en

ained, but as dawn broke over the jagged mountains, a very

annot control their

r back and hips. In a sterile modern hospital, this was routine nursing care. In this primitive fortress, surrounded by hostile eyes, if I allowed

ent, secure, moist

faced in my mind:

Find the thickest, softest boiled cotton fabric you can lay your hands on, along with a sheet of fle

n sheer bewilderment. "My lady

to protect his skin," I replied

ning light cutting across the sharp, aristocratic angles of his face. His jaw was clench

assist in cutting the cotton into a wide, contoured T-shape,

sembled, I pulled back the linen

tled crimson that reached the tips of her ears. She snapped her head toward t

can't! He's... he's a man! The Lord of the Keep! This is... this is so shameful! Sho

mly, pulling on fresh, sterile cotton gloves I had boiled earlier. "And inviting strangers into this chamber when poisoner

epping forward on tiptoe with

rast, were precise an

entirely. Despite months of deliberate wasting, Boyce Carlisle possessed the formidable, heavy build of a le

im toward you,

knuckles brushed against his burning flank. A sudden, involuntary tremor rippled th

turned white, her cheeks burning with pure em

enly, though my eyes remained l

ped the soft, moisture-trapping deerskin securely around his waist, and fastened the s

back over him, smoothing

for the next twelve hours," I said, peeling off

o her burning cheeks. "Praise the heavens... My lady, I don't know how you can do

sh water. "Dignity is a

the heavy door

e capital. The messenger dropped to one knee, handing over a sealed scroll bea

sting a dark curse over the family name. I didn't even bother reading the se

al dispatch, howev

let rash. Prince Krishna had recoiled in absolute horror and disgust, shouting that she was afflicted with an unclean plague. He had immedi

ds had staked everything on was no

to the messenger, who bowed

med with triumphant, vengeful glee. "That

ly a taste,"

the bed-and my smile

yce's bed had gro

pressed the back of my

ly as droplets of sweat poured from his temples. Beneath his skin, the jagged edges of his blackened wound pulsed with a fain

e was skyrocketing

water and every clean cloth in the room! Now!

purge and the fever. If I didn't break this temperature with

ife had just entered