To Owe a Favor

Lilianna's POV

Adrin and Lona assured me that this dress is sturdy enough to sleep in, but the breezy fabric still looks like it could tear at the slightly bit of tension.

Adrin had stayed with me the entire day, showing me around the palace quietly. The entirety of the Kingdom was concealed within the mountain, the magic of the fae keeping the walls structurally sound.

The entire kingdom is asleep at this point, and I didn't want to bother Killian's parents with the task of flying me home. Especially after they continued yawning and gave me the directions to Killian's room.

The entire kingdom is silent, only the far off sounds of a few workers flying about outside.

Thinking that Killian would still be awake to take me home, I open the door with a slight grunt.

I'm rooted to my spot when the light from the hall spills into the room and illuminates Killian's bed. Or more specifically Killian sleeping in his circular bed.

The door swings closed behind me in my shock. The loud sound of it closing causes my heart to jump into my throat.

From what I could tell, the bed is a few yards in front of me, and Killian is sleeping on his side. The rest of the bed occupied by his large moth-like wings.

Without thinking, I walk blindly toward his bed. The frame knocking into my thighs when I take a step too close.

The bed jostles, and I wince nervously. Please wake up!

My eyes begin to adjust to the darkness, and I can just make out his outline.

His hands twitch slightly while he dreams, giving me the idea to grab one of his hands.

His entire body stills. I lean forward, trying to determine if he is still breathing when his body shifts dramatically off of the bed.

Pushing me backwards, Killian wakes with his wings beating heavily behind him, sounding like drums beating.

I stumble backwards on instinct even though his hand is holding mine tightly now.

The lights flare to life at the snap of Killian's fingers. When he realizes that I am the person in his room, he hand completely falls away from mine. Which is a relief at first, but quickly morphs into shock as my feet lose purchase on the tiled floors and I thump to the ground.

My head snaps back against the tiled floor and my vision immediately goes hazy. My back still feels sore from the knife wound that had healed well-enough beneath the bandages, but not enough to for me to fall back-first into the floor.

Killian's hands are on my waist, and I realize I had been groaning in pain. He pulls me off of the floor with my back facing his chest.

Killian grumbles as he pulls Adrin and Lona's dress away from my back. They had put enough fabric on it to cover the bandages, but now the fabric inhibited Killian's movements.

In one quick movement he pulls the carefully adhered bandages from my back, and I wriggle my shoulders to try to alleviate the pain.

Every small movement seems to agitate the wound, even the cool breeze in the room seems to hurt the now uncovered area.

"What are you doing? It's going to get infected! ...Killian!"

My breath is coming out in pants as I resist the pain and arch my back away from Killian's probing hands.

His voice sounds strained when he answers. "It already is."

I shake my head, "No. My parents cleaned and bandaged it. They would have known if it was infected."

I'm turned around once more until Killian can grip my forearms, "Are you allergic to healing herbs?"

My brow crinkles, "Of course not. Where did you get that idea-"

He flits out of the room with his powerful wings. Disturbing the air and causing pain to flare out on my back once again.

By the time Killian returns, the discomfort has resided enough for me to finally stand up awkwardly in the middle of Killian's room. He places a hand on my lower back to guide me to stand by the light on his desk that is adjacent to his bed, tilting my back toward the light so he can work.

My eyelids feel weighted as he starts to work a cold gel into my wound.

I yawn and shift forward slightly to rest my hands on his bed, only to be pulled back by Killian's hand on my shoulder, "Do not touch my bed."

"Germ freak." I yawn again but keep myself awake by shifting slightly from foot to foot.

"I have not shared my bed with anyone and I do not plan to share my bed with a human."

A giggle escapes me, "So you're a virgin."

His hand pauses on my back, "Where did you get that idea?" He sounds almost offended, but waits for my answer.

"You just said you have never shared your bed with anyone."

I feel his breath on my neck when he answers, the only indication that he's moved closer to me, "Do not confuse my words by adding profound meaning. I do not wish to share my bed. That does not mean I have not shared the bed of another."

My heart gallops as he says this. His voice taking on a husky whisper as he admits his truth within the walls of his bedroom.

A moment of silence spreads into the night before he continues placing healing herbs on my back, "No witty comment?" While his voice is questioning, there is a hint of mirth that relaxes me.

I wave my hands, "I just can't relate. Like all of those unused dresses, I kind of put my life on the shelf. Too sick to date anyone."

I pause before a giggle escapes me, "My first kiss was a mess too. I had just met this guy, I think sophomore year of high school... and he asked me out to the football game. It had been going well all night until he leaned in for a kiss," I break off with a fit of laughter. Unable to continue to story.

Killian stops rubbing my back, as if he can hear me better if he stops moving altogether, "What happened?" even with my back to him, I can tell that he is trying not to laugh at my expense. The ending of the story almost predictable.

"I sneezed- and- and-" another wave of embarrassed giggles causes my face to heat up, "snot flew straight into his mouth."

I finish the story with a burst of laughter that is accompanied by Killian's disgusted scoff that sounds suspiciously like a chuckle.

We compose ourselves for a moment before one small chuckle from Killian sends us both reeling with peals of laughter.

Killian rebandages my wound with fae cloth, and gathers up the dress that his mothers made for me.

"We should get you home."

I nod, my mood lighter than ever, and my health, for once, at its prime.