Torrent of Tears (Scourge Survivor Series Book 3)(18)

“Lexi.” Terran’s voice was much higher pitched than usual. “Lexi wake up. Please Princess. Wake up.”

I pried at my eyes but the best I got was a weak-ass flutter before they closed again. Yep, the centrifuge had started and my brains were scrambling in a cyclone of the dizzies.

“Lexi?” The second voice was much deeper, richer. “Try to open your eyes again, Princess. Come on. Your guard heart will surely fail if you don’t come around soon.”

Poor Terran. I didn’t want him to stroke out. I tried to lift my hand but it weighed a thousand pounds. Did I manage to flex my fingers? I must have because someone clasped my palm. I tried again to open my eyes.

“Hello again. Welcome back.” It was the looker with the loose brown curls. No. In the buttery light of the gold-leafed sconces there was quite a bit of copper in his hair. Nice.

I blinked fast and swallowed hard. Gods, please don’t let me puke on him again. A low moan escaped my chest before I could stop it. I breathed deep. There it was . . . that delicious scent he had. Male spice blended with clean masculine sweat and coal smoke.

Mmm, you smell delicious.

He raised a brow and chuckled.

Shit. Did I say that out loud?

“Now Princess, would you like to sit up?” My head bobbed heavily on my shoulders as he sat me up. When I listed to the side he slid behind me, wrapped a solid arm across my collarbone and pulled me against his chest. Warmth leached from his chest to my back and everywhere else his body made contact with mine. “Better?”

I nodded. “Chocolate.”

“You’d like chocolate?”

I nodded again.

“I’ll be right back,” Terran said and disappeared in a blur.

With my eyes closed and my head cradled under Rowan’s jaw I let the world spin in whatever vortex it wanted to. After what could have been hours, but was probably only a few minutes, the worst had passed. I forced myself to give up my happy place and sit up.

“This is becoming a bad habit,” I muttered.

“Or a good one,” he smiled. It was genuine and lit his hazel eyes. “I’ve always had a bit of a white knight complex. Swooning damsels are my specialty.”

“Dream on. I’m no one’s damsel. You just happened to be—” I looked around my suite and then back at him sitting on my plush gold rug. “What are you doing here?”

“You passed out.”

“No. Not in my suite. What are you doing in the palace?”

“I was checking on one of the other Eligibles. Seems she had a nasty run in with one of her sisters and a hot iron. First degree burns to her forehead and ear.”

“Really? And they called for you?”

He narrowed his eyes. The hesitation was subtle, but after years with the Talon, I heard the lie before the words were spoken. “Seems so.”

“Don’t they have medical staff within the palace?”

He leaned forward until we were almost nose to nose. “One would hope, though I do specialize in burns. Dangerous things, straightening irons.”

The air crackled between us. “If I was intending to do damage to someone, I’d use daggers.”

A smooth brow arched as his features softened. “Right, I forgot. I brought you something.” Rowan launched to his feet in one graceful motion and strode out of my ensuite. He returned a few seconds later holding the cloth bag Stitch had given me to hold my belongings. “Peace offering. You rushed out of the townhouse so fast, you forgot them.”

Dragged out, was more like it. “Thank you.”

Rowan handed me the bag and took a step back. “It’s all there, I assure you,” he said, as I had a quick look, “leather pants, boots, a well-armored vest . . . oh, and my personal favorite.” He reached into the bag and fished out my black leopard print bra.

I snatched it from his hands and stuffed it into the depths of the bag. “You went through my stuff?”

He shrugged, unrepentant. “I was curious about the mysterious ‘missing Eligible’. The whole city is talking.”

“I honestly don’t care.”

He laughed. “Most of the Princesses—no, all of them—would die to be the talk of the city.”

“Yeah, well, I’m not much like the other Princesses if that giggling display of skirts and estrogen was any example.” With an assessing gaze, he held his hand out to help me up. Ignoring the offer, I got to my feet and moved to the living area of my suite. Those bright hazel eyes continued to scrutinize me to the point of thoroughly checking me out.

I pulled out my battle-vest and shrugged it on over the figure conforming robe.

The corners of Rowan’s mouth twitched. “Better?”

Clutching the two hilts sheathed over my navel, I drew both daggers. I flipped and turned the weapons in my palms like a bored kid with two pencils. “Better,” I said and slid the blades home.

“Interesting look.” Terran kicked the door closed behind him and strode to my side. After a quick once over, he handed me a big-as-your-head wedge of chocolate cake. “Are you well? You scared the stuffing out of me.”

I snorted, choking on the cake I’d just shoveled into my mouth. “Stuffing? Oh, man we gotta work on your warrior vocab.”

Terran’s smile was short lived before he grew serious. “Are you, Lexi? Well?”