Page 102 of The Chains You Defy

Awful powers indeed.

Swallowing, I hoped Dion’s sensitive nose wasn’t too bothered in the grand scheme of things. Quickly, I freed a tiny drop from the container and applied the balm above his Cupid’s bow as well. His gaze caught mine, gleaming so thankful my heart clenched.

“I should have washed you first before using the ointment.”

“No, it’s fine. You did everything exactly as it’s best. Let me nap for an hour or two, then I’ll have improved enough to take a shower.”

Finally, the willingness to believe him took hold of me, mainly because I could see how the telltale glow returned to his eyes, how his muscles relaxed, and the more he recuperated, the more the iron fist, which had my heart in a chokehold, slackened in equal measure. He would recover soon, as he’d promised. He had to.

“Alright. However, I’ll stay at your side.”

“But I stink.”

“So what? I don’t give a damn.” With what I hoped was a strict glare, I settled down next to him on the bed, grabbed his hand, and slid as close to him as I dared. Sure, I came to rest on the fresh bloodstains and all the other body fluids I’d rather not dwell on that had seeped into the linens, but I didn’t care.

If my presence gave Dion comfort, I should be damned if something as unimportant as hygiene kept me from being there for my friend who needed me. Tugging at his fingers, I nestled his hand under my chin and smiled. “Take your nap. I’m here.”

“Don’t get too used to this role reversal.”

“Sleep, princeling.”

The only answer I got was a low chuckle, and once Dion’s breath had deepened and he’d succumbed to his exhaustion, I allowed the tremble to take over my body, which had threatened to break out since we’d met with Galrach. Because no matter how much I was pretending to be brave, the truth was quite different. I was in too deep and could only hope I would be able to stay afloat.

The next day, Dion’s state had improved rapidly, and I was in awe to see that his body was fighting the necrosis with success and that his thigh had completely healed.

When I’d examined him this morning, I hadn’t been able to believe what my eyes had told me, and I’d rubbed my hands over his fresh skin in disbelief until the prince had made a lewd comment about the more private parts of his anatomy and howhehad changedhiscondition as well if I wanted to check.

Of course, I’d backed off, warm blood tinting my cheeks as the insufferable bastard had grinned,showcasing his dimples.

That had been the moment I’d been convinced everything would be alright.

To the luck of everyone involved, Dion’s face was unmarred once more, and he presented the same flawless appearance as usual when the royal tailor and his assistants made an entrance. The visit was unpleasant; the disdain for my kind was so palpable that antipathy was a tangible force in the air.

But Dion proved to be a problem as well. He acted all growly and snarled at the tailor when he came closer to me than a few feet, which didn’t make his work an easy one.

The prince was so agitated that when one of the female assistants stepped up, he snapped at her too as she was about to wrap the tape around me. In the end, he took my measurements himself under supervision.

Afterward, I told him off—if our visitors had reported to Galrach, all our acting so far would have been for naught—and he glowered at me with a look that would have been frightening if I hadn’t stopped being scared of him a long time ago.

Though I protested and even blocked the exit, Dion left his quarters right after our brief discussion.

“Serious business, Naya. We’re here to find out if Galrach is involved in the situation with the Wild Rifts, and you know that. So, stay in the suite. You don’t want to blow our cover, do you?”My reenactment of his decree was spot-on, according to my reflection.“Promise me to remain here, or—”

Ugh, yes, he’d threatened to tie me to the bed. Again. With too much dimple on display.

In the end, I gave him my word, even though I was almost certain that he planned to silence the tailors in a manner I wouldn’t approve.

Plenty of hours passed.

The sun was already losing power, and I was going stir-crazy.

Funny how the walls seemed to close in on me, although Dion’s quarters were so spacious that he could host a good part of Credenta in here, and the place wouldn’t be crowded.

Being alone didn’t do me any good. My nerves fluttered inside my stomach, and every time I abstained from actively distracting myself, my mind replayed yesterday’s events in a loop.

I could have taken a nap, but I was afraid of reliving what had happened in the stone cave and afterward. As prone as I was to nightmares, dreaming about the incident was a real threat, and so I settled on pacing.

But after some rounds, I stopped dead in my tracks as a sudden obstacle appeared in front of my feet.