Page 56 of Stormhold

Mikhail knew how to handle my father, and I trusted him to keep my family safe while I took a brief step back from the responsibility.

I headed straight into my living room bar, wanting something stiff to wash away this wretched day and a possible shower or two. I settled Bella on the couch and walked over to the minibar.

“Do you want me to go home, Arkane?” Bella finally spoke in a tired voice.

I shook my head, pouring myself a generous serving of bourbon before I downed it and poured myself another one. “I have plenty of rooms, so you can rest here.” I didn’t know what came over me as I said that. I’d never offered to let anyone stay in my home before. Not even my family, not that it stopped them, but this was different. She was an outsider, but why did it never feel that way?

“Thank you,” she whispered, asking me for a bottle of water. I gave her one, which she used to take her pills. Fuck, she must be in pain.

“Come on, I’ll show you to your room. You look exhausted.”

She agreed, and I downed the rest of my drink, relishing the burn in my throat. This time, instead of letting her walk, I lifted her into my arms. She didn’t even protest, and I didn’t even think it was strange.

“Are you going to be alright?” She tilted her head in question as she watched me, a glaze of concern in her eyes.

“Feels like another day in my life,” I muttered, stepping out.

“You and I both know it’s nowhere near another day, Arkane.”

“Possibly,” I muttered, turning toward the end of the hallway and heading down the stairs. “Are you okay?” I had plenty of other questions to ask her, but I’ll save them for another time.

“Yes, my feet hurt a bit.” She pouted, sighing.

“What?”

“It’s going to leave a scar,” she mumbled. “I don’t like scars.”

I raised a brow. “Not the conversation to be having with me,” I said dryly.

Her eyes widened as she realized what she’d said. “Sorry, that was insensitive of me. I just don’t like them on my skin. It’s too pale to handle anything.”

“You don’t have to apologize for that.” I smiled. “They don’t bother me.” And they really didn’t. Skin was simply skin to me.

She eyed my scar intensely. “How did you get it?”

“The story of two boys who lived in the same house,” I muttered.

“What?” She frowned, utterly confused.

“One boy was caged. He was only around sixteen, but his master had him chained in the tower. He didn’t know when he last ate or had a drink, but he was starving. In the past, he would have dreams of finally tasting something sweet, only to wake up with his stomach growling and the nightmare repeating all over again. But he got used to it the older he got. One day, another boy found him. He was around his age. Curious but also fearless. He threw an apple to the boy, vowing to get him out of there. And he did. But the master soon found out, and as a punishment, one was scarred, and the other made a promise for life.”

Bella’s eyes held so many questions. I knew her curious nature wouldn’t settle without answers, but she read the look in my eyes that said I wasn’t sharing anything more.

So she simply nodded, her eyes falling back to my scar. “I can’t imagine you without it. It only makes you ten times more attractive,” she mumbled, lost in thought.

I grinned. “Is that so?”

A flush swept past her cheeks like she couldn’t believe she said that. “Sorry, that was inappropriate of me.”

I chuckled. “You sure you’re okay? You’re apologizing a lot tonight.”

“I guess I’m tired,” she muttered.

I set her down on her feet just outside the door. “I hope this is okay for you,” I said, opening the door. For whatever reason, I picked the room right next to mine even though I had an entire section of guest rooms on the other side of the wing that my brothers sometimes used.

She limped inside and twisted back to look at me. “It’s more than okay for me, Arkane. Thank you,” she whispered with a small smile.

I nodded, matching her smile as I softly closed the door behind her.