I feel ashamed all of a sudden. I must look a fright. I remember my torn and bloodied clothes and cut my eyes downwards, but I discover I am dressed in a white, cotton nightgown. I smile fondly, for the first time ever, at such a garment and smooth it down. “Do I look okay?” I ask timidly.
“You are beautiful,” he says vehemently, but stands up to rummage through one of my dresser drawers. He pulls out a plain black scarf and approaches me with caution. I watch him with wide eyes as he wraps it around my head.
“Noooo,” I wail, pushing his hand away and feeling the immense bald spot on the side of my head where they had burned my hair away.
“It’ll grow back,” he says gently, pushing back so that he can finish his job.
“I’m so UGLY!” I cry out, dropping my face into my hands.
“Never!” he says, pulling my hands away. “You have been through a lot, Aefre. You are fully healed now, but your hair will take longer, you know this.”
I nod wearily. “How long since you found me?”
“Two days,” he says. “You needed your rest.”
“Bath and blood,” I say instantly. “After I’ve seen our daughter.”
CK snaps the fingers on both of his hands and Devon and Frederick get up to see to my requests. I had almost forgotten they were there, they had both been so quiet.
There is a quiet knock on the door and Marguerite sticks her head around as CK calls out, “Enter.”
“Arathia wants to see her mama,” she says with a tentative smile at me.
“Yes, gimme,” I say holding out my arms for her. Thia Astrals into my arms, surprising Marguerite, who puts a hand over her heart.
“I still get startled,” she says with a smile.
CK smiles at her, and it is her dismissal. She disappears as suddenly as she arrived, but I don’t notice as all I can do is stare at my precious little girl who saved me.
“So clever,” I murmur at her, tickling her tummy.
She purrs and coos and kicks and grabs at my fingers with her gloved hands, snuggling further into me, showing me her delight at being back in my arms. Nothing in the world feels better in that moment.
“I love you so much,” I tell her, and I am rewarded with a big smile and then droopy eyes. She falls asleep almost instantly. I forget how little she still is. Her power is so great, it’s frightening.
I smile shyly at CK. “I want her to sleep in here with us,” I say.
He nods straight away. “I will have her things brought in. But, Aefre, I must go. Soon.”
“No,” I say, scared. “You can’t leave me.”
“You are safe here. In this castle. You can roam about freely,” he presses, giving me a penetrating look that tells me he knows exactly what I am thinking: that no way am I leaving this room after what happened.
“Just don’t go beyond the wall,” he adds completely unnecessarily. “Not for anything or anyone.”
I lower my eyes back to Thia, ignoring him. I don’t want him to make me promise that I will leave this room. I can’t even fathom that yet.
He takes Thia from me and tuts. “Where is Frederick with that blood?” he mutters under his breath, just as Devon announces that my bath is ready.
I start to get up shakily but get pushed back down as Frederick arrives with an unconscious man.
“Bad, bad man,” he says with a grin. “Feel free to finish him off for society’s sake.”
It makes me chuckle despite the grim consequences. I can’t stop my fangs from descending, dragging the man from Frederick’s grasp so that I can feed. I hit the limit and feel my hunger abate, but I keep going. I drain every ounce of blood from him before I hand him back over.
“Thanks,” I mutter, wiping my mouth.
“Very good, mi’ lady,” he says, taking him from me by the scruff of his neck and Teleporting back out.