Chapter 57

“You’re so warm,” she mumbled the words into his neck and cuddled closer. Her wings had gone slack, spread over the bed in a limp mass of feathers. “I am so weary, my mate, it outmatches the hunger.”

“Rest for a little while and then we can eat.” He held Carina close, stroking her head gently and feeling her as she fell into sleep. He turned his eyes to the ceiling and thought his gratitude to whatever deity was listening that they had gotten through his idiocy intact. He was going to safeguard her with everything he had, make sure she never wanted for affection and love.

He tried to hold to consciousness, tried to stay awake so he could get her to eat but Carina was warm and soft and her smooth even breaths on his neck were so comforting that the world upended and he fell into sleep.

He woke as she rolled away from him and sat up. “Carina?” his voice was thick and quiet with the remnants of sleep. “Are you alright?”