Heir of Deception

Chapter 24

Della felt herself drifting to shore. The dark sea of unconsciousness that had swept in now ebbed out. Again she became aware of her body, the burning from before, now absent though the ache remained.

Her father remained as well. She could still scent him beside her, he was talking to...Fenrys. They were talking softly. She cracked her eyes just a touch but the light was bright and she gave a soft, shallow groan and fluttered her eyes to help them adjust to the light. The two males instantly stopped speaking. Della looked up to see them both looking at her, her father in a chair at her bedside and Fenyrs stood beside him holding what must be castle paper work. Worry etched both their faces.

She wanted water, she was so unbelievably thirsty.

"Water," she said unable to form a complete sentence. Her voice a harsh, painful rasp in her throat.

Rowan leaned forward and gently brushed the hair from her forehead. "Shhhh, don't speak. Your throat is still healing."

She nodded once in understanding and winced slightly. He scowled at that but poured her a glass of water from the pitcher on the nightstand beside them.

"Excuse me." Fenrys said, gesturing to the door behind him. He gave Della a soft smile, eyes scanning her injuries, then left shutting the door quietly behind him.

"Here." Her father cupped the back of her head with one hand and gently lifted her to meet his other hand that held the glass of water.

While speaking hadn't been overwhelmingly painful she still decided to honor her father's request to remain silent. He looked awful, not in an injured sort of way but more a tension and worry had eaten at him alive kind of way.

She laid back exhausted simply from merely drinking water. Curiosity and worry still ate her despite her weariness. Della looked up at Rowan intently, waiting for the explanation of what had happened.

He ran his hand through his hair, took a breath then looked at her. Scanning her as if he could see through the blankets, see through her skin to her cracked and aching bones.

"Is everyone safe?" she whispered tentatively, impatiently.

He frowned at her. "Don't speak, your throat is still bruised and even if that isn't hurting you, your lungs and ribs are still healing." his eyes then softened. "But yes everyone is safe, the attack was limited to you."

He looked at her still, shifted closer and then slowly just as slowly as when she had hugged him days before he gripped her hand in his own. He didn't squeeze, as if afraid that if he did she would shatter into a million pieces. "Della I am sorry that I failed to keep you safe, that I allowed them to hurt you." He looked away, emotion filling his eyes. " If you- if you would prefer to leave then I understand. I can arrange for that to happen." He kept speaking but Della had stopped listening. Dread and panic filled her, she'd heard parts of his conversation with Aelin but Della did want to stay. Maybe Lysandra was wrong and a part of him wanted her gone. That maybe while he did love her; he found caring for her to be stressful. Tears spilled down her face. Her father stopped abruptly."Della?"

She couldn't stop the tremble in her voice as she said, "I'm sorry. Please don't send me away." Della tried to take in air; big enough breath to sustain her sobbing but the pain in her chest was overwhelming. She whimpered both in fear and in pain. The fear of when Annore had sent her away resurfacing.

"Shhhh, shhh it's okay. You're okay." Rowan soothed. "I'm not sending you away. No one is sending you away. But please you'll hurt yourself worse if you don't calm down." He moved to sit on the bed beside her, her hand still clasped in his, the other gingerly stroking her hair. There he sat, reassuring her while she worked to reign in her emotions.

As her breathing began to slow Rowan began speaking again. "Della if you wish to stay then we can make that happen. I only offered it in case that is what you wanted. But Della you're wanted here. I want you to stay. You have nothing to apologize for, you did nothing wrong."

She nodded, daring to speak despite her father's caution not to. "Thank you for letting me stay, you- you also have nothing to apologize for. Truly." She could see the doubt in his eyes. The guilt and his own insecurities rising to the surface. She rushed to quell them desperate to not burden him. She jerked up, pain lashing through her body her vision blacked out for just a second but she ignored it. Instead she clutched his shoulders and gave him a feeble shake. "Really please! Stop! Don't blame yourself! I should've seen then coming stopped them or something, but please you're not to blame!"

Rowan's eyes widened at her out burst. Not once since she'd been here had she displayed such passion for something. He grabbed her biceps and gently eased her back to the pillows. "Della, please be careful. " Rowan positioned the pillow so that she was propped up.

"I will be careful if you stop feeling so guilty." she huffed. Although he was right, her ribs pulsed with pain that was difficult to ignore.

Rowan shuddered. His pine green eyes slid to her own, she could see deep un-healed wounds there. That her attack had dragged up memories from both Lyria's death and Aelin's captivity. Still holding his eyes, repeating Aelin's words from before Della said softly, "I am here and I am safe."

Now it was his turn to nod in understanding, too overcome with emotion to speak. After a moment he steeled himself.

"How about we got you something to eat and I'll fill you in. Just please rest." Rowan said. As if on cue, Aelin strode through the door flashing Della a bright smile. "Glad to see you up Della, I brought you some broth."

Rowan snorted at that. Della could see the peace that settled over him at having his mate near him. At seeing her safe and healthy and happy.  Despite all that they had suffered they were together had made it. Della realized that his trauma went much deeper than just this one attack, but she would do what she could to help him understand that he was not to blame and she knew Aelin had the same goal and that maybe together they could help him. Just as she knew that Rowan and Aelin were working together to help her learn and grow. So Della returned Aelin's smile, excited to be apart of this family.

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