~ ROWAN
Nyssa passed out a few minutes into the drive.
I watched her out of the corner of my eye, tracking every breath she took and making sure that she was alive and not a figment of my imagination.
I was braced for a fight, prepared for shit to go wrong and she just came out of the woods like she hadn't been missing for days on end. A part of me was wary, hesitant even that something terrible would happen, but the other part was just fucking relieved to see her alive.
"You're the King."
It took me a moment to remember that there was someone in the backseat with us. She hadn't said a single word except to introduce herself. She just clutched her daughter for dear life and sat completely still.
"I am," I said after a beat of silence.
"I thought you would be… scarier. They said you were a monster."
"Not all monsters have horns and scales."
Her lips curved into a sad smile. "Trust me, I know that. I've seen a few monsters myself."
