Page 112 of Shadow Kissed
“You’re awake,” I say, breathing a sigh of relief. In fact, she looks well.
“I’m fine,” she insists. “I don’t need bed rest, despite everyone’s insistence.” She sends a pointed glare towards the healer, who ignores her completely.
Raegal hovers behind me but if I’m to have a frank conversation with my friend, then I need him to leave. “Could you give us a few minutes alone?”
He frowns at my request, and I know full well he wants to question Saveya about why and how she was beyond the wall. If my suspicions are correct, then she followed me down the tunnel and I can’t have her sharing that information with Raegal. “I’ll speak with the healer, but I want some answers from you both.”
I take a seat on the side of her bed and scan my eyes over her, checking for signs of the venom.
“Reya, I’m fine. Thanks to you,” she says with a smile, grabbing hold of my hand tightly.
“Shush,” I whisper, looking at the door to check no one is within hearing distance. “No one can know I healed you. You can’t tell a soul, Saveya.”
She nods her head and lowers her voice. “I won’t. I know you could have only healed me if you were Night Borne.”
I rear my head back. How does she know?
“I read it in a book when we were researching. Is he aware?”
By he, I assume she is referring to Raegal. “He knows. Saveya, did you follow me? Were you at the barracks?”
She flushes under my scrutiny and takes a sudden interest in the hem of her nightgown. “We keep each other’s secrets, right?” she asks me, looking conflicted, and I nod.
“Of course.”
“I was meeting someone and was making my way back to the mansion when I saw you disappear behind the temple. So, I followed you down that tunnel and into the village.”
“Who were you meeting?” I query, noticing she omitted that part.
She bites at her fingernails, something I’ve noticed she does when she’s anxious. “Look, don’t get mad, but I was meetingwith a soldier. You remember the one I met when I was with you and Arkynn?”
At first, I shake my head but then I recall when we’d delivered that note to Raegal’s office and bumped into Ark on the way out. “The scath soldier?”
She flinches in reaction to me calling him that. “He’s called Eryx, and I think, no, I know, we are in love.”
I whizz around to check the hallway. “Saveya, do you realise what will happen if you’re caught?”
She straightens her shoulders and looks me straight in the eye. “So, it’s okay for you to sleep in the commander’s bed every night, but not okay for me to have a lover?”
I wince. She has a point. “I’m in the commander’s bed to hide my scent from the mutts.”
She snorts and rolls her eyes at me. “So, you two haven’t had sex? Don’t take me for a fool, Reya.”
“That’s beside the point. I’m not claiming to be in love with anyone,” I say with a hiss. I pinch at the bridge of my nose. “Okay, Listen,” I say leaning in closer to talk into her ear, “When the commander asks, you tell him you had your suspicions I was sleeping with him, and you snuck out to the barracks to confirm your suspicions and you followed me. He can’t know about that tunnel, okay, so when he asks how we both got out of the valley undetected, you say nothing.”
She reaches out and places her hand over mine. “I won’t tell him anything you ask me not to, I swear. But don’t suggest I stop seeing Eryx, because I can’t. I love him and I can’t stay away from him.”
I can tell by the determined expression on her face that she won’t listen to reason. “Just promise me you’ll be careful,” I implore
“I promise,” she assures me as she pulls me in for a hug. “I still can’t believe you’re Night Borne.”
I laugh. “Me either.” I pause, wondering if I should ask her my next question, but I needed to talk to someone about it. “Hey, have you ever heard of true blessed mates before?”
Saveya wrinkles her nose as she thinks. “I think I read something about them in one of those books you had me pouring over in the library. It’s a union gifted by the gods. The book said something about true blessed mates being chosen before birth.” She taps her ching thinking. “There was also something about them being able to talk into each other’s mind. That’s all I can recall. Why do you ask?”
I shake my head and smile at her, thinking back to the conversation I had with Jasiel before I reached Shadow Valley. “No reason, just curious. Do you want me to stay a bit and keep you company?” I reply still stewing on my thoughts.
She shakes her head and pats my hand. “You can’t afford to miss any classes if we’re going to get you into a top five spot. Go, I’ll be fine, I promise. I’m hoping they’ll let me return to the mansion at some point today. I feel healthy as a horse.”