“Donovan,” I said softly.
He jerked awake. Daggers flashed in his hand.
“It’s okay,” I whispered. “It’s just me.”
“Chosen.” He blinked, and his eyes flared wide for a second when he saw me. The daggers disappeared. I didn’t miss the quick clench of his fists and the rough swallow, before his eyes hardened and he turned back to the window. “I was just resting my eyes. I will continue to keep watch.”
“You know….” I tiptoed closer. “You’re going to be no good to anyone tomorrow if you’re tired.”
He didn’t turn. “I have gone weeks without sleep before,” he growled. “My brother is out there somewhere, and I know he will be coming for you.”
“Donovan.”
His expression softened. “Lay down, Chosen. Rest.” He turned back to the window. “For now, let me keep watch.”
“Okay.” I lifted the sheets and slid in between them.
It took me a long time to fall asleep.
Chapter
Thirteen
Warm arms caressed me. Warm hands sliding over my bare skin, so soft, so gentle. The night had gotten cold—not cold enough to wake me completely, but enough to make me uncomfortable—so I sank into the heat gratefully.
It felt like a dream, like floating through clouds. The arms pulled me in, nestling me against a hot body, naked, firm but yielding, an embrace made up of strength and softness. Still drifting on the edge of sleep, I savored the sensation of bare skin on skin. It felt so good I let out a little moan.
“Mmm.” Another moan echoed mine. “Oh, I needed this.” Her arms squeezed me again as she nuzzled into my neck.
I bolted upright. “Cress?”
Her arms squeezed. “Go with it, Chosen.”
I wriggled desperately, and her grip tightened. “What the hell are you doing?”
“Relax,” she whispered. “This is nice, isn’t it? We’re not doing anything wrong. Just two girls, in a strange place, in a strange time, finding comfort in each other’s arms.”
“Cress!” My words came out in a strangled yelp. “We need to have a serious conversation about consent!”
The door boomed like thunder. “You are meant to be guarding her!” Donovan roared. “You promised me, Cress!”
She lifted her head from the pillow. “Fuck off, Donovan!”
He banged on the door again. “I swear I am going to have you drawn and quartered when we get back to the castle!”
She sighed. “Fine.” She threw the covers back, launched herself up, and marched to the door, stark naked, and flung it open. “Why do you ruin everything?”
“I was gone for five minutes!” Donovan stormed into the room, still in his gray sweats and loose shirt, muscles bulging with fury. “You promised you would not touch her!”
“I’m not Connor. I’m not going to betray you,” she screamed back. “I promised you I would guard her, and that’s what I’m doing!”
“You put your hands on her!”
“Barely.” She tossed back her raven hair. “It was just a hug. And you can hardly blame me. Look at her. I have needs, Donovan. Unlike you,” she sniffed. “While you’re looming over her like a ghoul, doing your duty, I’m burning with frustration over here.”
“You think I am not burning with frustration?” He clenched his fists; the veins in his neck bulging.
“I think you don’t know the meaning of the word,” she hissed. “The only words you know are duty, responsibility, self-sacrifice. You are so intent on punishing yourself, you are not going to let yourself feel any sort of happiness, are you? You are, as they say here in this realm, a fucking downer, Donovan.” Her bright-green eyes sparked dangerously. “You know I love you, but the prophecy could go another way. You haven’t thought about that yet, have you?”
Donovan’s rage exploded, and a pulse of energy punched through the room. I’d never seen anyone this angry, and it shocked me to the core. He let out a roar and charged. Cress swung at him as he barrelled towards her, landing a vicious punch to the chin just before he tackled her. They rolled on the floor, wrestling like alligators—grunting, cursing, throwing punches.
I finally unfroze and scrambled out of bed. “Stop it, you two!”
Cress swore and elbowed Donovan in the face. “You’re a miserable bastard, and you need to snap out of it.”
“You. Are. Not. Helping!” He punched her in the kidneys with each word. She didn’t even flinch.
I watched them helplessly. “I swear that if you two don’t stop it right now—”
“No!” Cecil stood at the open door with a bucket of popcorn in his hand. “Don’t stop them yet, Chosen. This is too good.” His eyes widened, and he jammed a hoof-ful of popcorn into his mouth. “Whoever draws first blood wins. I’ve got five bucks on Cress. Any takers?”
Eryk and Nate loomed in the hallway, blank-faced. “No bet,” Eryk shook his head. “We all know how this ends.”
“Domestic violence is no joke!” I snapped. “Stop it, you two. You’re scaring the kids!”
Donovan had gotten Cress in a headlock. Cress sank her teeth into his biceps, and he let out a grunt of pain.
“Oh, for heaven’s sake!” I swiped a bottle of mineral water off the drink trolley and stomped over to where they wrestled on the floor, unscrewed the lid, and dumped the entire bottle on them. “Both of you! Stop it right now!”
