Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 123779 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 619(@200wpm)___ 495(@250wpm)___ 413(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 123779 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 619(@200wpm)___ 495(@250wpm)___ 413(@300wpm)
“Shh. Your hair will grow back. Why don’t you try to get some rest?”
Anger bubbles up in my chest, as hot as the flames licking at my back.
Before I can stop myself, my head whips up, and I hiss, “I can’t! Don’t you think I would if I could?” I let the blanket fall away from me, exposing my bare chest that’s riddled with bruises and wounds, then I snap, “On which side do you suggest I lie?”
Raighne’s features tighten, and instead of losing his patience with me, he moves as close to me as possible and grabs hold of the blanket. Fisting the fabric, he covers my front before pulling me to lean against his abdomen.
I can feel his body trembling, and his breaths warm the top of my head.
“I will spend the rest of my life making up to you for the horror you were forced to endure. I promise, Alchera. I know there’s not much I can do to make it better, and there’s nothing I can say to regain your trust, but I swear to Awo I will prove my worth to you.”
Tears sting my eyes, and I regret my outburst. Sucking in a deep breath, I try to control the chaotic dark emotions swirling in my chest.
“You didn’t do this to me.”
Pulling back, Raighne lifts his hand to my face, and his fingers carefully brush over the cuts on my cheek.
I wiggle uncomfortably, not wanting him to pay any attention to my wounds. It reminds me of how awful I look.
He leans even closer and tries to capture my eyes. His breath warms my lips, and his voice is soft in my mind. “Let me in.”
His lips move to the corner of my mouth, and an intense fluttering erupts in my stomach.
“Please stop closing yourself off from me,” he begs.
He presses a soft kiss to my cheek where the cuts are.
“No,” I choke the words out. I try to pull my face away from him, but he just grips hold of my chin to keep me in place.
“Let me in, Alchera,” he orders, his tone harsher.
I don’t want him to see the mess in my head and the shredded pieces of my soul.
I take hold of his hand and tug it away from my face. “No, Raighne. I need time.”
Hurt darkens his eyes, and it’s worse than when I had to cut him off because, this time, I see the pain I’m causing him.
Aster comes in with a bundle of clothes before I can try to explain myself further. “Give us some privacy, Raighne.”
He goes to stand in the doorway, turning his back to us and crossing his arms over his broad chest.
“Should you so much as peek, I will cast you with blindness,” Aster teases him while winking at me. “Do you feel better?”
I just nod because I think it will take a long while before I feel any better.
When she holds a white nightgown out to me, I take it and whisper, “Thank you.”
“Let me help you,” she says.
“I’m good.”
She hesitates for a moment before nodding. “Careful with your left arm.”
I wait for her to leave before I let go of the blanket, and as carefully as possible, I pull the nightgown over my shoulders and fasten all the buttons.
“Are you dressed?” Raighne asks from the doorway.
I adjust the fabric around my thighs as I glance over my shoulder. “Yeah.” When he walks back to me, I say, “I’m sorry about earlier.”
He shakes his head as he comes to stand in front of me. “Don’t apologize. You’ve been through hell.”
Hell. It’s the understatement of the century.
God, I hope things get better, or I’m going to lose my mind.
It’s getting late, and the sun is starting to set. I’m still sitting on the bed while Raighne is standing in front of me, absentmindedly brushing his fingers over my broken arm.
The silence is heavy in the room. I know he wants to talk about what happened, but I’m not ready, and I can’t let him into my mind until I am.
All I can think about right now is my father out there with Adeth and Ares. That, and sitting on the side of the bed, is starting to hurt like crazy.
I wish I could lie down.
My muscles are cramping up, and my back and ribs are aching something fierce.
I need painkillers, and I’m not just talking about one. A whole bottle will do right about now.
“Are you comfortable sitting like this?” Raighne asks, obviously not missing a thing.
He tilts his head to try and catch my eyes, and I duck my head lower.
“Don’t hide from me.”
I let out a sigh then say, “I can’t lie down.”
Raighne knows about my back, the broken arm, and cuts on my cheeks but not about my broken ribs and the cut at the back of my thigh. And I don’t plan to tell him about those.