Page 139

So instead, I forced the thoughts away, turning to glare at the dark-haired man outside my window.

"You thought I was having a bad dream … so, you thought you should wake me by pouring yourwaterskinon my FACE?!"

He grinned, revealing that familiar dimple in his right cheek — the normalcy soothing the pain in my chest just a bit.

"How else was I supposed to snap you out of it?" he teased. "I tried calling your name, but you just thrashed around more. Also" — he gestured to my right — "those vines are a little creepy." He narrowed his eyes. "As I walked up, I swear they were … hugging you …"

"Who? Me?" Vine-Rien twisted to form the small humanoid version of himself.

Liam yelped and fell back from the window.

"Don't panic," I said with a sigh, rubbing my eyes. "Remember the old Druid you sent Jaiel and me to meet?"

He nodded, eyes wide.

"Meet Rien." I gestured to the little green man. "Except he's no Druid. Frexin thought he was some sort of Forest God relic and it turns outhewas what she sent me to the Isle to capture. She has his real body locked up below us somewhere, so he wanders in that form instead."

"Wait," Liam asked, brow lifting. "You're saying an ancient Forest God relic … wanders around as alittle greenmanand … watches you sleep?! And you'reokaywith that?"

Well, when he put it that way …

I frowned, looking at Rien. "You don't watch me sleep. Do you?"

"You're just so — intriguing," he paused, sending one of his vine tendrils towards me. "Like those sounds you make …" He turned to Liam. "She sounds like she has a tiny wyvren in her throat that roars when she sleeps. But I've checked, and there's no creature in there."

"A tiny wyvren?" Liam said, biting back a laugh. "So, the lovely lady snores, does she?"

My cheeks burned. "I do not!"

And what did he mean, he'd checked?!

"Yes," Rien said. "A snore worthy of a wyvren."

Kill. Me. Now.

Liam broke into laughter, and I clenched my fists.

Gods be damned. I was going to kill him!

"But I'm more worried about the sap that leaks from her mouth while she rests," Rien continued. "There's far more than seems healthy, and I've tried to push it back in, but she just chokes on it." He moved closer to Liam. "I think your watering her was a good idea."

Liam cocked a brow at me. "Drool too?" Then he turned to Rien. "You should continue watering her every night to ensure she stays hydrated. She won't like it, but I think we both know it's what she needs."

Rien nodded. "Indeed. I will endeavor to douse her twice a —"

"Enough," I snapped. "Rien, do NOT water me. I drink plenty of water. As for you, Liam —" I glared at the man on the other side of the window bars. "Why thefuckare you here?"

"Don't be embarrassed," he said with a crooked smile. "The idea of you snoring and drooling is kinda cute."

My stupid rebellious heart twisted, but I quickly pushed the feeling away and gritted my teeth.

"Liam," I ground out, rubbing my temples. "I thought I made it clear that I didn't want any part of your outrageous plans. Yet, here you are, in a fuckingguarduniform outside MY window! What. Are. You. Doing. Here?!"

Liam's smile fell, and he turned to Rien. "Is she always like this when she wakes?"

I groaned. Loudly.Talking to him was useless.

Falling back onto my bed, I pulled the covers up over me, then reached out and grabbed a handful of the delicious berries that had been waiting beside my bed the night before. Whoever kept leaving them for me was quickly becoming my new favorite person.