Page 66 of Zenith Tower

I flexed the arm beneath her.

It held.

When she eased away, she reached for the folded cloth beside the water bowl. I caught it first.

“You should be resting,” she said.

“So should you.”

I wet the cloth and cleaned her slowly. She watched me through half-closed eyes, one hand resting on my thigh, and let me care for her without argument.

Afterward, she lay along my side with her hand spread over my heart. The room smelled of lamp oil, cold stone, and the faint clean sweetness of her skin. Beyond the secured door, a steward’s footsteps passed and faded.

“They’re going to come for us tomorrow,” she said.

“I know.”

“You sound very calm about that.”

“I’m not calm.” I drew the blanket higher around her. “I just don’t want to give them tonight too.”

I settled her more carefully against me.

Astra’s breath warmed my throat. Her hand rose and fell over my heart, and no ticking answered beneath it. I listened until sleep took the sound from me.

Astra

The latch opened without the steward’s warning knock.

I was out of the chair before the administrator entered. Kieran remained asleep behind me, one arm beneath the pillow and the mended Mark uncovered at his shoulder. The healer had checked him after dawn and again at midday. Each time, the fracture had remained closed.

The administrator shut the door herself.

“Where is Marrow?” I asked.

“Elsewhere.”

“Does he know you’re here?”

“No.”

That answer woke Kieran.

His eyes opened, unfocused at first, then fixed on the woman beside the door. “If this is another examination, I’ve decided to become uncooperative.”

“You were already uncooperative,” she said.

“Then I’m ahead of schedule.”

He pushed himself higher against the pillows. Themovement pulled at his shoulder, but no pain crossed the new bond. Only stiffness and the annoyance he was trying to hide from me.

The administrator watched him settle. “I need to see both Marks.”

“You have readers for that,” I said.

“The readers make records.”

“And you don’t intend to?”