Page 168

“I know the morning will come sooner rather than later, and we’ll be back out there,” she said, and it took effort for me not to react to that. “But I can’t sleep. Not yet. I was waiting for you.” She toyed with the sash. “This place is…different, isn’t it?”

“I imagine if one was used to only the capital and Masadonia, it would be,” I said. “Things are far simpler here, no pomp and circumstance.”

“I noticed that. I haven’t seen a single Royal Crest.”

I tilted my head. “Did you wait up for me to talk about Royal banners?”

“No.” Poppy dropped the sash. “I waited up to talk to you about what I did to Airrick.”

I watched her brush her hand through the sides of her hair, tucking the length back on her left side. Something struck me then. When speaking with Kieran or the others, she always turned her head so her right side faced them. She didn’t do that with me.

“Is this later enough for you?” she said. “A good time?”

I grinned. “This is a good time, Princess. It’s private enough, which is what I figured we would need.”

Poppy appeared as if she might speak but seemed to change her mind. A look of chagrin settled in her features.

“Are you going to explain why neither you nor Vikter ever mentioned that you had this…touch?” I asked.

“I don’t call it that,” she said after a moment. “Only a few who have heard…the rumors about it do. It’s why some think I’m the child of a god.” The delicate brows, a shade or so darker than her hair, knitted. “You, who seems to hear and know everything, haven’t heard that rumor?”

“I do know a lot, but no, I have never heard that,” I admitted. “And I’ve never seen anyone do whatever it was that you did.”

She was quiet for a moment. “It’s a gift from the gods. It’s why I’m Chosen.” Her brow creased once more, then smoothed out. “I have been instructed by the Queen herself to never speak of it or to use it. Not until I am deemed worthy. For the most part, I have obeyed that.”

I felt like Elijah in that moment because I had a lot of questions. “For the most part?”

“Yes, for the most part. Vikter knew about it, but Tawny doesn’t. Neither did Rylan or Hannes. The Duchess knows, and the Duke knew, but that was all.” She paused. “And I don’t use it often…ish.”

Often-ish? “What is this gift?”

Her lips pursed with a long exhale. “I can…sense other people’s pain, both physical and mental. Well, it started off that way. It appears that the closer I get to my Ascension, the more it evolves. I guess I should say I can sense people’s emotions now,” she explained, nervously plucking at the blanket she sat on. “I don’t need to touch them. I can just look at them, and it’s like…like I open myself up to them. I can usually control it and keep my senses to myself, but sometimes, it’s difficult.”

Immediately, I thought about when the Teermans had addressed the city after the attack. “Like in crowds?”

Poppy nodded. “Yes. Or when someone projects their pain without realizing it. Those times are rare. I don’t see anything more than you or anyone else would see, but I feel what they do.”

What she was telling me was…it sounded impossible for a mortal. “You…just feel what they feel?” Wait. My eyes widened. “So, you felt the pain that Airrick, who had received a very painful injury, felt?”

Poppy’s gaze lifted to mine, and she nodded once more.

Fucking gods. I briefly closed my eyes. “That had to be…”

“Agony?” she said. “It was, but it’s not the worst I’ve felt. Physical pain is always warm, and it’s acute, but the mental, emotional pain is like…like bathing in ice on the coldest day. That kind of pain is far worse.”

My mind was racing again, pulling out the times I’d seen her uncomfortable—her hands twisting nonstop. “And you can feel other emotions? Like happiness or hatred? Relief…or guilt?”

“I can, but it’s new. And I’m not often sure what I’m feeling. I have to rely on what I know, and well…” She shrugged. “But to answer your question, yes.”

I had no fucking clue what to say because even though I’d seen her do it, my brain rebelled against the news.

“That’s not all I can do,” she added.

“Obviously,” I said dryly.

“I can also ease other people’s pain by touch. Usually, it’s not something the person notices, not unless they’re experiencing a great deal of obvious pain.”

Something tugged at the recesses of my memories. “How?”

“I think of…happy moments and feed that through the bond my gift establishes through the connection,” she shared.

“You think happy thoughts and that’s it?”

Her nose scrunched. “Well, I wouldn’t say it like that. But, yes.”