“My guess would be yes.”
“Your guess?” The prince’s scowl turned ferocious.
Murl ran a hand through his white hair. “I’m sorry, Your Highness, but I have no further ideas at this time. Let me consult a few texts and see if I can find anything. In the meantime, I suggest that Lady Seary eats a large meal to replenish her magic, and then she rests. With any luck, this will be a temporary malady and will have passed by tomorrow.”
My eyes widened. “Is that possible? Could this correct itself?”
Murl patted my hand. “When it comes to magic, anything is possible. But rest and nourishment are always the best to help replenish our stores. I shall give you a potion to help you sleep well tonight.”
“But I have my final test tomorrow. What if the potion leaves me groggy or ill-affected?”
“It shan’t. My best potions leave no lasting side effects.”
The prince growled. “See that she gets it.”
Murl stood and bowed. “Of course, my prince.”
Once the healer had retrieved the potion, Norivun lifted me from the bed.
I suppressed a smile. “I can walk, you know.” Especially since the pain was now gone.
But his frown only deepened. “Let me do this. It . . . soothes something in me.”
My eyes softened. I knew there was no point trying to fight his mating instincts, so I nodded.
The prince dismissed his guards, and after all of them said their goodbyes and wished me well, Norivun mistphased us out.
We reappeared in his chambers. The familiar huge room and gigantic bed waited in the dark. “You want me to sleep here?”
“Yes.” His frown grew. “I want you close tonight.”
He set me on his bed, then went to start the fire. Crackling flames soon filled the hearth.
“What would you like for supper?”
I shrugged. “Surprise me.”
He rang for food, and Balbus answered the call. The portly servant’s eyes widened when he saw me. Usually, the prince and I kept our encounters a secret, even from his servants, but since the prince didn’t try to shield me from Balbus, I knew his worry had surpassed his concern over our relationship leaking.
At least Balbus was trustworthy. He’d never been anything but loyal to the prince.
The prince gave him a laundry list of food to bring.
Balbus bowed. “Of course, my prince. I shall endeavor to have all of it delivered swiftly.” He gave me a bow as well. “Lady Seary, a pleasure to see you again as always.”
“You too, Balbus,” I replied. “I’ve missed our chats. Tell me, how’s Marcina?”
Surprise flitted across his face, then he beamed. “She’s fine and has recovered completely from her ailment. I shall tell her you asked of her.”
Still beaming, the servant swirled from the room, and when it was just me and the prince, Norivun sat beside me on the bed as his wings draped behind him. “You know his wife?”
I shook my head. “I’ve never met her, but he’s told me about her and his family. She got sick a few months ago. I’m glad she’s better.”
Raw emotion filled his eyes as he grasped my hand. “You amaze me more and more every day.” His finger stroked the back of my hand as his frown returned. “How are you feeling?”
“Tired.” My cheeks warmed as the bond between us billowed, as though an invisible tether connected us, and each of us was tugging at the other.
“Come here.” He pulled me to his side, tucking me into him. Unlike our usual time spent in his bed, he didn’t try to seduce me or drive me to distraction with his mouth.
He just held me.
I laid my head against his chest, and his steady heartbeat was like a soothing balm on my nerves. With each of his breaths, my head lifted slightly, and soon, my eyes were closing as sleep pulled at me.
He stroked my hair, his hand moving up and down my back and arms. They were soft, lulling motions that made me shiver with need while wanting to sleep simultaneously.
A soft knock came on the door, and then Balbus bustled through with an enormous tray.
“My prince and lady.” He bowed. “Where shall I set this, Your Highness?”
“By the fire is fine, Balbus.”
The servant did as asked, moving around the room on ghostly steps until everything was ready for our meal before departing just as quickly.
Once we were alone again, my mate lifted me and carried me to the couch, and I let him since I knew keeping me close and feeling that he was doing something to protect and care for me were what his instincts demanded.
“Are you warm enough?” His brow furrowed, worry lining his eyes as he settled me on the sofa.
I sat back more and tucked my legs beneath me. “Yes, I’m fine.”
He proceeded to dish up a plate for me, and I ate everything on it. He joined in, eating his fill, but his eyes never left mine as he watched me carefully, as though he was afraid I would pass out again or the pain in my gut would resurface.
When I finally finished, he whisked my plate away and cleaned everything up before returning to my side. The couch sank under his heavy weight.
I nestled against him and trailed a finger up his chest. Even though the aura around him began to rise as desire tingled in my belly, neither of us acted on it. It seemed both of us were content to enjoy the quiet, the feel of our arms wrapped around the other, while we enjoyed our solitude. It was all oddly peaceful despite what had happened, and the bond deep inside me hummed.
It was crazy that in all of the months I’d been in this castle, we’d had so little down time with just the two of us. We were always working, training, learning, or trying to save the fields. Hardly any of our time had been devoted to just us, and since I’d only recently discovered that he was my mate, it felt like I’d been living in a fog the entire time I’d been here.
“I’m sorry for how I treated you when we first met,” I said quietly.
His wandering hands, gliding along my back and arms, stopped. He tilted my chin up, forcing me to meet his gaze. “Why? You have nothing to be sorry for.”
“I do. I thought you were a monster, and I treated you horribly. I have everything to be sorry for.”
His breath stuttered, and then he pulled me up his chest, draping me across his body.
Instinctively, I straddled him. Our lips met as his hands settled on my hips, gripping me to him as my hands splayed across his shoulders.
He kissed me softly, reverently at first, but then heat between us began to build. In a sweep of power, the prince had me in his arms and was striding toward his bed. We fell onto it in a tangle of limbs as his wings stretched around us.
“I want to make you mine so badly,” he said, kissing along my throat.
I arched into his touch, breathless as he trailed kisses down my neck. “Tomorrow, after the final test.”
He stopped, his head lifting. “Truly?”
“Yes, I just need my mind clear until then and not gripped in the haze of a newly sealed mate bond.”
With a growl, he stripped me of my clothing, and then devoured me in earnest.
I arched against him as a low, pulsing ache uncurled deep in my belly. He soon had me writhing against him, feral in my desire as my naked body was his to attend.
I was clinging to his shoulders, my lips swollen from his demanding kisses and my fingers like claws as aching lust burned through me.