She seemed to be reluctant to elaborate and said only that she would tell him more when Ilyin woke up.

I woke up the moment I met eyes with him, those dark violet eyes. I felt they would suck me in if I kept staring.

He remembered Ilyin saying that when Bertha had spoken. And he remembered the look of Ilyin's scar. It wasn't a wound she could have gotten laying in bed. And it was too deep for a human, but too shallow for most monsters.

Most, he thought. But the marks seemed right in line with the claws of the Milton.

You said you wanted to have dreams for me, for Delrose, he thought.But I don't care if you dream or not. I don't care if you can serve Delrose the way you want. I care if the foresight hurts you.

I couldn't bear it, he whispered to himself.

Can't you just stay by my side? Can't you stay safely in the light?

These were his greedy thoughts. That he wanted to put her in a place where she was safe a world he could control, where danger couldn't find her. Something broader and grander than just Biflten mansion. And as the Duke of Winter, he believed he could achieve exactly that.

Normally he could push down these thoughts, to let Ilyin be Ilyin. Normally he could accept her need to serve Delrose and him. Today, as she lay still sleeping with her wounds, pushing down those thoughts was much, much harder.

So, he waited them out instead, sitting like stone beside her, holding her hand until she finally opened her eyes. He looked only at her, waiting for the scent of blood in the air to finally subside beneath her summer scent.

Den, she breathed, barely a whisper. She woke to the sight of his face, and when he heard her voice, Aden let out a deep sigh of relief.

Ilyin sat up with a pillow behind her back. Ves, the Delrose doctor, examined her quietly.

She's improved a great deal, she said matter-of-factly. The wound would have to be monitored and cleaned to prevent infection, but the Delrose maids would care for that. Aside from a few warnings about moving too much or in ways that would strain the wound, Ves could find nothing more to be concerned about.

I'm sure I won't have cause to move too dramatically, Ilyin said with a smile.

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Of course, ma'am, Ves said, bowing deeply. Of course, Biflten mansion strove to give little reason for the elites to move too much. The more important you were, the more you were expected to stay warm and comfortable. It had been no different in the warm region, of course, but the doctor still did her due diligence with the cautions.

And the warnings were just for Ilyin. Though Ves couldn't bring herself to meet her master's eyes, she hoped he would understand that Ilyin shouldn't be subject to dramatic movements ofanysort, for a time.

Call me quickly if you feel worse, she said, struggling to hide a worried tone as she dismissed herself. With the doctor gone, Ilyin finally turned to the other person in the room.

I hadn't known you were here, grandmother, she said, looking at Bertha who sat near the bed, still bundled in a scarf and thick gloves. The old woman laughed cheerfully.

I'm hoping you will show me around this wonderful place you live when you feel better, she said.

You're going to stay in Biflten? Ilyin asked, eyes widening.

Of course! Bertha responded, motioning to the window. How am I supposed to get home in this weather?

The heavy curtains were closed to keep out the wind. Ilyin had no desire to see them open and didn't need them to be to imagine the April cold outside.

April is fiercely cold here, she said, then blinked in realization, but . . . how did you get here?

She had said before that she couldn't come to Biflten due to the cold, and Ilyin knew those hadn't been empty words. Ilyin could only walk about the winter region without issue due to the power of the Blue Nos' divine object. It was almost impossible for a warm region person to withstand April in the winter region.

That, Bertha laughed, winking at Aden, is thanks to the Duke of Winter, isn't it?

Aden smiled faintly but said nothing. He didn't want to say too much about it. He'd used his power to the point it hurt him, and he knew Ilyin would be unhappy to learn that.

How are you feeling? he asked Ilyin. His voice was soft, softer than anyone but her ever heard it. It was the tone he used when they were alone. To the other Delrose in the room, it was jarring, as though they were intruding on a private moment.

Of course, she said, smiling. I didn't want to worry you.