39: Ada's POV

The sheets were tangled around my bare legs in the morning. I’d awoken when the door to the room had opened and found myself in an otherwise empty bed with Gwen starting toward me. She had a tray of food in her hands. I was completely naked, but considering how many other times Gwyn had seen me naked and even bathed me, I decided being shy was not an option. 

I tossed my legs over the side of the bed and stood, stretching out with my arms over my head. Gwyn’s face blanched. A clank resounded through the room as her hands went limp and the tray of food skittered across the floor. Chunks of fresh fruit left wet splotches as the bounced a few times before splatting in their final resting spot. A bowl of oatmeal had flipped over on the ground, looking oddly like a pile of stale vomit. 

My eyes searched her face, which was just staring at me. Finally, I raked my gaze down my own body and froze. Bruises littered my hips, waist and breast. There were unhealed claw marks on my tender sides and hips. Bite marks covered my thighs and neck. It looked like cannibals had tried to make me their next meal and failed. As I stood, studying my wounds, a throbbing ache started between my shoulder blades. I reached back, trying to touch where it hurt. 

Gwyn stepped forward and motioned for me to spin. I did so, wincing as her fingers pinched something and yanked it out from where it was embedded in my skin. She reached around my body and held out a sharp claw. My mind was slightly hazy from sleep, utter exhaustion filling my bones. 

I spun back around to say something to Gwyn, but noticed Nik leaning against the bed post behind her. He was in an all black suit, his hair swept neatly to the side. He smirked and slowly moved his eyes up my body. Nik clucked his tongue and made Gwyn, who seemed completely unaware that he was present, jump. 

She put a hand to her chest and doubled over as he said softly, “And they call *me* the savage one.”

My hand gripped a sheet from the bed and I pulled it forcefully, wrapping it around my body, “What are you doing here, Nik?”

“The door was unlocked,” he stepped around Gwyn, “I figured we could continue your lessons while I have some time. And before you’re officially summoned to me,” when I glanced at Gwyn he nudged her with his hand, “Gwyn’s safe. For me, anyway.”

“Took care of him when he was just a little tyke chasing after that older brother of his,” she shoved him back with a smile, “I *do* wish he’d stop scaring the shit out of me though.”

She didn’t seem old enough to have even been alive when he was young. I almost said as much when Nik shook his head and his voice echoed through mine *Fairie magick keeps her young and spry,* and vocally he said, “That’ll never stop Gwyn.”

He smiled at her with near childlike wonder, eyes full of something that seemed mostly foreign to him — warmth and love. She put her hands on her hips, “I don’t even want to know what *lessons* you two are talking about,” she wagged her eyebrows at me, “She hasn’t eaten yet and clearly needs to shower,” her eyes narrowed at the dried blood caked onto my skin, “Why don’t you go give whatever brother did this to her a lashing while I dress her for the day?”

Nik scratched the back of his head, “Darius can do as he likes with her,” he glanced at me, the next sentence going up in pitch like a question but not directing it at me fully, “As long as she likes it.”

Silence. Gwyn cleared her throat, “Well the other part stands,” she shooed him toward the door, “I’d hate for another maid to pop in on us and find you breaking the rules, Nikolai.”

I gathered the sheet around my body more tightly, “Lessons later?”

He shrugged, “Once you’re bathed, Gwyn will escort you to the planning room. My father and I will be waiting for you.”

And he disappeared from thin air, a whirl of shadows sucking into an empty center before evaporating entirely. I turned to Gwyn and shot her an incredulous look. She shook her head and started toward the bathroom, “That one was simply checking on you to make sure you’re okay.”

“Nik?” I didn’t try to keep the surprise from seeping into my voice. 

She nodded as I trailed after her, “I’m sure Darius was beating himself up over breakfast this morning or something,” she waved one hand while the other turned on the faucet, “Nik *can* be cold and unfeeling. But he cares more fiercely than either of his brothers when given the chance,” Gwyn stepped aside so that I could climb into the bath, “Don’t let his reputation fool you.”

I blinked and lifted a leg, sinking into steaming hot water. One part of my brain was sifting through what she’d just said, trying to find a lie in her words. The other was thinking back on every conversation she and I had ever had about the three princes. She’d always been careful about what she’d said or asked, but I don’t think I caught on to the fact that she never said or asked much about Nik in general. 

“How old were you when you were watching after Nik?” My voice was soft. 

“Oh, ten or eleven,” she breathed out as I sank further into the water, “I wasn’t old at all, though he likes to pretend I’m ancient. I’m only a few years older than Darius,” she soaped up a wash cloth and began rubbing it on my skin, “I’ve been in the castle my whole life,” she smirked, “But trust me, being a part of them growing up has not stopped me from being curious about all of them. I am a woman, after all,” she practically giggled, “It’s been nice being around someone new here. Sometimes I get sideways looks from the people that watched me babysit them.”

“Who am I to judge?” I laughed lightly, leaning my head back so she could lather up my hair, “They’re brothers and I frequently dream about them fucking me at the same time,” I lowered my voice, nudging her hand on the side of the tub, “and sometimes even each other.”

Gwyn erupted into a fit of laughter that echoed through the room. I did everything I could to keep that laughter going through the rest of the bath and the process of her dressing me. While I wasn’t sure what the planning room was, I knew it had to be something serious because this was the first time I was being dressed to move about the castle in something other than a dress— aside from the one ride I went on with Darius. 

She’d dressed me in black leather fighting pants and even strapped on a dagger. My shirt was tight fitting around the middle but gave me room to move freely in my shoulder and chest, and was a dark maroon. She braided my hair in two braids down the sides, adding in a ribbon for a feminine touch. The same combat boots I’d worn to trudge through the tunnels the night before were brought out and placed upon my feet. 

Wordlessly, she led me out of the room and down the hall to the right. As per the usual, I was led down a completely randomized and lengthy path to our destination. The door was open, revealing Alpha King Everett and Nik. King Everett was standing with both palms on the edge of the table before him, speaking in hushed tones to his son. His son was simply nodding, occasionally whispering something back. Right before I stepped into the room, I noticed the lack of shadows surrounding Nik.

The pair looked up from the table and stared at me. King Everett motioned to a chair across from them and began to speak, “It appears your father has allied with a vampyre king. Care to offer any explanation?”

My eyes widened as I looked at the piece of paper he threw down in front of me. It was a letter in my handwriting with my signature at the end. All it said was: *They are ready to be taken. Move now.*

I’d opened my mouth to deny having anything to do with when I saw Nik. As he had before, he gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head. This time, when his voice somehow flitted into my mind, I didn’t flinch:

*We know it isn’t you. But it’s someone close. He doesn’t trust you and nothing you say can help. Simply offer me your services.*

I cleared my throat, “I would like to offer Alpha Prince Nikolai any help I can in resolving this issue.”

King Everett blinked. Whether it was at my blatant lack of a denial or me remaining calm and not falling apart at the accusation, I didn’t know. But he simply nodded, “Any further evidence against you will lead to your execution. You leave at dawn,” he waved a hand in dismissal. 

Nik didn’t look at me as I walked out of the room, but his voice echoed in my mind, *I’ll be by your room tonight.*

It wasn’t until Phoenix and Darius’ voices filled my mind in response that I jumped and practically ran back to my quarters: *So will we.*