Chapter 11: Rain

"Elias."

He did not answer.

He stood at the window with my pillow against his face, and the muscles of his back had gone hard as wood.

"Elias, what is it?"

He lowered the pillow slowly.

His eyes were solid gold, with no dark in them at all.

"Stay here," he said. His voice was rough, as if he had been running.

"What did you smell?"

"I'm not sure yet."

"That's not an answer."

"It's the only honest one I have." He set the pillow on the chair like it might break.

"I need to check something. Give me an hour. Please don't leave the Keep."

"You can't just walk out."

"I know."

"Elias."

He came back across the room in three strides, put his hand under my jaw, and kissed me, hard and brief.

Then he was gone, and I heard him taking the stairs two at a time.

I sat in the bed with the sheet in both fists.

Junie knocked, and came in with a tray of tea.

It was real tea this time, orange pekoe, with a plate of dry toast.

She set it on my knees and looked at my face.

"Max," she said. "Did you have a fever dream where you married the King?"

"I'm married to the King."

"That's what I mean." She sat on the end of the bed. "Are you okay?"

"I don't know." I took a piece of toast I couldn't taste.

"Something's wrong with him. He smelled my pillow and went..."

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