The days when she had gathered every word that fell from his lips like precious jewels and turned them over in her mind again and again came back to her.
Even words that had pierced her like daggers had been pressed against her heart and revisited countless times.
But she was tired of pain now.
She was tired of assigning special meaning to his every insignificant word and action only to end up disappointed.
She was no longer a foolish adolescent girl.
And she had thoroughly learned that Talia Roem Gwirta meant absolutely nothing to him.
Fighting desperately not to cling to the strong arms that carefully lifted her, she ruthlessly cut down the tiny shoots of hope trying to grow once more.
The reason he treated her this way was simple.
Responsibility.
She had spent more than ten years observing him, analyzing him, dissecting him hundreds of times inside her own head.
She knew exactly how he worked.
Regardless of how sick and tired he was of Talia Roem Gwirta, she was still someone under his protection.
Not as important as Gareth or Aila, perhaps, but neither was she someone he could simply leave broken and ruined.
He was a man who lived to fulfill his duties.
And since he had failed in one of those duties, it was only natural that he would feel guilty.
“I'll have a meal brought in.”
Varkas's voice sounded above her as he laid her down on the bed inside the dim tent.
Lost in thought, Talia lowered her eyes to her leg.
The effects of the medicine were already beginning to fade.
A sharp tingling sensation was spreading from her shin all the way up to her pelvis.
“Forget the food. Just light the incense.”
“After you've eaten.”
His answer came immediately.
Firm.
Talia forced her hazy eyes ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) to focus and glared at him.
But Varkas had already turned away and was giving instructions to one of his attendants.
She wanted to throw a pillow at that infuriating back.
Unfortunately, her limbs felt as heavy as waterlogged cotton.
Eventually she gave up on her anger and buried her face in blankets scented with cedarwood and mint leaves.
A short while later, Varkas returned carrying a bowl of porridge.
Talia reluctantly picked up a spoon.
The act of putting anything into her stomach felt exhausting.
But if she didn't at least pretend to eat, this stubborn man would never permit the incense to be lit.
Unable to endure the steadily worsening pain, she forced several spoonfuls of the bluish-green mixture packed with herbs into her mouth.
“Happy now?”
She dropped the half-empty bowl down as though throwing it.
Standing nearby like a prison warden supervising a prisoner, Varkas inspected the bowl as though conducting an examination.
Talia added irritably,
“I ate it. What more do you want from me?”
Cold sweat had already begun forming on her face from the pain.
Varkas studied her for a moment.
Then he turned and instructed a servant to bring the censer.
Once more, pale smoke crept through her mind.
Feeling the pain gradually subside, Talia allowed her body to go limp.
It felt as though she were floating inside a cold cloud.
Even the sharp presence of the man who constantly scraped against her nerves began fading little by little.
How much time passed while she drifted in that pleasant lethargy?
Eventually, an unwelcome shadow entered her blurred vision.
Talia focused her unfocused eyes and looked more closely.
A graceful feminine silhouette stood against the backdrop of the setting sun.