Chapter 26 Tiny Beast #2
I consider my next words. “I think I summoned him…” I say.
“You did what? When? I did not see…”
“Yeah, well, I uh… I am apparently coming into some skillsets while… otherwise occupied. He says I summoned him, and I believe him. He says he is here to teach me.”
He gives me a questioning look. “What can that thing teach you?”
“If the beast keeps referring to me as ‘it’ and ‘thing’ I will pee on his face while he sleeps.”
I snort a laugh.
“What?”
I pause. “He requests you stop referring to him as an ‘it’ and if it was me I would, uh, probably stop referring to him as such.”
The prince looks annoyed. “And why is that?”
“You would rather not know, I am sure.”
The prince gives me an assessing look. “Fine. What should I call the th—” He clears his throat. “…him then?”
The little creature looks down at me from the top of my head, giving me an upside-down view of his petite face. “You can call me Baldar.”
“Baldar?” I say aloud so both the prince and the furry guy can hear.
The ferret nods his head. I look at the prince “Baldar.” I giggle.
The little creature is still hanging upside down in my hair.
“Well, you sure have good bal-ance, Bal-dar,” I laugh again at my pun.
Glancing at the prince I notice he is unamused.
His body is tense, and he is glowering at my hair.
I clear my throat and address Baldar again.
“But I am still confused. What are you here to teach me about?”
“Well, is it not obvious? About your powers, princess. Among other things. I am sure you have noticed you have been coming into some new skillsets, no?”
My heart stills in my chest.
“Um, maybe? But I... I, uh, have not run across anything like you...” The prince catches my gaze and quirks an eyebrow at me.
“Well of course not!” The little furry demoni hops from my head and skitters to the ground.
I try not to flinch again at the sting of his claws.
“I have also been tasked with protecting you from the half-dead. So, you wouldn’t have had to see anything like me as of yet.
” He puts tiny fists on his tiny hips, his stance meant to be one of intimidation, but seeing as he was just a small thing it looked more cute than scary.
“I have been serving from Unduli originally- hence the grand entrance- keeping them from sending anyone to activate your powers early BUT now it looks like you have gone and unlocked them yourself.” Tiny, furry, claw-tipped fingers waggle in my direction.
“So, I can finally come meet you!” A happy squeak escapes Baldar.
“Unlocked? How did I—” I start to question, but then my cheeks flame with embarrassment.
“Looks like you got it!” A sound I know is a laugh squeaks from Baldar. “Although I do question your choices on marking that one.”
I shoot Baldar a questioning look, choosing not to voice what he said aloud.
“Ah, a lot to learn indeed.” Is the demoni ferret’s only answer before he skitters back up my body.
I will need to figure out how to file his nails. I think to myself cringing again at the sharp sting of them as he races across my shoulders. Baldar huffs in what I can only assume to be a response to my thought.
“I have traveled a long way, goodnight Alaceandra.” He curls up on one of my shoulders and before I can think to ask him another question, soft snoring sounds from the place he is laying.
“He, um… looks to be asleep,” I say to the prince.
“What did he say to you?” The prince advances on me, his voice filled with anger and authority.
I take a step back. "Only that he was here to teach me.” Baldar does not stir.
“Teach. You. What?” The prince looked on edge, his gaze tearing me apart with its scrutiny.
I hesitate. “He did not tell me anything else! He said he was here to teach me and to protect me- that is it.”
“From what?”
“Something about half dead things, nothing specific, now can you back off?” I place a hand against his chest and try and gain distance. His hand captures mine and he takes a breath, before his shoulders sag.
“You are not telling the whole truth.” I try to pull away, but his grip tightens. “I will excuse it for now, Alaceandra, but you will tell me. I promise it.” He releases me. “We must sleep. Leave the rodent on the chair.”
I huff. “He is not a rodent.” I make my way over to the chair intent to sleep there as well.
Shame and embarrassment have started to cover the memory of our earlier activities, and I was not sure if I would be able to be in such close proximity to him after my slip up.
I close my eyes and try to adjust to the feeling of the springs of the chair digging into my hip.
This is not comfortable... but I guess better than rock. I close my eyes.
I feel his eyes on me. “What are you doing?” He sounds a little amused.
I peek up at him. “Trying to sleep.”
