Chapter 21
Kaden ran through the castle ahead of her, her legs doing everything they could to keep up until reaching the throne room and halted.
“Don’t tell Emris about your power’s effect on the creatures yet,” he whispered. “If we have a spy in the castle, we don’t need anyone confirming what everyone suspects.”
She wasn’t going to tell him about the masked male she saw, or at least she thought she saw yet. With the adrenaline running through her, she still wasn’t sure of what she actually saw.
She nodded and he pushed the door open with such force the doors creaked in protest. She couldn’t help but watch the flex of his shoulders and the raw muscles in his arms move beneath his leathers.
Not once had she tried to study his physical appearance other than the night of the ball, and that was a different situation.
“Kaden!” Emris yelled frantically from across the hall.
They walked closer to the king, her eyes noticing the scribe and Declan in a frantic conversation.
“Is it true then?” Emris asked while his eyes scanned over their bodies, no doubt taking in all the blood they had been covered in.
“A dozen Trenchers made it to the meadow,” Kaden replied. “Alyra and I took care of them before they got any closer.”
“You let her fight!” Declan roared and rushed to the king’s side. “What if she had gotten killed?”
“I handled myself just fine,” she growled back.
“You are our only hope to win this war and he let you go off into battle before you are ready!” Declan yelled.
She had been successful at avoiding her ex-fiancé over the last few months, and his lack of respect for her was getting old.
“You have no idea if I’m ready or not!” she yelled back. “You have no right to judge my skills when you know nothing about my training. Kaden thought I was ready and so did I.”
Anger took over her and she started to lurch forward, her fist aching to meet with Declan’s face.
Kaden threw his arm in front of her sensing her intentions and she paused before running into him.
She heard a growl from his chest and he nodded his head for her to step back behind him.
If it had been anyone else, she knew he would have shoved them back, but he wouldn’t do that to her and she respected that.
“You assigned me to train her and I am. You know fully well I could have taken them all down myself and it was a good opportunity for her to become acquainted with what we are fighting.” Kaden’s voice was low and she could feel the tension growing around them.
Declan glared at them both while Emris let out a long breath, clearly stressed out by the string of events taking place.
“I will decide what we need to do, I’m sure this was brought on because she is here.” Emris sighed.
“It’s not her fault.” Kaden snapped. “You are the one that decided to parade her around at the ball to show power. Did you not think he would react?”
Emris looked at him in shock, the boldness of his words bordering on treason and she knew the tension was just going to get worse.
“Let’s just go back to my room and take some time to think about things.” she pleaded, her hand grabbing onto Kaden’s arm in hopes he would calm.
She saw his nostrils flare at her touch; she figured because it was something she wouldn’t typically have done, and then tension soon started to leave his muscles.
“No training until we secure the grounds.” Emris demanded towards Kaden. “You are to stay with her at all times now, even at night until further notice.”
An odd sense of relief washed over her in surprise and she didn’t realize how safe he made her feel until this moment. If there was a spy in the castle, this would be the best time to strike when things got thrown into chaos.
“Of course.” Kaden nodded and turned to head back to her room.
“Alyra.” Declan said as she turned away from him. “You are not the same warrior you used to be, you need to be careful.”
She paused her steps and turned to him, his eyes glaring all the fury she could muster towards him.
“You have no idea.” She let her flame flicker in warning on her hand, his eyes widening slightly and she walked silently back to the room with Kaden following behind.
Once the door shut she threw her sword on the table and let out a frustrated growl. Kaden tossed his on the table as well and just leaned against it, crossing his arms and looking at her with a raised eyebrow.
“Well this will be different.” he grumbled.
“I’ll see if Raine can bring you a cot or something that is more comfortable than the couch.” she started towards the rope hanging by the door.
“No, it's fine.” He held his hand out to stop her. “No need to fuss over me.”
She just stared at him, her face forming into a questioning stare and then her eyes ventured all around his body.
Blood was splattered all over him, his fighting leathers just as dirty and disgusting as hers. He had taken out just as many as she did and she wondered if he even broke a sweat.
“Could you have taken them all down alone?” she asked casually as she kept her eyes on him,
“Of course.” he scoffed.
