Page 32 of The Chains You Defy

Nodding lightly against his shoulder, I nestled deeper into his arms. “Then let me tend to you.”

I could feel Dion smile as he tucked me even closer into his chest.

Soon, my heavy eyelids won the fight against the wish to enjoy the security of his embrace a few moments longer.

I was out in seconds.

My heart weighed down on me, my chest heavier than I could bear, as I left Nayana alone in our bed. If the tiny woman hadn’t looked so peaceful and content, and if my own health hadn’t improved by a landslide during the past few days, nothing could have forced me to leave the suite we shared.

But I had no choice. There was something urgent brewing inside my mind. A swarm of angry bees was buzzing relentlessly through my body, demanding that I jump into action immediately.

My hand was hovering over the ornate handle of the bedroom door, but insteadof leaving, I threw a last glance at Naya. Some strands of her silky tresses had fallen into her face between my previous checkup a few minutes ago and now, and my skin itched as my fingers twitched with the urge to brush them back.

“Damn it,” I mumbled to myself as a crunching noise alerted me to how hard I’d gripped the opener during my visual examination.

Peeling my white-knuckled hand from the dented metal, I stormed back to the bed, sat down on the mattress, and gently tucked the wayward blonde locks behind Naya’s ear. Her nose scrunched as if the motion tickled her, and I cursed both myself and her offending hair.

Steely bands blocked my lungs, and every breath I drew was a challenge as I took the chance to verify her well-being—the last time had been at least ten minutes ago, after all.

I couldn’t help myself. Whenever my eyes landed on her, my mind flashed back to when I’d found her in that dungeon cell.

Broken, injured—dying.

There had been a lot of fucked-up shit I’d experienced in my life, but I’d never been in such distress before. Well, maybe once, but that didn’t matter in this moment.

Even now, after almost a week, relief hadn’t settled in yet, and a large portion of my thoughts was occupied with making sure she wasn’t in mortal danger. Or slight discomfort. Monitoring her well-being had become an obsession—as with everything else concerning her.

But the bees were merciless. My throat bobbed as I swallowed the lump stuck in there.

Willing my legs to work, I stood up and, gathering my iron will, left the bedchambers and her behind.

Before the insistent inner voice, which chastised me for abandoning Nayana, could convince me to return for another confirmation that she was still alive, I slipped into the corridor of the Ivreian royal guest wing. A deep breath, and my usual mask of indifference returned. At least, I hoped so.

A similar fancy door led into another suite a few paces away from ours, and as I focused my thoughts on the conversation I was going to initiate, I pulled the red velvet cord hanging next to the closed entrance. A bell chimed inside the room, and it didn’t take long before the door opened.

“Dion.”

“Fig.”

As usual, the scar-covered face of my general looked grave, and his eyes met mine devoid of any trace of fear or insecurity. Few could hold my gaze without at least radiating waves of unease, and I registered some surprise about how much I appreciated lately that some people existed who didn’t give a fuck about the danger I presented to everyone’s life around me—theirs included.

Yes, there was a lot that annoyed me about my comrades, but during the past few months, they’d proven their loyalty, dedication, and fearlessness. Maybe for the first time in centuries, I’d felt seen in a good way, and although much of me loathed how parts of me had been revealed to them, another cherished the transparency equally so.

I had to admit to myself that a few people existed in my life I’d prefer to keep around—Antas, Fig, Ireas. Nayana, of course. Her presence wasbeyond debate.

Not that I’d tell them or would go all soft and sappy around them, since I preferred that they continued being on edge around me. Again, everyone except Nayana.

But there was still the issue of how to get rid of Thain.

“Anything special you want to talk about?”

“Actually, there is.”

“Then come in.”

I nodded, followed him to his sitting area, and planted myself on top of one of the plush couches. Fig picked a chaise for himself, and I chuckled as he comically dwarfed the piece of furniture under his giant form.

“So, Dion. What made you abandon your suite?”