Heir of Deception

Chapter 27

Della awoke to the sun shining through the windows, no birds though. It was much too cold for birds. Although better than birds are wolves and there was a big white one curled up on the ground next to her bed. Fenrys was massive in his wolf form, significantly larger than animal wolves and even larger than Maeve's wolves that use to patrol the mountain ranges surrounding Doranelle. Fenrys did also look much fluffier. She doubted the lethal warrior would appreciate her calling him fluffy. Yet, Della felt the irresistible urge to pet him bubble up. That would be rude to pet him right? She wouldn't want someone to pet her in falcon form, especially while she was sleeping but she couldn't help herself. She reached a hand forward aiming for the spot behind his left ear.

Oh he was soft! And fluffy!

Suddenly there was a bright flash of light and before Della even had the chance to pull away Fenrys gently but firmly grabbed her wrist. She attempted to pull away but he had her locked in his grip. He looked up at her, grinned, devilishly, then lifted brought his mouth towards her hand and bit down on her fingers.

"Ouch!!" she squealed, snatching her hand away.

He sat up fully now propping his elbow on the side of the bed. The action caused the tips of his fingers to graze the outside of her thigh. Even through the blankets the touch was electric.

"Every other person who's done that was bitten while I was still in wolf form, I decided to be merciful since you're the same color as a blueberry."

Della rolled her eyes. "You just looked so fluffy."

Now it was Fenrys's turn to roll his eyes. He opened his mouth to retort but someone cleared their throat.

To her eternal horror, standing at the door was none other than her father, who was shooting daggers at Fenrys. Fenrys in turn was shooting daggers at Della. He seemed extremely displeased that she had called him fluffy in front of his king and commander. Della was beet red from embarrassment at having been caught flirting by her father. Oh gods she was flirting.

"How are you feeling?" Her father asked. His tone unreadable.

Della was growing sick of that question.

"Alright," she sensed that both males in the room were dissatisfied with that answer so she elaborated. "Everything has felt better than a couple days ago. So compared to that I feel great, compared to normal a little less than great."

Her father narrowed his eyes. "How less than great."

Della fought the urge to roll her eyes. Trying to be considerate of her fathers emotions, "Well I am not exactly ready to try walking yet. Probably later tonight."

He nodded, "Are you hungry? I've sent someone to bring up a meal for the both of you." Rowan sent Fenrys another dirty look. "Unless of course you're full."

Fenrys flipped off her father. "She's lucky I shifted before I bit her."

Rowan only scowled. By some stroke of luck her meal arrived giving both males the opportunity to not engage in a dominance war.

Della was served oatmeal and fruit for breakfast and her father settled into the chair from before while Fenrys opted for the table in the corner of the room with his much more flavorful meal. Della was unsure of how sausage would hurt her throat but had chosen to refrain from arguing so early in the morning.

The two males were going over castle business which eventually shifted into a discussion of how interrogations were going. Della only half listened more focused on swallowing with out straining herself. When suddenly a name caught her attention.

"Has Jarret said anything helpful?" Fenrys asked Rowan.

"Not yet." Rowan responded.

"What?" Della interrupted. "What are you talking about?" Confusion laced her question.

Both males froze as if caught. Rowan recovered first, "We've apprehended Jarret Liens and are now questioning him in regards to your attack."

"You've what?!" she was shocked. "For what? What did he do?"

"Della," Fenrys said gently, "I saw the two of you in the very same passageway you were attacked in the night before."

"And?" she demanded.

Fenrys leveled her with a flat stare. "And it's extremely suspicious."

"It's just a coincidence! There is no way he actually did this!" She could feel her heart pounding angrily in her chest, her body flushing with the outrage of Fenrys going so far as to interrogate the man simply for dancing with her.

"Della," Rowan said. "That is quite the coincidence."

"There is no way he would be that stupid!" She looked to Fenrys for support but the look on the males face said he absolutely believed Jarret to be that stupid.

She was reeling. Her heart wouldn't slow down, neither would her breathing. Della didn't think she had ever been this overwhelmed in her entire life. Were they right? They couldn't be... could they? Jarret was her friend. Lysandra trusted him right? Surely she didn't think that he was apart of all this. Della could feel herself drowning in panic and negativity. She felt dizzy an-and-

Her father clasped her hand. A tether in her turmoil of emotions. She looked at him, his eyes full of worry a frown tugged at the corners of his mouth. He squeezed her hand gently, his other hand coming to push the hair from her forehead. "Shhh it's ok." he comforted, "We don't know for sure that he betrayed you."

Betrayal. The word clanged through her. Assigning a name to the horrible fist clenching her heart.

"Let us worry about who is guilty, you just focus on getting better." Her father continued. There was a barely audible sound of footsteps and the soft snick of the door closing as Fenrys quietly excused himself from the room.

"You're safe now." Her father swiped his thumb across her cheek at the tears Della hadn't even realized had spilled. She looked at him, her lip quivered and she began to tremble. "Shhshhshh." he said and moved to sit on the bed, pulling her into his arms as she heaved a choked sob.

"I was so afraid." She cried. "This is all so scary."

"I know it is, and you were so brave and strong." her father comforted again, his voice rough. "I am so proud of you and I love you."

And there they sat, father and daughter. He held her in his arms while she cried on his shoulder.

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