Biting down on my lip, I stared at the shadowy outline of his chest beneath my palm. “Did your heart beat like a mortal’s once before?”
“Yes.” He yawned.
I curled a finger against his skin. “Why doesn’t it beat like that now?”
“Because I . . .” His hand moved idly over my lower back. “I lost the ny’chora.”
“And what is that?”
He didn’t answer for so long that I thought he might have fallen asleep on me. “Everything.”
Everything? I waited for him to elaborate, but there was only silence. “Are you still awake?”
“No,” came the response with a soft laugh.
The corners of my lips rose, but the small grin quickly faded. I swallowed. “Would you prefer that I . . . that I return to my chambers?”
His arm tightened even more, pressing my stomach to his. “If I preferred that, you wouldn’t be in the bed with me.”
“Oh.”
He shifted, somehow managing to tuck one of my legs between his. “Na’laa?”
“Yes?”
“Go to sleep.”
“Good night, Your . . .” I closed my eyes, heart feeling . . . light. It had never felt that way before. “Good night, Thorne.”
He didn’t answer, but as I drifted off to sleep, I felt his lips brush against my forehead, and I thought I heard him whisper, “Good night, Calista.”
CHAPTER 28
When I woke, the space beside me was empty, but the soft, woodsy scent clung to the sheets and to my skin. I placed my hand on the bed, feeling the warmth of his body heat that still lingered.
Thorne.
There was this vague memory of waking in the gray light of dawn to the touch of his fingertips along the curve of my cheek, the brush of his lips along my brow, and the sound of his voice. “Sleep well,” he’d whispered. “I’ll return to your side soon.”
I opened my eyes, my chest . . . swelling. The feeling wasn’t entirely unpleasant but was wholly unfamiliar, and it scared me, because it felt like a promise of something more.
Bringing my legs up, I tucked them against my chest. There couldn’t be a promise of anything more, even if I wasn’t sure exactly what the idea of more actually entailed. I knew enough. More went beyond pleasure shared in the darkest hours of night. More went beyond the physical. More was a future.
And none of those things were possible with a Hyhborn, let alone a prince. Especially the Prince of Vytrus.
But he claimed to have saved Archwood because he had found me.
Rolling onto my back, I shook my head. He couldn’t have been serious about that, no matter what he thought of my supposed bravery.
But Hyhborn couldn’t lie.
Smacking my hands over my face, I dragged them down, rubbing at the skin. Why was I even lying in his bed, thinking about this? There were far more important things I needed to be focused on. Claude’s knowledge of how my abilities worked, because I doubted he had no recollection of speaking that. His relation to the Commander of the Iron Knights. The impending siege.
Thorne was the least of my worries.
But he was the prettiest of my worries.
“Gods,” I groaned, throwing the sheet off. I sat up and scooted to the edge of the bed, looking for my gown. Not spotting it on the floor, I rose and turned, finding the gown folded on the chest, where his swords had lain the night before. A black robe lay across the foot of the bed. He must’ve left that there for me.
That strange and downright silly swelling motion returned to my chest as I donned the robe. It was . . . thoughtful of him.
I’ll return to you soon.
I glanced around the quarters. He . . . Thorne had said he wanted me with him until he left to escort his armies. Did he expect me to wait around for him all day, in his chambers?
That was not going to happen.
Tugging my hair out from the robe, I picked up my gown. I cradled it to my chest and hurried toward the door, finding it locked. When I turned the latch and opened the door, I nearly plowed straight into Grady.
“Oh my gods.” Gasping, I stumbled back.
Grady caught my arm, steadying me. “Sorry,” he grunted. “I was trying to pick the lock— been at it for a half of an hour. He must’ve done something to it to prevent it from unlocking from the outside.” His dark gaze swept over my face, and then he seemed to see what I was wearing and holding. “Are you all right?”
“Yes. Of course.” I stepped around him, closing the door behind me. “Why were you trying to pick the lock?”