Stay

four.

She avoided the mirror, but took a deep breath before putting the veil back on.

When she opened the door to the bedroom, she jumped to see him waiting for for her on the other side.

She looked up, only catching his eyes before looking down.

"Good morning," she mumbled, praying he would move to the side so she could pass.

"So informal," he commented casually, as she remembered she hadn't properly addressed him. She was about to correct herself when he turned to walk away, hands clasped behind his back. "Your breakfast will be here shortly."

She walked behind him, stopping only when she was next to the bed. She crawled back in, over to her side and grabbed a blanket to cover her legs as she crossed them. Looking up, she saw he was watching her and noticed the dark glint in his eyes. She blushed when she realized his eyes settled on her cleavage. Pulling the hair tie out, she shook her curls and pushed them forward to hide her chest.

His eyes moved back to her face and quickly narrowed. "You are in pain."

She opened her mouth to protest, unaware she had been wincing as her wound continued to burn from the washing.

"It is fine."

"You did not deny it."

"No, I did not." She replied, and realized he expected an explanation. "The soap. For my face. It irritates my scar. Causes it to burn. It's nothing I can't handle though..." She trailed off and played with her fingers, noticing he was dressed in his league attire sans the vest he wore the night of the attack.

"What do you normally use?"

She was surprised by his focus on the topic, but didn't look too much into it. She was coming to realIze that he wasn't that much of a mystery after all. What you saw was what you got. He was asking just for the sake of asking and nothing more.

"Dove. The unscented kind."

He nodded and changed the subject. "Ta-er al-sahfer will give you and your friend a tour of the compound today."

She was actually excited with this announcement. She had been limited to dark rooms and one hallway so she was desperate to get out. Well, as much as she could.

"Okay." She didn't know what else to say as his words from last night were still nagging at her.

"There is something we need to discuss." He informed, and she raised a brow, waiting for him to begin. "My chambers are just that - my chambers. The league is founded upon secrecy and my room is no exception."

She squinted her eyes in confusion, "I do not understand-"

"What happens or doesn't happen in here," he alluded last night's uneventful happenings. "Is of no concern to those not present."

She nodded slowly, "So I am to relay to no one anything that transpires while here."

"That includes your friend," he quickly added and continued when he saw her disappointment. "You may trust her, but I do not."

"Who do you trust," she mumbled to herself, unhappy at the idea of having to keep incidents like last night's to herself. So far, having Nadura to confide in kept her sane. How she was going to handle this situation without being able to talk about the hardest parts would be an arduous task she wasn't looking forward to.

She was not only shocked he heard her, but by his response too. "A few people." His eyes darted up and down her face, before he caught her eyes. Her heartbeat fluctuated. Was he indicating he trusted her? The idea alone seemed ludicrous. But the way he delivered it, the way he was looking at her; it was strange. All of it.