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“Come for me. Good girl.” His thumb circled my clit. “Come on my cock, that’s it.”

I woke up shuddering, the blanket clenched between my thighs as I ground my hips against the bed. My climax shattered through me, and I moaned into my pillow. I was panting, drenched in sweat, and the overwhelming feeling of lips and teeth and fingertips all of my body lingered.

The early light of the dawn was coloring the sky outside, and I rolled onto my back, trying to breathe, trying to blink away the image of Rook beneath me.Fucking monster. Tears of rage bit at my eyes. I’d never once been told that a Night Demon could do this, that they had the power to invade your very dreams and assault you while you slept.

The tears fell harder as my body subsided, because it didn’t fuckingfeellike an assault. I hated how good he made me feel in these dreams. I hated that the Rook of my dreams was a generous lover who drove my body to peaks of desire that left the heat of his body branded on my skin when I woke. These dreams felt so real,hefelt so fuckingreal. I wanted to be free of him. I just wanted this all to end.

The door to Drusilla’s chamber opened, and I buried my face in my pillow, feigning sleep so she wouldn’t see my flushed face. She moved quietly about the room, stoking the fire and opening the windows to let in the fresh morning air. I rolled over slowly, my breathing finally steady.

Drusilla smiled at me as she approached the bedside. “Good morning, my lamb. Did you sleep well?”

I shook my head. “Bad dreams.”

“Oh dear, I am sorry. I’ll have the healer make you a calming tea, to drink before bed. It will do you good.”

Will it make me immune to demon curses?“Yes, thank you, that would be wonderful.” I pushed back the covers and sat up, rubbing my face. I glanced out the window, at the rising sun. “More training today, then.”

Drusilla tutted disapprovingly. “I spoke to Regan, and said you and Rook should be kept away from each other. He said he couldn’t go against the King’s orders.”

“It’s alright, I can handle Rook.” I swung my legs over the side of the bed, my toes curling a little as they hit the cold floor.

“You cannot,” Drusilla said with a scoff. “He almost killed you both times you faced him.”

“I almost had him last time.” I gave her a weak smile. “He doesn’t want to kill me”

Drusilla let out a throaty laugh. “Oh no? Then what is he trying to do?”

“He just wants to scare me.”

“And you?” She raised her eyebrows. “What are you hoping to do in all of this?”

“I-I don’t know.” I walked to the basin and washed my face in the cool water. I let the droplets run off my cheeks, falling back into the basin, my reflection swimming in the ripples. “I don’t know what I feel towards him. He makes meangry. He’s so full of hatred.”

Drusilla sighed heavily, and handed me a linen cloth to dry up. “He and your family are enemies, he shouldn’t take that out on you.”

“In matters of war, there is no gray, Drusilla.” I gave a short laugh. “Only black and white. Rook sees my kin as his enemies, therefore I am his enemy.”

“It’s ridiculous.” Drusilla ushered me to the stool in front of the dressing table, and began winding my hair up into braids on top of my head. “He has no business beating the living shi-I mean, the spit out of aprincess.”

“The king assured me that Rook is the least of my worries,” I told her, and her amber eyes flashed with alarm as they met mine in the mirror.

She shook her head, and forced a smile onto her face. “Come now, let’s get you all ready for your day, it’s going to be hot again, I can feel it.” On cue, thunder rumbled in the distance, and dark clouds began to gather on the horizon as Drusilla helped me into my camisole and leathers.

A maid brought me breakfast, and she stared at my scars and missing ear openly, her mouth falling open in shock. I held her gaze, and Drusilla slapped her over the back of the head before sending her out of the room with a string of curses in a language I didn’t understand.

“Sorry, Your Highness,” Drusilla said, sitting down at the table opposite me and pouring me a steaming cup of strong-smelling tea. “These young girls from the flatlands, they come here and have never seen the world and have no manners at all.”

“I’d noticed Theron doesn’t have any Seraph in his service.” I spread honey onto my bread, allowing myself a small moment of pleasure when my teeth tore through the crust. Bread had never tasted this good back in Peyrus.

Drusilla sighed heavily and poured her own tea. “Yes, he does have a very strong sense of hierarchy. He believes in the superiority of the Seraph race.”

I rolled my eyes. “I’m sure he does.”

“Most of the servants are Cinder Elves or half-Seraph offspring, brought here by the soldiers.” Drusilla leaned back in her chair and stretched her tanned arms over her head, adjusting the rusty brown turban that held her curly brown hair on top of her head. “I’m part Cinder Elf myself, my father was a Seraph general.”

My eyebrows shot up in surprise. “What’s the daughter of a Seraph general doing as lady’s maid in the palace?”

Drusilla laughed. “Oh my lamb, believe me, being a Cinder Elf weighs more heavily than who my father was.”