She would not lie. Leah didn’t think there was anything wrong with confessing that she liked him, and though young Ishakan seemed a little clumsier than the one she knew, she was sure he would have caught her if he lied.

She was satisfied with her answer, but Ishakan’s eyes narrowed.

“Does that mean you want me to be your s3x slave?” he asked.

Leah’s face burned. She hadn’t even considered that, but she could see why he might think so.

“No, of course not,” she said, lifting her hands. She didn’t know how to explain it, but she didn’t want him to leave, at least until his wounds had healed a little. She just wanted to help him.

“Why don’t you use me?” Ishakan persisted, and Leah’s lips pursed at the question.

Ishakan fiddled with the apple in his hand.

“I knew you took me because you liked me. Don’t worry, I’m not inexperienced. I learned how to give a lady night service.”

“No, I said no,” Leah said hastily. “It’s not that I don’t like you, but I don’t want to do that.”

The boy laughed, as innocent as if he had never heard of night service.

“I see.”

Leah felt annoyed. Would he have slept with anyone who saved him? She frowned, unable to hide her unhappiness at the thought, and Ishakan squeezed her hand. His other hand easily tore the apple in half.

He offered half to Leah, licking his juice-covered fingers when she accepted.

“I’m glad you like me,” he said, and something in his soft voice sent a thrill through her, and made her think of strange things.

Leah turned her attention to her apple, biting into it. It was delicious. And though she never noticed, Ishakan smiled as he watched her eat.

As they were eating together, there was a sudden noise from elsewhere in the palace, and footsteps approached from outside the door. Leah hastily pushed Ishakan under the bed.

“Hide here for a little bit,” she said, and the door burst open.

“Leah!”

Someone had come barging into her room in the middle of the night. Immediately, Leah’s eyes went to his hair, and was relieved to see it was still silver.

“You…damn it…” Blain’s face was twisted with fury as he stalked toward her. “Where were you? You weren’t here earlier.”

Thump thump thump

Leah’s heart was pounding, and she swallowed hard. She hadn’t given Blain another thought since he had vanished from her life, and she had forgotten what it was like to face him. But looking into his eyes, she remembered what had happened. The moment when she had driven a dagger into his heart flashed vividly in her memory.

She had killed him herself. Even though she knew it was only a dream, it was terrifying to see him before her again, alive. Her body instinctively froze.

“I thought you ran away…” Blain looked her up and down, and Leah flinched involuntarily.

“Are you afraid?”

He stepped closer as Leah retreated, and his hand gripped her face, squeezing.

“You’re trying to run away from me? You don’t respect me?”

Leah would have liked to say no but her mouth wouldn’t work. She found herself holding her breath as Blain reached for her hair. 

“Ah!”

Ishakan’s arm had suddenly appeared around Blain’s neck, and Leah’s eyes widened.