A Kingdom of Blood and Betrayal (Stars and Shadows #2)(26)

My muscles were still stiff and achy, but I didn’t have time to deal with that right now. Instead, I ran to the door and pulled it open before Thalia alerted the whole damn castle that I was missing.

“I’m up.”

Thalia swirled in my direction, a new set of clothing resting in her arms, and the annoyed look on her face fell as soon as she spotted me in Evren’s doorway.

“What are you doing?”

“Sleeping.” I crossed my arms and prayed that she didn’t make a big deal of this.

“Okay.” She nodded and moved across the hall to hand me the clothes. Her gaze danced with humor and a grin graced her lips. “Get dressed, then let’s get some breakfast. We have training to do.”

“Right.” I pulled the clothes to my chest as I shut the door and took a deep breath. I hurried to Evren’s bathroom and got myself ready for the day.

My hands trembled as I shoved my legs into the trousers. I was excited for our training today, excited to feel more in control of my power. But I was also flustered by the fact that she had just found me in Evren’s room, that I had felt the need to be here in the first place.

Thalia had brought an outfit that looked almost identical to the one from the day before. I looked at myself in his mirror as I tucked my shirt into my trousers, and I didn’t have a clue what I was doing.

I still smelled like him, my hair, my skin. The memory of him was floating along every inch of me, and I hated to admit how much comfort it brought me.

I had no plan for what I wanted, for what I would do, but it would be foolish of me to not soak in every bit of training Thalia was willing to give me. Her help was far too valuable. I pulled my hair back away from my face and tucked my dagger back into my boot.

I was just about to leave the room when I passed by his small desk and spotted something shining in the sunlight. I stopped, my hand aching to reach forward and find out what it was.

I pushed the few sheets of parchment to the side and stared down at the delicate gold chain. I lifted it in my fingers, careful not to harm it, and stared at the small crescent moon that dangled from the chain.

There was a small tag attached to it, and my name was written across it in crisp, masculine letters. There was nothing more. No indication of where it came from.

It could have been Evren’s or someone else’s, but I had never seen him wear it. But the metal had a familiarity to it I couldn’t explain. I could feel it as the gold pressed against my fingers.

The necklace called to me, and I gripped it in my fingers as I thought about putting it back where I found it. But that churning in my gut wouldn't stop.

Before I could think better of it, I pulled off the tag and slipped the gold chain over my head and tucked the crescent moon between my breasts. The metal hummed against my skin, but I tried to ignore it as I made my way out of Evren's room and closed the door behind me.

“Took you long enough.” Thalia pushed off the wall where she was leaning next to my door. “I thought I going to have to come in and rescue you, but I didn't know exactly what was going on in there.” She grinned, and I let her quip roll off my back.

I started walking down the hallway toward the courtyard where we had trained the day before, and she jogged to catch up with me.

“What'd you think about the book?”

Shit. I completely forgot about the book. I was pretty sure it was still sitting somewhere in the mess of Evren’s bedding.

“I didn't get to it.” I ran my hand down my face and over my neck. The gold still buzzed against my skin, and I let my fingers trail down the length of it. “I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.”

“You must've been really comfortable.” Thalia bumped her shoulder against mine, and I could feel a blush of embarrassment creeping up my chest.

“Are you going to tell anybody about this?” I didn't know why, but the thought of Sorin or anyone else finding out about the poor little Starblessed sneaking into their prince’s room in the middle of the night while he was gone didn't sit well with me.

It made me feel weaker than I already was.

“Your secrets are yours and yours alone.” She looked at me sincerely, and I trusted her word. “But you might want to think about the staff. Mina was already in a tizzy over the fact that you didn’t open your door for dinner last night.”

“Shit. I didn't think about that.”

“It’s not a big deal.” Thalia turned until she was facing me and walked backward toward the courtyard. “Mina’s nosy, but she won’t tell anyone. Just tell her you'll be sleeping in Evren's room if that's what you want.”

My chest ached as I thought about what she just said, and I open my mouth to ask her a question before I could think better of it. “And what do you think about me sleeping in his room last night? That it was foolish of me?”

“I think that you’re confused.” She looked at me with sympathy, and I hated it. “And that your mate brought you here to a kingdom you don't know and then put himself at risk once again. It's okay for you to be angry with him, to hate him even if that's what you feel, but it's also okay for you to worry about him. To miss him. Crave him.”

My steps faltered as I looked up at her. “I don't crave him.”

“Like I said, your secrets are yours alone.” She winked at me, and I knew that she could most definitely see my blush now.