Page 47 of Lady of the Drowned Empire

He set the bag beside my clothes and closed the door.

A moment later, I was dressed in Rhyan’s sleep clothes. I padded out of the bathroom, noting the bed had already been stripped and remade, the old sheets in a hamper he kept inside his closet.

In the living room, Rhyan had lit several candles. Two steaming mugs sat on the center of his coffee table. He was in the kitchen preparing a plate of pita bread with hummus and nuts. He’d already put out a bowl of hardboiled eggs and another containing a mix of chocolates and fruit.

“Chocolate helps, right?” he asked.

“Right.”

“How are you feeling?” He grabbed the plates and bowls and balanced them on his arm on his way to the table. He stumbled, looking like he was about to drop the plate hanging the most precariously against his elbow. He vanished and reappeared at the coffee table, dropping everything on top of it. The plates somehow landed exactly where they needed to go.

“Smooth,” I said.

He laughed. “Sometimes the vorakh comes in handy.” He collapsed onto the couch, patting the cushion beside him. “Sit?”

I moved to his side, curling my knees under me. My arm rested on the back of the headrest, allowing me to stroke my fingers down his neck.

He leaned into my touch, a small sigh escaping his lips before he shifted in his seat, inching closer to me, his eyes hooded as I massaged up his neck to his hair.

“Do you want to try the tea?” He shifted again until his head rested in my hand then straightened as if remembering he was taking care of me now. “I know it’s not coffee, but it is midnight, so….”

“I’ll try it.” I smiled shyly. “No one’s ever taken care of me like this before. No one who wasn’t being paid to work in the fortress.”

“Oh.” He made an exaggerated frown. “I didn’t tell you about my new job?”

“Rhyan!” I smacked his shoulder.

“Ow!” He rubbed his shoulder.

“Come on,” I scoffed. “There’s no way that hurt.”

He grinned at me. “You forget, you’re a trained warrior now.”

“So are you.”

“Yes, but I’m a mere mortal. I was just assaulted by a goddess. I call foul play.”

I wanted to laugh but froze instead, the weight of his words pressing down on me. “Right.” I exhaled sharply.

I was a goddess, but I couldn’t touch any of her power—my power—not without Mercurial’s help.

“Sorry,” he said. “Probably shouldn’t joke about that.”

“I’m still figuring it out,” I said, settling back against the cushions. Rhyan reached behind me for a blanket and laid it over my lap. A fresh tear fell down my cheek.

“Lyr.” His thumb brushed it away, his eyes staring into mine.

“I’m not sure what to do. There aren’t guidelines for,” I waved my hands around, “anything I’ve experienced the last few days.”

Rhyan reached for my belly and laid his palm flat against it, heavy and soothing. “No, but this…this you’ve dealt with before. This we can manage. Are you feeling better?” The moonlight cut across his face, making his curls bronze and his scar appear more silvery and pinker than its usual red.

I shrugged. “I’m probably going to feel like shit for at least two more days. Or forever.”

“Hmmm. I better buy a lot more chocolate then.” He nodded thoughtfully, his thumb stroking my stomach.

I sniffled, and after a moment, we both began taking slow sips of tea and snacking on the food.

“I’m really sorry,” he said after a few minutes. “About today.”