Chapter 12 Bylur
Istood in the silent blackness where my own form melded with shadow and watched Auria write something on the desk. She shuffled toward the bed, and I turned my attention to the hall. Yes, we were married. But it didn’t seem right to watch her change without her knowing.
A loud sound—like something large collapsing—drew me rushing back to Auria. Had she fallen? Or had something fallen on her?
No. She had simply plopped on the bed.
I waited in the shadows for her breathing to even out. I did not want to create any more stress for her by appearing while she was still conscious. It only took a minute, but I waited longer to be sure. If she startled and saw me, all of this would be for nothing.
I pointed my shadows at the candles she left glowing around the bedroom and snuffed them out.
Her breathing didn’t change. I extended my shadows to the sitting room and study, dousing all the lights.
Either she was obsessed with candles or she hated darkness—I didn’t even know I had eighteen candles in the three rooms. Once they were all out, I stepped out of the shadows and into the bedroom.
Auria had been more aware of herself the night before, carefully tucking her body as close to the edge of the bed as possible.
Tonight, she’d flung herself dramatically on the bed and sprawled out, covering much more than half with random parts of her arms and legs.
Her chaotic posture lit the shadows of my magic on fire.
I hadn’t known humans were beautiful until those golden strands framed her green eyes, and she’d cried please by the waterfall.
And then she closed those eyes in my prison.
My stomach turned at the memory, but my mind marveled.
How did one account for a human who barely knew me closing her eyes to save me from a life-ending curse when she was in so much danger?
That gesture was even more attractive than her captivating eyes and chaotic smile.
I shook my head. She was here now, lying in my bed, after waiting hours for me. One of these nights, I would have to speak to her. Ask her all the questions. But maybe we could wait a year for that.
I crossed the rooms to the desk and lit a beam of magic to what she’d been writing.
A list.
A list of questions. For me.
Did she expect me to answer them?
A smile stretched across my mouth, perhaps the first natural one in over a month, and I sat in the chair. Whether she expected answers or not, she would find something here tomorrow.
After I jotted down what I thought was safe, I returned to the bed. She’d rolled so she was completely centered, with limbs sprawling onto both sides of the bed.
I glanced out the window. There was no moon tonight, and the starlight was dim enough that I doubted anyone without my very rare shadow magic could see in the bedroom.
I laid my jacket across the end table and set my sword belt and scabbard on top of it.
I tucked my boots under the table, but left my undershirt and trousers on.
Yes, we were married. But I couldn’t undress myself next to a stranger.
Queen Daneira had good reason to expect her curse to destroy me, but somehow—
Somehow this impulsive human had defied her without knowing. And given me hope for life again.
I slid an arm under Auria’s neck and knees and lifted her onto her side of the bed—the side she’d claimed the night before. Her neck was cool, so I laid a blanket across her legs and pulled it up to her waist. She’d have to adjust it herself if she needed it any higher.
I crawled back to my side of the bed and lay flat on my back. Daneira hadn’t said how long I needed to lay here every night, so I was going with three hours—the minimum amount of sleep a fae could get away with for an extended period of time.
Three hours would get me out of the room before Auria woke up and give me some time to talk to Dearan before I shifted back into a bear.