“Someone is sure of themselves.” she muttered back. “Did you even realize I killed one that was about to eat your backside?”
“Of course I did.”
She looked at him in disbelief but he didn’t falter his stone expression he was giving her. It was like talking to an actual wall sometimes and it was starting to get on her nerves.
“I’m going to bathe quickly and then the bathroom is all yours.” she grumbled and started towards the bathroom.
“I’ll send for my stuff,” he replied casually and she just rolled her eyes as she closed the bathroom door.
Now she would be stuck with him all day and night, no peace to herself after their grueling training session and now she had to worry about the Trenchers outside the castle.
She let the bathwater run but not fill the tub, the thought of sitting in the grime from the battle making her skin crawl and decided to try and wash it all off before sitting in the bath.
Thirty minutes later she was wrapping her towel around her now clean body and winced at the dirty rags she had to use to clean herself on the floor. If she used that many, there was no doubt Kaden would use more.
She walked out into the main area, the fire already warming the room and she saw Kaden sitting on the couch staring at it.
“I’m going to send for more rags before you bathe, I used all the ones we had,” she said quietly while holding her towel against herself to keep it up.
“I already did,” he mumbled back.
“Oh.”
He didn’t look up at her but she could see the exhaustion on his face, the weight of the day hitting him full force just like herself.
“I’m sorry you are stuck here with me,” she said casually.
“It’s my job.” He shrugged. “Nothing more.”
She took that as a hint to keep moving, his capacity for conversation clearly at its end and she walked behind the couch to her wardrobe.
It was only a few minutes later she heard the entrance open and Raine’s voice filled the room.
“Here are your towels sir.” she heard her say. “I also brought the food you requested.”
“Thank you Raine.” Kaden said. “Please make sure she eats it before she goes to sleep.”
He had Raine bring her food without her asking, a thoughtful gesture she wasn’t expecting.
She pulled her cotton shirt over her head just as the bathroom door shut and she rounded the corner to see Raine sitting at the table.
“I’m supposed to stay until you eat this.” Raine smiled and gestured to the steaming hot bowl of stew sitting across the table.
“Since when did you take orders from Kaden?” she teased
“Kaden has always been kind to me.” Raine chuckled. “Though I have heard he is a hard shell to crack.”
She chuckled back and walked to the table, taking the seat across from Raine. She could see the steam coming from the stew and her mouth watered in response. After everything that happened today, she realized she had not eaten since breakfast and a sudden wave of hunger washed over her.
“What about Kaden’s food?” she asked quietly.
“He took his food in with him.”
She eyed her curiously but started to eat the stew without complaint. It was tasty enough, but nothing like the stew she had at that tavern weeks ago. She really did look forward to going there today, even if she didn’t want to admit it to herself.
“I will get some bedding for the couch before he is done.” Raine cleared her throat and rose from the table, convinced the stew would be eaten quickly.
“Thank you,” she mumbled with a full mouth and watched the closest thing she had to a female friend disappear.
The empty bowl sat on the table while she laid in bed staring at the ceiling a while later.
It was odd to know Kaden was in the bath and wouldn’t be leaving her alone tonight. She had gotten used to the alone time she had at night over the last month, and now she would be with him all the time.
She mostly felt bad for him, having to be stuck with her outside of training and not be able to have his own time.
It wasn’t like when she had a relationship with Silas, who she thought wanted to be here with her all the time. Kaden had no interest in being around her other than his obligation to the king and he made it very obvious.
The main entrance door opened and she saw Raine walking into the room with a handful of blankets and a pillow. She was about to get up to help when the bathroom door opened and she heard Kaden walk into the room.
“You didn’t need to get me these.” His soft voice filled the room and she was intrigued by the unfamiliar tone.
“Nonsense.” Raine scoffed. “Sounds like you will be here a while and you might as well be comfortable.”
She didn’t hear another word from either of them before the main door opened and shut once again, signalling that Raine had left for the night.
Part of her wanted to go say thank you to him for having food brought to her, but she knew he was probably just as exhausted as she was.
Sounds of wood being put on the fire echoed through the silent room and then the glow from the fire was the only light left around them.
