“It’s a very old injury,” she said. She was certain he’d noticed it before. It wasn’t like she hid her limp or her walking stick.
“Still, I’d like to see. If you’ll allow me.”
His tone was so sincere that Octavia found herself nodding. Moments later, Flynn’s arms swept under her. He gingerly placed her in the middle of the bed as though she were made of glass. His skilled fingers drew up her legging with care. She propped herself up on her elbows and watched as his deft fingers ran over her ankle.
He touched a particularly sore spot, and she hissed.
“Sorry,” he muttered.
His touch was even lighter after that as he rolled down her sock. Everywhere he touched, jolts of awareness ran through her.
“How does it look?” Octavia asked although she didn’t really want to know.
He frowned, and gods help her if he looked handsome even now. “You turned your ankle.” He ran his index finger over the injury. “But it wasn’t the first time.”
Octavia’s throat thickened as memories of falling out of the tree flashed through her mind. The forests around Firefall were massive, and her mother had always warned her away fromclimbing the tallest trees. Octavia hadn’t listened, and this was her constant reminder. “I had an accident many years ago. Suffice it to say, trees and I are no longer on friendly terms.” She shrugged, trying to play it off, but she didn’t think she was successful.
Flynn frowned, still running his fingers over her ankle. “I noticed your limp, but I thought… I didn’t realize how bad it was. I’m sorry.”
Octavia’s breath caught in her throat. Usually, when people noticed the mangled skin around her ankle and the slightly disjointed bone, they stared. Sometimes, they made rude comments—both within her earshot and out of it. Other times, their conversation became stilted and awkward when they realized she’d been hurt in the past.
No one had ever just acknowledged how incredibly… crappy the situation was.
Gods, this was making Octavia feel things she had no business feeling after knowing the witch for only two weeks.
Her gaze rose and met his, locking once again. This time, it was like her entire world stopped. Her heart ceased pounding. Her lungs seized. Fire coursed through her. Her core coiled. Entire lifespans passed as they stared at each other.
Flynnsawher. He really, truly saw her.
And she felt… everything.
She whispered his name and held his gaze. Her heart pounded, its rhythm echoing in her ears.Bad idea, bad idea, bad idea.
Except… she couldn’t seem to remember why this was a bad idea. All she remembered was that Flynn looked at her like she mattered, and that was more important than anything else.
The beat of her heart shifted.He sees you. He cares.
Flynn hadn’t hurt her in spite of the strange circumstances of their meeting and the forcefulness with which she’d tried to pushhim away. Maybe it would be okay to just… be with him. For a little while. What was the worst thing that could happen?
Throwing caution to the wayside, Octavia swallowed. “Will you hold me?”
Her voice was soft, and she was almost afraid to hear the answer. It had been so long since anyone had just… been with her.
“Of course.” The mattress dipped beneath Flynn’s weight as he stretched out alongside her. He was bigger than her in all the ways that mattered, and yet, he fit beside her perfectly.
Her heart pounded at his nearness.
His arm swept over her, and he held her back to his chest.
For a long, long time, they remained like that. Their chests moved in synchrony, their hearts beat as one, and they just… were.
It was everything Octavia wanted and more.
“Tell me a story?” Octavia murmured.
Lips brushed her cheeks. “About what?”
“Anything.” Her eyes fluttered shut. “I just want to hear your voice.”