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He didn’t care Not when the di facedown on the end of his cot, the lower half of her body still on the wooden chair where Fenrys had been Her ar for his hand, mere inches from hers

Elide

Her dark hair spilled across the blanket, across his shins, veilingache in his body, Lorcan stretched his arers

They were cold, their tips soaway as she sucked in a sharp, awakening breath

Lorcan savored every feature as she grimaced at a crick in her neck But her eyes settled on hi at her, awake and utterly in awe of the woh hell to find him …

Tired She looked spent, yet her chin reiven her everything on the back of that horse anyway

But Elide asked, "How do you feel?"

Aching Exhausted Yet finding her sitting at his bedside … "Alive," he said, and meant it

Her face remained unreadable, even as her eyes dipped to his body The blanket had slid down enough to reveal h it still hid the scarred-over wound in his abdomen Yet he’d never felt so keenly naked

It was an effort to keep his breathing steady beneath her sharp-eyed gaze "Yrene said you would have died, if they hadn’t gotten to you when they did"

"I would have died," he said, voice like gravel, "if you hadn’t braved hell to find aze lifted to his "I made you a pro across her pale cheeks? But she didn’t balk "You said sos, too"

Lorcan tried to sit up, but his body gave a burst of pain in protest

Elide explained, "Yrene warned that though the wounds are healed, soritted his teeth around the sharp stab in his back, his storess enough "It’s been a while since I was so gravely injured I’d forgotten what an inconvenience it is"

A faint sed on her iven him in months and months Since that day on the ship, when he’d touched her hand as they’d swayed in their haered "Did you mean it? What you said"

He held her stare Let so down Only for her For this sharp-eyed, cunning little liar who had slipped through every defense and ironclad rule he’d ever made for himself He let her see that in his face Let her see all of it, as no one had ever done before "Yes"

Her htened, but not in displeasure

So Lorcan said softly, "I meant every word" His heart thundered, so wildly it was a wonder she couldn’t hear it "And I will until the day I fade into the Afterworld"

Lorcan didn’t breathe as Elide gently reached out her hand And interlaced their fingers "I love you," she whispered

He was glad he was lying down The words would have knocked him to his knees Even now, he was half inclined to bow before her, the true owner of his ancient, wicked heart

"I have loved you," she went on, "froainst Vernon and the ilken" The light in her eyes stole his breath "And when I heard you were so I wanted was to be able to tell you that It was the only thing that ht have scoffed Declared that far bigger thingshis … He’d never known anything more precious

Lorcan ran his thumb over the back of her hand "I am sorry, Elide For all of it"

"I know," she said softly, and no regret or hurt di cal into, and had already become, and ould rule Perranth isdom in one hand and compassion in the other

They stared at each other for led their hands and rose "I should return to help Yrene"

Lorcan caught her hand again "Stay"

She arched a dark brow "I’ to the Great Hall"

Lorcan caressed his thumb over the back of her hand once ht she’d say no, and was prepared to be fine with it, to accept these last few ift than he’d deserved

But then Elide sat on the edge of his cot, right beside his shoulder, and ran a hand through his hair Lorcan closed his eyes, leaning into the touch, unable to stop the deep purr that rolled through his chest