I scoffed at that. “Because they know that you’ll eat them if they don’t.”
“Perhaps,” Jaik said.
“And where are the golden twins? I feel like I should thank them. I know they’ll do whatever you order, but it was still touching to see them tear open the roof for me.”
Jaik fixed me with the look as if he knew I had something up my sleeve. I found it amusing that the two men that had made my life so miserable over the course of the past month had come when I needed them most.
“You need to focus on rest,” he said, releasing my wrists. “And keep your hands to yourself until you’re more than a mass of bruises and welts.”
“A mass of bruises and welts and lust,” I corrected.
“How is that poss—” He broke off, shaking his head. “You are always something else, Honor. Come eat breakfast. Right now you look as if you might break into a thousand pieces if you orgasm.”
I sighed dreamily. “Only if it’s a really good one.”
He sighed—not dreamily—then straightened, offering me his hand.
I took his hand and he helped me stand, watching me with a wary protectiveness, as if he was prepared to fight any danger… but I was the biggest danger to myself.
I winced. I couldn’t help it, everything hurt. His eyes blazed, but he said nothing, just helped me down the hall.
“So what is this northern retreat, anyway?” I asked.
He hesitated. “We have a series of…”
“Hideouts?” I supplied helpfully.
“That makes them sound ridiculous.”
“Nests?”
He side-eyed me. “I should have dropped you off at Calla’s room. Let her deal with you.”
“You would never.”
Every room seemed to have a view of the mountains and an icy blue lake. Even in the long hallway, windows at either end provided soft morning light, illuminating the whitewashed wood walls, the gray floorboards, and a long blue runner that my feet sank into. I could have sworn even my feet hurt. “Who else is here? Is it just us?”
“And a few servants.” He frowned. “Though I may dispatch them.”
“We all know they don’t count,” I teased. But as Lucien, I’d seen how the guys were with servants—they were kinder and politer than other shifters.
Jaik turned toward me. “I want you to know you’re safe here, Honor.”
That word of caution sent unease squirming through my belly. Jaik thought there was a risk I wasn’t safe, even with Henrick and Alis gone. Did he think his father would come for me now? “I didn’t doubt that. Not when I’m with you.”
His eyes lit with warmth. “Good.”
The two of us descended sweeping wooden stairs to the entrance hall, which felt too cold, then went down the hall to a small dining room with blue walls and a blazing fire.
Talisyn leapt to his feet when he saw me. “You’re awake.”
Emotion flooded me when I saw him. The last time I’d seen him, he’d been protecting me—and Alis, and the truth she represented.
I held out my arms and he reached me in a few quick strides.
“Careful,” Jaik warned and Tal nodded. His hands carefully found my waist, but I was already pressing forward against him, pressing my lips to his. He kissed me slowly, warmly. I was smiling when he pulled away.
Then I turned to take in the other faces in the room. Hanna pulled a face, quite dramatically. Lynx was watching me with a look I couldn’t quite read, and Branok was ignoring me as he ate as aggressively as anyone can spoon oatmeal into their mouths. Jaik had said Arren was fetching the healer.
Someone was missing, the man who had held me in Henrick’s dungeon, and the absence throbbed like a knocked-out tooth. Was he hurt?
I spun to face Jaik. “Where’s Caldren?”
Chapter
Five
Honor
As Jaik stared back at me I could have sworn he was torn between his usual arrogance and an unexpected sense of shame.
“I left him behind.” Jaik spoke with his usual regal authority, and I wondered if I’d ever glimpsed shame or if I’d just hoped he had some connection still to his brother. “He’s fine. He just doesn’t belong here.”
“Caldren tried to save me,” I said. “How dare you say that he doesn’t belong with us. When I asked who was at the northern retreat, you said we were all here.”
“Cal isn’t one of us. He’s not a dragon.” Jaik must’ve predicted my budding protest, because he added hastily, “And he’s not you.”
“You are so arrogant. Dragons aren’t the only ones that matter.”
“Of course I know that,” he said. “You’re not a dragon, and you matter to me. But you don’t understand what happened between Caldren and me, and you don’t know who he really is.”
So much to process in those sentences. The lie between us—that I wasn’t a dragon—was beginning to feel thick and greasy, especially when he said things like you matter to me. But I shook it off long enough to scold him.
“Then help me understand, Jaik.”
“I will, in time. Do we have to fight right now though, when you can barely stand? Do you think you could take a pause on yelling at me until I’m not afraid you’re going to hurt yourself?”
“I’m sure the two of you are barely getting started,” Arren said helpfully from the doorway. My heart leapt when I saw his broad shoulders and dark hair, although his attention was fixed on Jaik. There was a trouble-making glint in Arren’s eyes. “Tell her about how we have to head back to the academy in a few days, and how you’re going to leave Honor behind.”
I turned to Jaik, and he said, “Please sit down and eat a bowl of oatmeal at least, before I have to deal with any more unreasonable behavior from any of you.”
He gave Arren a pointed look.
“Some greeting.” Arren sauntered into the room. A tall, slender man in robes followed behind him. He must be the healer.
“Clear out,” Jaik ordered. “The healer needs to get a good look at her.”
“I’m fine,” I said, “it can wait until after breakfast.”
Jaik fixed me with a look that said there wasn’t a chance in hell that it was waiting until after breakfast. A rebellious, playful instinct rose whenever he directed those stern looks my way.
“We can do it right here.” I smiled at the physician, who just looked weary. “Can’t we?”
“Whatever you wish.” The healer sounded slightly defeated, and I had to wonder just how much Arren had, in fact, terrorized him.
Feeling awkward, I moved to the edge of my chair. I chewed on my lower lip, and Jaik rose from his seat abruptly, as if my discomfort triggered a protective impulse.
The healer stopped, looking slightly terrified, and I raised my eyebrows at Arren.
“I’ll have to touch you,” he said, glancing at Arren, who made an impatient gesture, telling him to get on with it.