Rachael POV
It had been four days since Eryx and I had been holed up in the cabin, and I was almost afraid of how quickly he was recovering. He moved differently now, lighter and surer. I watched him the day before, tracking and then taking down an antelope with ease. The pride and admiration I felt made my chest ache in a way I didn’t expect.
I lay on his chest now, feeling the rise and fall of his breathing, the warmth radiating through him. My fingers traced the faint scars along his shoulder, reminders of battles fought and pain endured. I couldn’t help but wonder at the depth of his resilience, the kind that made him so terrifyingly powerful yet heartbreakingly human at the same time.
“Why did you challenge your father for the throne?” I asked softly, my voice almost drowned out by