It didn’t take long before sleep took her as the sound of the fire crackling lulled her to sleep.
- - - - - - - -
“Alyra!”
Kaden’s voice screamed into her ear as she jerked awake in her sweat soaked sheets, her breathing labored and body convulsing.
His body was hovering over the bed, his maroon eyes full of terror with his hair falling over his brow. She looked around and saw it was still the middle of the night, the fire barely offering any light in the room.
The moonlight was the only reason she could see the expression on his face above her, and the worry fixed on it made her calm slightly with curiosity.
She could feel him watching her as she struggled to focus her mind on the real things around her, like the softness of her sheets or his arms pushing the bed down around her.
That familiarity from his presence washed over her and she closed her eyes and sucked in a deep breath.
“Sorry,” she whispered, her breathing finally starting to even out. “I should have warned you about my nightmares.”
She could see Kaden’s chest breathing a little heavier than normal under his cotton shirt and his arms were tense holding him up on the bed. He didn’t say anything but she watched as his eyes scanned over every part of her visible body as if looking for injuries.
“I’m ok.”
“You sounded like you were being torn apart,” he mumbled, his eyes finding hers again.
The maroon was darker than normal, only seen them that way a few times before in the few months she knew him. He was so close to her, it was hard not to see them with the moonlight reflecting off them.
“In my dream, I was.” she shrugged. “Memories of my captivity often turn into nightmares.”
“Do you have them every night?”
“Almost.” Her voice trailed off and she saw his eyes widen slightly. “Silas-” she cleared her throat. “He used to help calm me after them. I had them less frequently once we got here but started up again after he left.”
Kaden moved to sit on the bed by her feet, careful not to touch her, his body relaxing and for once he looked casual. There was no hint of the stone face or emotionless glare he would give her, just calmness.
“What did he do to help you?” He asked quietly.
“He uh-” she cleared her throat, a sting hitting her heart but she quickly pushed the hurt away. “He would hold me till I fell back asleep.”
She watched him tense slightly but she quickly shifted the blankets around her. “I will be fine, it will just be something we will have to deal with until I can figure out how to handle it on my own.”
“Have you thought about seeing a healer yet?”
“Are you actually showing some interest in my wellbeing?” she teased.
“That’s all I’ve ever cared about.” his voice low.
She felt her own body freeze as she met his eyes.
She knew he cared about her training, but to admit he cared about her in that way was shocking. He didn’t flinch or change his facial expression as she tried to process what he said, his eyes watching her curiously.
“Is that surprising?” he asked softly.
She looked away from him, the intensity of his eyes making her heart race faster than she would ever want to admit. She looked down at her hands as they fidgeted on her lap and took a deep breath before meeting his gaze again.
“I just assumed you were following orders. All we do is train and you haven’t been the friendliest towards me most of the time.” She kept her tone soft, but she could feel her anxiety rising from the tension building between them.
“I uh-” he cleared his own throat and rubbed the back of his neck with one hand. “I have a hard time letting people in.”
“No kidding.” She chuckled and for the first time since she had met him, he genuinely smiled at her.
Her face was paused in her own smile, his eyes soft which matched his smile that lasted only a few seconds.
“I’m not just some person.” she smirked.
“Not now,” he mumbled. “But when I met you, all I had heard was stories about you. For all I know, you could still be a spy for our enemy and faking your power loss.”
She glared at him, his face keeping a serious look but faded when she grabbed the pillow next to her and chucked it at him. He let out a chuckle and tossed it back at her.
“You are such a prick!” She giggled and kicked her feet towards him.
“Can’t be perfect.” he muttered back and rose to his feet. “I’m going to try and get a little more sleep, you should too.”
She just nodded and watched him walk back around the corner to the couch that was his current bed. An odd calm washed over her, almost like when Silas would hold her after such a nightmare but this was different. Just knowing Kaden was there seemed to cause the same effect.
She shook her head, the yearning for Silas itching at her skin even though she knew she didn’t want to feel it and laid back down on her pillow.
The silence was welcoming, and she fell asleep with the image of Kaden’s first smile lulling her into sleep.