Page 135 of Vicious Princess
“Get some rest,” he says. “Tomorrow, we rise with the sun. Hopefully a new day will bring some useful ideas to you, cadets.”
All of uscadets are sleeping in one of the empty rooms on the first floor of this run-down house. We’re packed tightly next to each other on the floor, wrapped in wool blankets. I use my backpack as my very hard, cold, and uncomfortable pillow.
Yet I don’t think the ache in my left hip from the hardwood floor or the lack of a soft pillow under my cheek is the reason I can’t calm down enough to sleep. My whole body is taut like my bowstring.
The rest of the cadets have no trouble sleeping.
Roman is snorting on my right. Suddenly, I wish I drank last night, too. I bet if I were hungover, I wouldn’t have issues falling asleep now.
With a sigh, I push myself on my feet. I leave my backpack but take the blanket and quietly open the door. The corridor is dark, quiet, and empty. The whole house is.
My feet are soft on the floors as I make my way to the second floor. I need to find the way out, get onto the roof. A cool breeze and the night’s sky full of stars will help me sleep.
Once I climb the stairs, there’s a small landing with three doors on each side and a small window. I unhook the metal keeping the window in place, and it opens with ease. Peeking my head outside, I see there’s a smaller slanted roof right below the window.
With ease, I climb out onto the small roof and carefully follow the wall until I reach the drain. It barely takes me any effort to scale it and reach uppermost roof. It’s a bit slanted, and the clay is hard under my back. But I can see the clear sky and all the stars that stretch as far as eyes can behold, and well beyond.
Anytime I watch the stars now, it always reminds me of that night my family’s house burned down with them inside. The last time I spoke with Mom, Dad, and my sisters…I was angry. The last words I told my parents were full of fury and desperation.
I will never forgive myself for it.
If I didn’t have my temper and hadn’t stormed out, I wouldn’t be here now. I would either be dead, just like them, or…what if we would have found a way to escape together if they weren’t preoccupied with managing my tantrum?
I sigh and close my prickling eyes.
“Have trouble sleeping, princess?”
My eyes snap open at that voice. Daegel pulls himself up and over the edge, then elegantly pads over to where I lie.
I nod. “Something like that.”
He grabs the corner of the blanket and peels it away before slipping under it, right next to me. Dangerously close to me.
Alarmed, I sit up. “Are you sure it’s safe for you to be here with me? What if someone sees us?”
Daegel shakes his head. “Don’t worry, I closed the window behind me. Everyone’s deep asleep.”
“Why aren’t you?”
He looks away from me, gaze settling on the horizon. “I had too much on my mind.”
I rest my head on his shoulder, grateful for his company. Even if we have too many unresolved things between us, still.
When he doesn’t elaborate, I prompt him. “Such as?”
“You.” The way his voice dips makes me shiver from pleasure. “Today I came too close to losing you, and it…put things into perspective for me in ways I never could have fathomed before.”
“Sorry about causing a mini life crisis you weren’t prepared for,” I tease.
Daegel’s lips are gentle as he kisses the top of my head. “It was about time. So I should thank you.”
“Well, in that case, you’re welcome,” I say lightly. I look up at him through my eyelashes. An amused smirk dances on his face. “Just let me know when you need another one.”
I wink, and he laughs.
“You’ll age me before my time, princess,” he says softly. “I’d rather we don’t fight and can be on the same side from now on.”
“There’s nothing I want more from you,” I say. “Did you mean what you said earlier? You won’t be involved with Caligos anymore?”
