Alex

ALEX

S ylas won't sleep unless I do, and it's clear despite his impressive physique and ability to heal, he is absolutely exhausted.

"Why don't we go home?" I suggest.

For an instant, his eyes light up, then they darken again. "Not until you are well."

"I am better," I say, knowing full well I still can't make it to the loo on my own. "I want to be back in our nest."

A shudder runs through his wings and it's obvious he feels the same way.

"Not until Sontok says you can leave," he replies instead of agreeing with me.

"Since when did you start taking orders from her?" I gently tease him.

I love how he is with her, and with all the others who come to offer little gifts and check how I'm doing. It seems the whole of Ryle was invested in my recovery. Sylas hardly growls at all. Instead he almost graciously accepts their presence and their gifts until I start to shift uncomfortably on the bed, and only then does he chase them away.

"Since she saved your life," Sylas states, sitting on the edge of the bed and taking my hand. "I will always be grateful to her for ensuring you stayed with me." He glances down at my stomach which is the same size as it ever was. "And for giving us news I never expected."

"Come here." I pull at his hand.

"I don't want to disturb you," he says.

"I'm not so fragile, and I want your arms around me," I say.

Sylas huffs amusingly, my huge gladiator, all muscles, feathers, and scars, attempts to get onto the bed as carefully as he can. Finally, after a lot of scuffling, I can lean into him and trace my hand down the edge of one wing.

"It wasn't just her who saved me. You did your part too." I feel him relax under me. "You went back into the forest to get the herb she needed for the anti-venom."

"I shouldn't have let you go into the forest in the first place," Sylas says with a yawn to end all yawns.

"And I never would have seen the apros." I stroke down his wing again. "And I wanted to be there. I wanted you to chase me. None of this is on you."

"I nearly lost you, eregri ." His chest hitches. "I nearly…" He swallows. "Like I lost them."

Despite my aching bones, I turn to face him, my hand on his chest as he stares straight ahead.

"Them?"

"My warriors, when I led the rebellion, the one which resulted in my sentence to the dome and their deaths." A muscle jumps in his jaw. His hands ball up.

His eyes close.

"Sylas?" I touch his cheek. He's so tense it feels like he might break. "I'm here, my love." I cup his face in my hands, stroking my thumbs over his skin. "Touch me. I'm here for you. Please, Sylas."

With a struggle, he opens his eyes and stares straight at me.

"Touch me," I exhort.

His hand trembles as he places it against my cheek.

"." He rasps my name.

"Yes,"

"They all died. It was my fault."

"Were you trying to make things better?" I ask.

"Yes."

"Did you force any of the others to join you?"

"No, but…"

"Then they chose to do what they did of their own free will." I cover his hand with mine. "I know it's hard. I know there is so much you can't process, but it wasn't your fault. You have to remember that."

Sylas runs a hand over his face. He's unsure and vulnerable, and I know what he needs, but I want him to confront his fears with a clear head. Then he can have a reward.

"Will you remember?" I repeat.

His brow furrows.

"You are not at fault. Say it."

He hesitates, and I curl my fingers around his viciously clawed hand.

"Say it." I lower my voice to barely a whisper.

"I…was not at fault," he says.

I squeeze his fingers harder, knowing I can't possibly hurt my big Gryn.

"Say it like you mean it."

"I wasn't at fault," he growls.

"I guess that'll have to do." I release him and shove my hand into the feathers at the shoulder of his wing. Almost immediately, Sylas slumps, the look on his face going from haunted to beatific. "And you get your reward for being a very good Gryn."

He attempts to speak, but all I get is my name and a few words I can't catch before a massive arm wraps around me and I'm deposited on his lap without even breaking contact with his wing. My Sylas is finally, finally happy.

"Looks like you're both feeling better," Sontok says, popping her head around the door. "Is he drooling?"

"He does that," I reply. "And yes, I am feeling better. Still weak, but better."

"Mhfff," Sylas says.

"Interesting." Sontok narrows her eyes and inspects him like a specimen. "I've heard Gryn can have sensitive spots, but this is something else. Do you mind if I…?"

She extends a hand, and as I withdraw mine, she shoves hers in.

Sylas opens his eyes with a growl.

"Very interesting." She pulls away, lifting up my arm and guiding me back to the original spot.

"Have you met other Gryn? Other than Sylas and the gladiators on Trefa?"

"I have. Others like him, brought here for a brief period to acclimatize."

"Acclimatize? Why?" I ask. "Sylas said he was sent here as punishment for the rebellion he led."

"There was a reason Sylas was brought here before the dome," Sontok says. "And it's about time the Gryn knew the truth."