9

Mare stared up at the ceiling thoughtlessly.

Whatever balm Hegi used was effective indeed. She could barely feel a thing in her loins. When she drew her legs close to peer at the damage done her brows furrowed at the injuries that marred the top and bottom of her thighs. The inner part of her thighs had purple bruises and stitches. Sighing she drew her legs down and covered herself with the bed covers, laying there for a few moments more until the early dawn aged into a clear, sunny day.

As the rays of sun seeped through the curtains, she instinctively followed said rays with her gaze until she was looking at the doors of her chamber. It was open a crack.

“Someone stood there last night,” she muttered to herself.

She hadn’t expected anyone to be in the room with her but when a voice suddenly said, “Who?” she nearly jumped out of her skin.

Hegi came round the side of her bed as she lifted herself on her elbow to frown at him. She had thought he left her the night before. Was he the one