Tamlin: After the War

Chapter 4 - Kaira

It had been a few weeks since Kaira exposed that piece of her history to Tamlin. The shame still clung to her skin, everywhere where his hands had been. She wished desperately she could wipe the memory away.

She willingly allowed herself to be drugged, knowing what would happen next. The drug, at least, helped her escape the body that she had no control over. The one time she refused the spiked drinked, she experienced everything and now, she still remembered screaming. She remembered kicking. She remembered everything.

She saw the way Tamlin looked at her. His eyes filled with pity. She didn't need his pity. She survived Keir. She survived Hewn City.

Her mother always told her the same thing, No one is coming.

It was then that she realised she didn't need saving. She would save herself. She had only ever had herself to rely on. No one is coming.

Pulled from her thoughts she heard the floors creak as he slowly approached, clearing his throat in preparation of the few words he would use to address her. "Good morning, Kaira."

She smiled to herself. Three words. He must have slept well. "Good morning, Tamlin," she replied, rinsing her hands before drying them with a kitchen towel, "You're up earlier than usual, breakfast isn't quite ready yet."

Tamlin looked down at her, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. Kaira knew her presence equally comforted and frightened him, much as his did to her. "Sit, it won't be long. You can have your coffee in the meantime."

She brewed a fresh cup of coffee and placed it in front of him, he nodded quickly. A man of little to no words. She preferred it that way, it meant she could do all the talking.

She turned her back to him and faced the stove, cracking the eggs into the pan and watching them carefully, but not as carefully as he watched her. She felt his eyes on her.

She had heard rumours about the High Lord of Spring. She had heard about the beast that lurked within him. The rage. The lightning fast reflexes. She had heard that he was handsome. He was everything rumoured and more.

She set the eggs down in front of him and as expected, her chair shifted outward. His invitation to join him for breakfast was always open, but unspoken. "Could I use your library?"

Tamlin met her gaze and nodded quietly, "Of course. You're welcome to anything in the house."

"It's locked."

"After breakfast." He mumbled in between forkfuls of eggs and fresh bread. She couldn't help but smile. Tamlin always ate as if it were the most delicious meal he had ever tasted.

He led her to the library in the middle of the second floor and unlocked it, handing her the key. The walls were lined with books from top to bottom. Dust settled on every open surface.

Kaira ran up to the shelves. It would take her months, or years to read every book available. A treasure trove of knowledge and places to escape to. "Is there a ladder?"

Tamlin shrugged and shook his head, "No. I never needed one." A smug smile playing on his lips.

Kaira narrowed her eyes at him, "Well, you're helping me build a ladder or I will be disturbing you every hour to come and help me reach a book."

A soft laugh escaped him, his green eyes sparkling, "I will get you a ladder." His eyes shot to the desk in the room and within a second, he was at the desk, shoving a small brown leather notebook into his jacket pocket.

Kaira knew her place and usually she wouldn't ask, but the High Lord's cheeks were flushed and she couldn't resist teasing him, "What's that?"

"Nothing," He grumbled, straightening his jacket, no doubt willing the colour out of the cheeks.

"Doesn't seem like nothing. Does the High Lord of Spring enjoy reading smut?" She asked playfully, "Don't hide the smut from me, I can handle it."

"The High Lord of Spring enjoys writing smut," He answered, his face breaking into a smile as his cheeks, once again, reddened, "But, there's some smut up there," he pointed to the top shelf, "If you can reach it." Before he turned around and left.