Page 57 of The Demon Crown

“On second thought, why don’t we try to get information about Gluttony out of them before we send them on their way. I wish to know everything we can about my brother before—”

The door to his bedroom creaked open. Turning, he found himself frozen by the sight of her lovely face, tinged bright red with a blush, and all those lovely gold waves tumbling down to her shoulders. She’d wrapped a blanket around her naked body, but his blood heated because he knew what she wore underneath that green silk blanket.

Nothing. Nothing at all.

And he’d tried very hard not to look too much at her while she was sick. But he was a man, and those lovely pink tips of her breasts had made his mouth water. The lean muscles of her stomach and those strong thighs... Ah, it had only made him wonder at the view from between her legs now that he already knew how sweet she tasted.

Varya blushed an even darker red, almost as though she knew the thoughts running through his mind.

“I thought I heard voices,” she said, her own voice rough. “I didn’t know if something was wrong.”

“Everything is fine. Go back to bed.” He tried to say the words gently but sharp enough that she couldn’t argue with him.

He should have known this particular human had no problem ignoring him.

She leaned to look past him, her hair sliding past her shoulder and revealing all that lovely skin and swan-like neck to his gaze. “Oh! Ivo. I thought I heard you out here. How are you?”

His guard turned bright red as well. “I am fine, Varya. It is you we should all be worried about.”

Her expression amused, she glanced back at Greed. “Did you tell him my name?”

“Accidentally.”

“Well, that’s quite all right. I should have been more polite and told him myself.” Varya smiled at the both of them, and then added, “Your guard is quite kind, Greed. I was lucky to have such an attentive shadow while I was healing.”

Oh, he hated that. He hated every moment of her talking about another man with that smile on her lips. Greed didn’t want to share her attention with anyone, especially not his handsome guard, who couldn’t take his eyes off her.

No, this wouldn’t do. He refused to share his newest treasure and he wouldn’t watch as they made eyes at each other as though they were friends.

They weren’t.

He would tell them when they were allowed to be friends, and that was only after he was done with her. End of story. And he would not change his mind for anything or anyone.

“Get back in your room,” he snarled.

“I’ll do what I want, when I want,” she replied. “Ivo, could I be a bother and ask to see the healer again?”

Both he and his guard blinked. Greed felt all his rage sizzle out of existence as fear took its place. “Are you hurting? I thought we had found all your wounds, but if we have not treated them all—”

Varya interrupted him with a raised hand and a small chuckle. “No, I’m fine. I want them to look at my ribs one last time so I can make sure the bindings can be removed for good. I’ve healed much faster than normal here, and I don’t want to do anything before confirming with them that I’m allowed. I feel much better, Greed. Thank you for allowing me to heal here.”

Oh.

If that was all it was.

He preened at the sound of her thanks. He’d been the one to make sure she was healed, and the king who had deigned to keep his subject well cared for while she was injured. Who knew it would feel so good to help someone?

“Go on, then,” he told Ivo, narrowing his gaze at the man to let him know that he fully expected Ivo to take a long time. “I’ll get my patient back in bed.”

“Your patient?” Ivo replied with a lifted brow. “Since when did you become a healer?”

He was going to punch his guard right in that pretty face and then they’d see how women liked him. With a broken nose, Ivo might look too menacing for most women to even think twice about paying attention to. That would serve his guard right for eyeing what was his.

“Greed,” Varya said with another laugh. “Would you help me lie down?”

That was enough to direct his attention back to her. He’d help her lie down. He’d settle her back in his bed, where she belonged, and he would see to it that she never left those silken sheets again.

Backing her into his room, he shut the door behind them with a harsh click. She looked more like herself now that she was awake. Her eyes sparkled with mischief and her steps were sure and strong as she made her way to the small seating area in his room, not the bed. And she clearly needed no help from him.

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