The Torturous Wait

~ ZARA ~

Ash was expected to leave my room that night. It turned out, from the King's perspective, he'd fulfilled his purpose in getting me there safely. Now, until or unless I was Selected, he was only a personal guard.

I'd seen how tense he got when Abigail said that the servant had come to show him to his room. For a moment I'd thought he might actually argue. But then he turned to me and muttered, "I won't be far away. If you need me, just send a messenger."

I nodded as he bowed his head, then stalked from the room like a lion on the hunt.

But I could breathe a little bit easier when he was gone.

I'd forgotten that he hadn't slept in my rooms that first night, that he'd interrupted Abigail and I in the morning. It seemed… odd not to have him again. And yet… God, I could barely think.