Page 49 of Spindle of Sin

Rush released a muffled roar, his vision fading in and out of darkness. “Fuck.” He squeezed his hand, finding something in it. Peering down, he saw that his hand gripped Aura’s arm. He released it even though she seemed unbothered by it.

He scowled up at the healer. “I should lock you in the dungeon for that.”

Aura scoffed. “Kings shouldn’t make idle threats.”

“Mmm, what should I make then?” Rush swayed where he sat and she wrapped an arm around his waist.

“My job easier.” Aura sat back on her heels and gently began wrapping his arm.

She worked carefully while the healer dug her needle into the cleaned wound on his shoulder. His gaze latched onto Aura’s face. The way she bit her lip in concentration and only touched his arm when necessary, he assumed, to avoid hurting him further. Until she finally tucked the end of the bandage into the folds, tying it off.

Aura was part of the reason for all his sorrows. She just didn’t know it. It was why she was needed, why she was necessary for his plan against Pax. If the spell had worked properly, then—

“Finished,” the healer said. “Don’t shift for a few days or you risk tearing the stitches. Try not to exert yourself.” She wiped her hands on her skirt and turned to Aura, tossing her a larger set of bandages. “Wrap this one now.”

“Lean forward,” Aura whispered as the healer packed up her tools.

Rush did as he was told with a grunt of pain. She carefully started wrapping around his abdomen, her fingers skimming his bare skin as she moved diagonally up his back to cover the wound, then down again. Her fingers were attentive, tender. He softened to her care, though he couldn’t.Shouldn’t.Aura was a means to an end. His tool for vengeance.

“Who did this to you?” she asked, her breath skating up the back of his neck, causing him to shiver.

Rush snorted. “Starnight.”

“Starnight?” She paused, putting a little too much pressure on the wrapping, causing him to hiss. “I don’t understand. Moonstone and Starnight are allies.”

“Wereallies, it seems. They accused me of stealing you away.”

“Well…” She lifted one brow as if to sayyou did do that.

“They have no proof. Suspicion alone is not enough to invade my court. Besides, you wrote to the prick and called off the wedding,” Rush reminded her.

Aura sighed. “Even though I meant every word I wrote to Pax, there’s no reason he shouldn’t think I was forced to write that.”

Rush scowled. She was right, of course, but his plan was falling apart. This wasn’t how the spell was meant to go. Rush watched her in silence then. He did deserve the pain he received today, but it wasn’t as if he didn’t have a good reason for his actions with Aura. Wrongs to set right. Through everything, through two years of hatred, he now realized he wished the price wasn’t Aura, yet there was nothing he could do to change it.

“I can’t undo the spell,” he whispered. “If it means anything, I never meant for it to torture you like this.” Everything was meant to be finished when she’d first arrived. Though, he wasn’t sure the dreams wouldn’t have tortured her regardless. He wasn’t aware of that before casting the spell, but it wouldn’t have made any difference. Not at the time. “I’m willing to apologize for that bit.”

“Just that bit?” Aura asked, her head tilted to the side. “At least tell me more of what it will do to me.”

“Ah, kitten. I’ll need a drink first for that.”

She tied off the end of the bandage and rose without another word. Her work was good, the wrapping tight without being restrictive. He tested his shoulder, rolling it slightly, and winced. A moment later, Aura held out a bottle of alcohol to him.

He grinned, accepted it from her, and took three deep swallows. It wasn’t the finest he’d had, but it was strong which mattered more given the situation.

“So?” Aura nudged and adjusted the layers of his bandage to lay smoother.

Rush sighed, the pain seeming to have loosened his lips. The alcohol didn’t help matters. But it was only fair Aura knew more, even if it was only a little. “It’s to help someone I love dearly.”

Aura’s hand stilled and she watched him, her expression softening toward him.

He didn’t deserve that expression, but he was a selfish bastard. “Distract me, kitten.”

“Distract you how?”

“From the pain in my shoulder.” He trailed a fingertip along her jawline.

The edges of her lips curled up. “You need torest.”