He sighs before he walks over to me and takes Baldar, gently this time, from my shoulder and places him on the arm of the chair. My eyes shoot open.
“What are you-” before I can finish my sentence, he hoists me from the chair and carries me to the bedroom. I flail around before being dropped unceremoniously on the bed.
“Sleep here.”
“I am not going to share a bed with you.”
He rolls his eyes. “What are you on about now?” He raises his brow.
My cheeks heat with embarrassment and anger.
“Alaceandra,” he says firmly. “I am tired. You are tired. We need rest. I am sure there is a lot of bullshit ahead of us and I will not be responsible for your death on account of your stubbornness.”
I grit my teeth. “Why does that mean we must share a bed? I would be perfectly fine sleeping in the other room or even on the floor.”
“That is ridiculous.”
“Why is that?”
“Why would I allow you to sleep in discomfort when there is a perfectly good bed in this room?”
“Well, why would you not—”
“What is going on here? Because before that—”
I give him a look.
“Baldar,” he growls out. “Appeared you were perfectly content to—”
“That was a mistake.” Who knows what would happen if we were to continue… and what about Sorin? Sam? I know he said he would be content with sharing, but a man like him? There is no way he shares anything.
The room stills and he stares me down. “Tell yourself that all you want, little dove.” His eyes are filled with danger.
“But I will tell you one thing, lying does not suit you nor does it serve you well with me. Run to your guards in the morning, but while we are in this room, you are mine to take care of and as such you will be sleeping here where I can keep an eye on you and away from whatever creation appeared to you outside this room.”
I swallow back a retort, my nose wrinkling at his tone. The prince holds my gaze steadily.
“Fine,” I grumble, my shoulders slumping.
“Good. Now, there is a nightdress in the bathroom. I am sure you would like to change.”
I nod. Sliding off the bed off, I walk into the bathroom.
There is a simple black nightdress in the bathroom with a ruby trim.
I quickly relieve myself and shower, luxuriating in the warm water.
Taking a couple minutes to clean my teeth and inspect my appearance in the mirror, I pause, tracing a finger over the bags under my eyes. I do look tired. I am tired.
Sighing to myself, I don the new nightdress and make my way back into the bedroom.
The prince has already changed into some loose pants.
No shirt though. My eyes track over the dark lines of ink on his back, an image resembling an elvisera mid-flight adorning him along with some writing underneath.
He turns towards me ending my appraisal of his body.
I avert my gaze. The temperature of the room seems to have plummeted as night has fallen.
Quickly slipping into bed, being sure to face away from him, I try to snuggle underneath the covers for warmth.
A couple moments later he slips in behind me.
The bed is just big enough we do not quite touch when we are both laying on it, but I can still feel the heat of his body radiating to me in the small space between us.
I let out a breath and try to relax. Examining the walls through bleary eyes, I try to distract myself from both the cold of the room and the heat of his body.
No plants. I note to myself. Maybe that means no spy ware?
I blink heavily as I feel myself being pulled toward sleep, but a shiver jerks me awake.
My thoughts resume. We are underground though, who knows what other devices these people might have down here.
Or what other things might lurk in the shadows.
I shiver for a different reason, pulling the blankets closer around me, as if they could protect me from the imaginary creatures lurking around the room.
My hooded eyes gaze distrustfully at the dirt floor.
Hopefully there are no spiders, though. My shivers continue, causing sleep to elude me.
I let out a soft noise of frustration and curl into myself. A warm hand touches my shoulder.
“Are you cold, Little Dove?” The prince traces his palm over my arm gently. Goosebumps race over my flesh and I jump a little at the contact. I had not even realized he was facing me.
“Nn-no,” I say, another shiver trapped in my voice.
I clench my teeth. A sigh is my only warning before I am yanked back into a warm embrace.
I yelp. The prince tucks my toes between his legs in an effort to warm them.
.. or restrain me? I am not quite sure which.
I try to fight him albeit weakly. My weary body enjoying the warmth of him much too much for my sleepy brain to want to fight against it.
“Stop. Your body is freezing, and your wiggling is tortuous to my self-control.” He angles his hips and the erection that is currently evidence of his supposed torture away from me. “Now, sleep,” he commands, smoothing a palm over my hair. And I do.