I sat on the edge of the bed, wondering what Tawny was doing right now. Was she making friends with the other Ladies and Lords in Wait? Sadness tugged at my chest, and I welcomed it. That was far better than feeling only anger and pain, but I missed her.
I missed Vikter.
The knot of emotion was back in my throat as I smoothed my hand over the soft blue material. My eyes burned, but the tears…they wouldn’t come. I almost wished they would. I sighed, glancing back at the head of the bed. There were two pillows as if the bed were meant for two people to—
A knock on the door startled me. I jumped from the bed and was in the process of moving to the end table when the door opened. Snatching up the dagger, I whipped around.
“Hawke,” I breathed.
He lifted his brows. “I thought you’d be asleep.”
“Is that why you barged in?”
“Since I knocked, I don’t consider that barging in.” He closed the door behind him and stepped into the light. He’d bathed and changed, his damp hair curling against his cheeks. “But I’m glad to see that you were prepared just in case it wasn’t someone you wanted to see.”
“What if you’re someone I don’t want to see?”
That half-grin appeared. “You and I both know that’s not the case.” His gaze roamed over me. “At all.”
“Your ego never fails to amaze me.” I placed the dagger back and then looked around. Since the only other place to sit was the very uncomfortable-looking chair, the bed was the only option. I sat on the edge.
“I never fail to amaze you,” he replied.
I smiled. “Thank you for proving what I just said.”
He chuckled as he strode forward. “Did you eat?”
I nodded. “You?”
“While I bathed.”
“Multi-tasking at its finest.”
“I am skilled.” He stayed where he’d stopped, several feet from me. “Why aren’t you asleep? You have to be exhausted.”
“I know the morning will come sooner rather than later, and we’ll be back out there, but I can’t sleep. Not yet. I was waiting for you.” Suddenly nervous, I toyed with the sash on the robe. “This place is…different, isn’t it?”
“I imagine if one was used to only the capital and Masadonia, it would be,” he answered. “Things are far simpler here, no pomp and circumstance.”
“I noticed that. I haven’t seen a single Royal Crest.”
His head tilted. “Did you wait up for me to talk about Royal banners?”
“No.” I sighed, letting go of the sash. “I waited up to talk to you about what I did to Airrick.”
Hawke said nothing.
My nervousness gave way to irritation. “Is this later enough for you? A good time?”
There was that curl of his lips. “This is a good time, Princess. It’s private enough, which is what I figured we would need.”
I opened my mouth and then snapped it shut. Dammit. Was that why he’d kept pushing it off? If so, that made sense.
“Are you going to explain why neither you nor Vikter ever mentioned that you had this…touch?”
My jaw came unlocked. “I don’t call it that. Only a few who have heard…the rumors about it do. It’s why some think I’m the child of a god. You, who seems to hear and know everything, haven’t heard that rumor?”
“I do know a lot, but no, I have never heard that,” he replied. “And I’ve never seen anyone do whatever it was that you did.”
My gaze searched his, and I thought I saw the truth in his stare. “It’s a gift from the gods. It’s why I’m Chosen.” Or at least one of the reasons. “I have been instructed by the Queen herself to never speak of it or to use it. Not until I am deemed worthy. For the most part, I have obeyed that.”
“For the most part?”
“Yes, for the most part. Vikter knew about it, but Tawny doesn’t. Neither did Rylan or Hannes. The Duchess knows, and the Duke knew, but that was all,” I told him. “And I don’t use it often…ish.”
“What is this gift?”
I blew out a long breath. “I can…sense other people’s pain, both physical and mental. Well, it started off that way. It appears that the closer I get to my Ascension, the more it evolves. I guess I should say I can sense people’s emotions now,” I corrected, tugging at the blanket beside me. “I don’t need to touch them. I can just look at them, and it’s like…like I open myself up to them. I can usually control it and keep my senses to myself, but sometimes, it’s difficult.”