Page 5 of Dark Princess Ascending

Morelle had been testing the waters, trying to gauge how he might react to whatever she washiding, and he suspected that it had to do with what she had done earlier. Something other than telekinesis had been at play, and it had scared her.

After that incredible display of power, Brandon had seen the panic in her eyes, and at first he'd attributed it to the shock of what had almost happened. Everyone's hearts had been racing, and even now, he still felt the lingering lethargy that followed the adrenaline spike.

Given Morelle's obvious soft spot for children, her strong reaction seemed natural and warranted, but her subsequent questions suggested there was more to it. Something about that display of power had frightened her deeply, and not just because of the near tragedy she had prevented.

As Morelle stirred in his arms, he kissed her temple.

Whatever was troubling her, tonight wasn't the time to press her for answers. She needed rest and time to process everything that had happened so she could address it with a clear mind tomorrow.

Still, even in her exhausted state she remained incredibly sharp, and he couldn't help but admire her for it. She'd caught the evasiveness in his answers, proving her mind was still razor sharp despite her fatigue.

His tactical mind wanted to let this play out, to give her enough rope to—no, that was wrong. That was how he'd think about an adversary, not the woman he loved. With Morelle, it wasn't aboutmanipulation or strategy. It was about giving her space to realize that she could trust him completely.

When she stirred again and sighed, he leaned and kissed the top of her head. "How about a bath?" he suggested. "It will help you relax and fall asleep."

Morelle's eyes fluttered open, and a weak laugh escaped her. "That might lead to things I have no energy for."

"Just a bath," he promised. "I want to pamper you. No ulterior motives."

She narrowed her eyes at him, but it wasn't in anger. "On one condition."

"Name it."

"I get to return the favor when I'm feeling stronger."

Heat coursed through him at the thought, but he kept his voice steady. "I eagerly accept."

She was really big on fairness and reciprocation, and he admired her for that as well.

"Then we have a deal." She lifted her head just enough to kiss his jaw. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet." Moving carefully, he stood with her still in his arms. "Thank me after the bath if you are still awake."

She wound her arm around his neck. "That's not what I'm thanking you for. I'm thanking you for being so patient with me. I don't know if I would have done the same for you."

"I'm sure you would." He carried her to the bathroom. "Perhaps I need to stage a scenario when I need you to take care of me."

She frowned at him. "Are you so infallible that you never need help and have to fake it?"

He paused. "I've never needed it before, but it's nice to know that now I have someone who has my back." He kissed her forehead before setting her down on the counter.

She leaned back, her legs dangling over the edge. "Doesn't the clan have your back?"

"It does." He started the water in the large freestanding soaking tub that could easily fit two people. He'd never used it before, always preferring quick showers, but tonight, it would serve its purpose perfectly. "But it's not the same as having someone at home who I can talk to, who listens to all my crazy ideas and gives me immediate feedback without caring whether she offends my feelings or not."

She chuckled. "Is that what you think of me?"

"Am I wrong?" He checked the water temperature and turned to look at her. "Would you give me platitudes instead of the naked, harsh truth?"

She pursed her lips. "You'll get no platitudes from me, but if I didn't like your ideas, I would try to soften the punch."

"That's exactly what I need, and it's such a good feeling that I have someone I can rely on who wants only what's best for me."

Morelle lifted a hand and put it over her chest. "I vow that's what you will always get from me. I will always tell you the truth, and I will do my best to provide constructive criticism."

"I appreciate that." He chuckled. "My mother's motto is that if you don't have anything nice to say, say nothing at all, but that's not constructive when I need feedback."

Morelle paled. "Your mother? Is she here in the village?"