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“How many more times will you yawn before you finally go to bed?” Sylus mused, turning a page in his book. “Let’s count, shall we?”
You sigh. If there’s one thing Sylus excelled at, it was finding the perfect way to prod at your nerves. Unfortunately, you were too drained to snap back.
The page scratches uncomfortably as you flip it, shooting uncomfortable goosebumps down your arm. “Once I finish this chapter, I’ll go to bed.”
He hummed nonchalantly. “This wouldn’t happen to be the same chapter you were on the last time you made that promise, now, would it?”
You glared at him over the edge of your book. He knew very well it wasn’t. It’s not your fault the last chapter left on a cliffhanger. You just needed to find out what happened next, and then you could go to bed! Just one more chapter-
You covered your mouth with your hand to stifle your yawn.
“One.”
You grab the sides of your book with more force than necessary and bury your face in its pages. The words were a little blurry, forcing you to strain more to read them. Sentences were slower to process, especially when it came to deciphering how they connected to the plot. Who did and said what got mixed up more times than you want to admit. But you got through a page through sheer determination to spite the Onychinus leader.
“Two.”
Every time he spoke, you bristled. And yet every time you looked up at him, he couldn’t seem to be bothered to take any interest in you, engrossed in his own book. You wouldn’t be surprised if it was a novel on unique torture methods.
By the time Sylus counted to five, you couldn’t read the words anymore. Your vision was fuzzy no matter how many times you rubbed your eyes. Even if you could glimpse a word or two, the synapses in your brain couldn’t even begin to conceive of registering them.
A hand grabbed the book, thumb resting at the center of the pages as it was removed from your grasp. You couldn’t even think of snatching it back. The piece of paper you were using as a bookmark was picked up by another hand and slipped into your story, safely marking your place, before it was shut.
With nothing to distract yourself, your exhaustion caught up with you in an instant. Your body sagged into the sofa, eyes closing even as you fought to open them again.
“Come on, sweetie. Let’s get you to bed.”
Strong arms slipped under your knees and behind your back, lifting you effortlessly from the plush cushions. The movement startled you, rocketing your tired brain into a panic as you grabbed onto him. His arms tipped you further into his chest, your head landing solidly against his shoulder. The quick beating of his heart resonated in your ear.
“I won’t drop you.”
You watched him carry you through the halls of the mansion, counting the bars on the handrail as he began ascending the stairs. You sighed as you curled up further into Sylus’s arms, letting your eyes fall shut once more. “You better not…”
He chuckled. You felt it in your own chest.
The next moments are a haze. You remember the welcome embrace of a bed. Cool sheets, warm blankets, all holding you in a big hug. Your body had a mind of its own as it stretched out, toes pointing and back arching, before curling into a ball. When you reached out blindly, unsure yourself what you could be reaching for, a soft plushie made its way into your arms.
A warm hand brushed your hair back from your face. “Sleep tight, kitten.”