Part 15 (2/2)

”I have, my queen,” I muttered.

”Excellent. I believe I'll give you the day. Tomorrow is the wedding, the perfect time for you to rest and mend uninterrupted. The eve after that, I'll dine with you. Myself and Finnie, and, of course, The Drakkar.”

I wanted to dine with the queen, her other-world daughter and her son-in-law, a cousin who hated me, like I wanted someone to stick knitting needles in my eyes.

But did one refuse a queen?

No.

One did not.

”It would be my most fervent wish, your grace,” I replied, my voice betraying it was what it was, absolutely the opposite.

”And Noc as well, I'm sure,” Queen Aurora went on.

I ground my teeth and glanced to Noc.

He was again grinning.

”I'll be there,” he a.s.sured.

”Lovely, I'll check in on you later. Rest, Franka,” the queen ordered.

”As you wish, my queen.” I had no choice but to agree.

With a short nod, she turned, and with no further ado, swept out of the room.

I frowned at the door.

Noc pushed away from the wall and moved to fill the s.p.a.ce the queen had been occupying by my bed.

”I'm thinkin' that's that,” he noted, his lips still curled up.

”As I've been ordered to rest by our sovereign, perhaps you'll leave me so I can do just that,” I suggested tetchily.

He shrugged. ”Sure.”

”My grat.i.tude,” I bit out.

”Be back to have lunch with you, though.”

Really.

I might have lived a life of malice and intrigue, but surely all I'd done hadn't earned me this.

”I can't wait,” I gritted.

”Bet you can't,” he murmured, his voice shaking with mirth.

I lifted my brows. ”You were leaving?”

”Right,” he replied, but did not move.

”The sooner you do that, the sooner I can rest and mend,” I prompted.

”f.u.c.k, don't know if you're more cute than you are funny or the other way around.”

”Just so you're aware, I take neither as a compliment,” I shared.

He burst out laughing, the sound filling the room and warming it better than the biggest, most blazing fire could achieve.

I decided my best course of action from that point was silence.

When his hilarity calmed, he decreed, ”Right now, funnier than you are cute. But just barely.”

I simply stared up at him blankly.

His expression changed to serious. ”You're in pain, you say. Josette or someone will be close. We'll get you more of that tea.”

I remained silent.

”Doc's comin' later,” he told me.

I tipped my head the best I could as it was resting on my arms.

”You good, sweetheart?” he asked gently.

I was not.

”Fine,” I bit out.

That got another curl of his lips.

”Right then, Frannie. See you later.”

Stop calling me that appalling name! my mind screamed.

My mouth said nothing.

I should have said something. I should have even screamed my thoughts at him.

But since I didn't, he was open to s.h.i.+ft closer and bend so near he was able to brush his lips at my temple at the same time he swept the hair from my neck.

”Rest good,” he whispered in my ear.

I fought new warmth in my belly, tilted my eyes to catch his as he moved away and attempted yet again to scorch him with a glare.

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