, taking his warmth with him, before he heads into the bathing chamber.
My hand instinctively goes to my stomach as another wave of nausea hits. Too much wine. Too many emotions. I’ve been feeling sick for days, but it just has to be everything, I just need to get used to it. I take a slow, deep breath until it passes.
I’m sitting up in bed by the time he returns to the room. My hands are knotted, wringing in my lap. He doesn’t look at me as he enters, his skin damp. He’s only wearing a pair of sleep shorts, his bare back glistening in the candlelight. He grabs the blanket off of the back of the couch before dropping down into it and sighing.
