Alex woke with a start as a hand rested on her shoulder. She hadn’t expected to fall asleep. She immediately looked up at Treyan, but he was still sound asleep. Confused, she glanced over her shoulder and saw the Councillor, holding a candle in his hand.
“Empress, it is getting late. Allow me to escort you back to your chambers.”
She blinked at the Councillor, slowly regaining her bearings, and then returned her attention to Treyan in the bed.
“The Prince will be fine, Empress,” the Councillor assured her as though he could read her mind. “The wound was expertly cleansed. I must say, I am always quite impressed with the healers’ skills every time they work.”
She looked down and blushed, noticing her hand still within Treyan’s. “When he wakes—”
“You’ll be the first to know, but you’ll
