The hour was up, and I was finally ready. I stood in front of the mirror, wearing a simple cream-colored dress that didn't rub against my healing ribs. I heard a light tap on the door, and Emma walked in. She looked me up and down, gave a tiny nod, and opened the door wider.
"They’re waiting," she said.
When I reached the top of the stairs, I didn't even get to take the first step down. Killian was already there. Before I could say a word, he tucked one arm under my knees and the other behind my back.
"Killian! I can walk," I laughed, holding onto his shoulders.
"I don't care," he said. He started walking down the stairs as if I weighed nothing at all. "You've done enough walking for the month. Today, you don't touch the ground unless I say so."
At the bottom of the stairs, Alaric was
