Heir of Deception

Chapter 32

Della groaned. Sleeping on the couch was simultaneously very comfortable and very uncomfortable. It was difficult to describe, Della liked being in a sort of homemade nest of sorts but also woke up with stiff bones. She also suspected Terrasen's intense cold contributed to the problem. All the same Della stretched and trudged into her room to get dressed for training. She progressively was waking up earlier and earlier. The sun was still hours from rising and she was still tired but she'd had another nightmare and was sure that she wouldn't be able to fall back asleep yet again.

She grabbed a cloak doubting that the hallways would be warm at this time of the morning. Outside her door was Fenrys in wolf form asleep on the floor. She side stepped him but apparently not quietly enough, yet another skill she would need to perfect. Fenrys cracked an eye open and gave her a slight scowl.

"Sorry to wake you. I'll be at the training grounds."

The wolf huffed a sigh and trotted off towards the door next to her own. She spun on her heel and hurriedly walked towards the indoor training room. It was much too cold to be training outside especially at this time of day.

Della moved through her warm up stretches with her cloak still on. She'd lit the hearth but it'd yet made a difference in the room. That was the first time that she had actually seen Fenrys outside her room. Della had been aware of him for a couple of weeks and suspicious for even longer. He had seemed irritated at her for waking him up. Perhaps she should apologize, or rather tell him that he didn't need to sleep outside her door? She was reluctant to do that... as much as she hated to admit that to herself she took comfort in him being out there. She could always ask for the guards to be posted again but that brought her back to not wanting to worry her father. Della huffed a sigh of frustration, life was so difficult here. While she was on more sure footing with her father it was still so new. The nagging to not be a burden or inconvenience she couldn't quite quell no matter how much she told herself, no matter how much Lysandra told her. She still missed Annore desperately, she missed the familiarity of her and the simplicity of life. Della wanted to be here, she loved her father and Terrasen and knew her loved her too but she was still learning to navigate it all.

The shield of wind Della had set up around the room shifted and she looked up to see Fenrys striding into the room with a slight scowl. Della tensed reflexively, "I am sorry I woke you."

He paused and squinted at her, "I am more concerned why you're awake, not that I am."

She shrugged dismissively, "I couldn't sleep."

"Why?"

Forcing herself to be casual Della returned to her warm-up, "I don't know, just not tired." She knew the question was loaded. That he was giving her a chance to talk about it, but Della wasn't exactly in the mood to talk about it. She was fine, just a little restless and a little nervous which wasn't anything new for her.

"Della, you real-"

"I am fine, just a bit restless nothing to worry about." She cut him off, she was in no mood for a lecture or some explanation that she was loved and safe. Della knew these things, she could understand what each and every person had so painstakingly explained to her. The problem was that she didn't feel that way. Her head could comprehend what was being spoken but there was a disconnect in her heart. So it did not matter how many times they told her, she had to feel it within herself, and that would take some more time.

Fenrys sighed again but dropped it. He merely began working through his own warm up beside her. Offering up his silent comfort that she'd come to associate with him.

He had a bit of a reputation among court for arrogance and brashness, it made the gentleness he showed her so much more precious.

—-

Della skimmed over the letter in her hand for a third time. It was from Annore, Vaughn had dropped the letter off a few minutes before and it had taken every ounce of self control she had to not squeal with delight in front of the somber warrior.  Annore had arrived in Doranelle and would be making her way to the coast soon. She was expected to arrive in Orynth mid-March. Yulemas was just two weeks away which she was looking forward to but Annore's arrival she could already barely stand to wait. These winter months were going to be agony, and to make matters worse the snow and cold were only supposed to intensify.

Rowan and Aelin were set to return tomorrow night and Della felt a giddiness in telling them. Della squeaked and did a little happy dance of excitement.  Goodness she missed her aunt. She knew her father was also interested in re-meeting her, he in no uncertainty had been extremely grateful to Annore for raising and protecting Della and for being a friend to Lyria. She knew he wanted to thank her and perhaps to explain himself, she knew that his guilt had only intensified with learning that she wasn't his true mate, she knew Aelin also deeply felt guilty over her mothers death. Despite the guilt being misplaced it was still potent.

Della did one more twirl and then strolled to the bathroom to begin getting ready for bed. She had picked up a sleeping draft from the healers early in the day. Her non-conversation with Fenrys had finally pushed her having one made. They told her it would take about an hour to take effect so she planned to bathe and then study until she was too tired to continue.

She poured the concoction straight down her throat,  it was bitter and left a foul  after taste. Della shuddered in disgust, then stepped into the massive bathtub.

This was one of the many perks since moving into the castle, she did not have to heat her own bath water anymore. Her powers were not exactly suited to heating water and it was a tedious task deep in the mountains with Annore. Yet another thing Della was eager to share with her.

—-

Della had been studying for just over an hour. She was fighting the effects of the medicine. Della had regretted taking it, she was unable to explain why she was fighting sleep but she was. Perhaps she knew that it would dull her senses to the point she would be vulnerable and that was something she was deeply uncomfortable with. Being tired was better than being exposed. But despite Della's eyes became to heavy and she slumped softly against the couch pillows.

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We all know exactly where this is going XD.