When I opened my eyes, I was in a bed with a blanket covering me. And someone bent over the side of the bed. I looked over just as Sven looked up at the small movement I made.

"Adara," he said in a hoarse voice, the hand he had wrapped around mine squeezing. "Why didn't you tell me?" he asked.

I sat up and reached over with my other hand to cover his, scanning his face. He looked like he'd been to hell and back. Heavy dark circles had taken up residence under his eyes and it looked like he hadn't shaved in days. I sighed, reaching up to cup the side of his face. A face I thought I'd never see again. Never touch again.

"Nobody was supposed to know," I murmured. "I was always told to keep it a secret. That it wasn't safe."

Sven shook his head, frowning.

"I thought the Original Bloodline was gone," he said in a wondering voice. "That only the weakest remnants still existed, mixed in with all the other lines."

"That's what you were supposed to think," I pointed out gently. "It was a concerted campaign to spread that rumor, with the help of King Narees, when the line was all but dead," I explained, mentioning the long-dead monarch that had made it possible. "History hasn't been kind to us. We were all but gone. Even with that false information...I might be the last. I don't know. I hope others simply keep it a secret as well."

Perhaps they'd been told to keep it a secret as well, like my grandfather had told me. The fewer who knew, the better.

At one point, humans had been known to imprison those like me for profit. To travel from city to city, burn them alive in traveling side shows. Only to leave the ashes out in the sun to regenerate, revealing the living phoenix to the shock and awe of the audience. I shuddered at the thought of going through this over and over. The pain of death. The agony of rebirth. All for humans’ amusement, for money. Another example of how terrible humans could be in their selfishness.

As if that wasn't enough, our own race betrayed us as well. One of the old stories—or myths, depending on who you asked—was that our blood could be mixed with the ashes of the recently deceased to bring people back. When left out in the sun, the concoction was rumored to bring those ashes back to life. To convey the gift of regeneration to the recently dead through artificial means.

So, yes. It was best to keep blood like mine under wraps.

"I guess the cat is out of the bag now," I murmured, realizing exactly how screwed I was. "If I'd been in my right mind, I would have come in through the back," I joked, half serious.

Sven's lips pressed into a thin line as he considered the ramifications of this knowledge now out for public consumption.

"Yes," he agreed unhappily. "Too many people saw you on your way inside. If it had just been the guard..." he shook his head. "There's nothing we can do about it. You do have a giant target on your back now," he agreed. "The thought that you could be used to bring back the dead..."

He trailed off, but I could guess what he was thinking. People had lost many loved ones recently. It wouldn't matter if it was a myth or not. Just the possibility would be enough to draw people out, to speak to that desperate voice inside that missed loved ones. Even the chance that they could bring back someone they loved... It would be too painful a hope for a certain type of person to ignore.

Sven sighed.

"It doesn't matter," he said resolutely. "I'll keep you safe." He had a hard look on his face, one that I never wanted directed at me. His face softened as he came back to now, back to me. "I don't know if you're up to it, but my advisers are currently having a meeting about what to do about this newest development." He searched my face. "Would you like to attend it?"

I smiled slightly. Not even a little bit. But I needed to be there.

"Sure," I agreed. "Why not be a part of this circus?"

His answering smile was wry. There was no denying this was going to be challenging at best. I dressed quickly in some borrowed clothes—at least I wouldn't have to go in there naked.

I took a step towards the door, but was pulled into a bear hug before I got near it. Sighing, I snuggled into Sven's chest, shutting my eyes tightly as I tried to absorb the feel of him. We stayed that way for some time, my face against Sven's chest, his buried against my hair. Finally, he stepped back, letting out a ragged breath.

"Sorry," he apologized. "I really...needed that."

"Me too," I murmured softly.

He smiled a little, taking a deep breath and letting it out. We finally ventured out of the bedroom and Sven led me to the meeting room, which ended up being in the private wing this time, so we didn't have to go far. He held my hand the entire way, the feel of even that much of his skin against mine comforting. I moved to let go when we neared the arguing voices, but Sven held on firmly.

"What's the point?" he asked simply when I gave him a look. "Everyone knows exactly how devastated I was when you..." he stopped, looking away. He cleared his throat before continuing. "That isn't a reaction one has about a co-worker," he finally finished.

"Sven..."

Even if I wanted to throw caution to the wind, the fact that my secret was out added a whole new complication to things. One that could endanger Sven. But...my heart broke at seeing the depth of the pain he'd felt flash through his eyes as he looked at me. He shook his head.

"Besides," he added with a slightly strained smile. "They have something much juicier to gossip about now."

That was exactly what I was afraid of. But now wasn't the time to bring it up. So I played along. I rolled my eyes, allowing him to change the subject. For now.

"Wonderful," I muttered under my breath as we stepped into the same room where we'd entertained Mia and Ashur.

They were going at it full tilt already. What a wonderful homecoming.

"We can't have her at the palace! She'll be too much of a security risk!" Blaise pointed out.

"So you want to just send her out there to fend for herself?" Arie demanded, her face tight. "After she saved the king?"

Other voices broke into the pandemonium of the argument. There were a couple people who looked like they'd been promoted added to the mix. Not one person glanced at us when we stepped in, too absorbed in discussing what to do with me to notice our entrance. Never mind the fact that I would do what I wanted with myself, thanks. Even if that meant leaving the palace. But there was no denying I was painfully vulnerable now. I felt more naked than I ever had, even when walking through the city without a stitch on. My best defense had always been keeping my secret. If nobody knew, nobody would attack. Simple.

But now... Now I was a very tempting resurrection potion, just walking around on two legs. Sven stood there with my hand in his and listened. His eyes slowly narrowed. His hand clenched on mine. Until he'd finally had enough.

"Adara is staying here. With me," he announced, his voice pitched to carry over the bickering. "I do not care about your opinion on the matter. If we have to beef up security, we will do so. If we have to make other adjustments, we will make those as well. But she will stay here with me. That is not negotiable."

The group quieted as they turned to see us both. There was a moment of stunned silence as everyone's eyes turned to me, distracting them from Sven's words. I supposed I was going to have to get used to those stares.

Blaise opened his mouth, probably to say something that Sven wouldn't like. He was good at that.

"You may all leave," Sven said into the silence, before even Blaise could get a word out. "Now, please."

There was a snap of command to that tone, one everyone responded to. Within twenty seconds, everyone was out of the room, hurrying away. Probably to argue some more with each other when they were out of our range. Within another minute, they were all out of the wing, leaving Sven and me alone again.

I wandered over to the windows, looking out at the view below. I lifted a hand to the glass, feeling the cool slickness of it under my palm. I still hadn't fully processed what had happened. I'd actually...died. I was lucky to be alive. I felt Sven come up next to me.

"You will stay here, won't you?" he asked after a few beats of silence. So he had noticed that I hadn't exactly agreed to that arrangement. "I love you, Adara. I want you by my side. If I've learned anything from this...it's that I don't want to waste even a second of the time I have with you."

What was I supposed to do when he said those kinds of things to me? I was only a woman. I turned to him, my heart full and aching.

"I love you too, Sven." I took a deep breath. "But..."

"But what?" he demanded, his hand coming up to cup the side of my face.

"But they were right," I finished, looking into his eyes. "I am a vulnerability, though I don't even know if that's the right word for it. I'm a reason for people with bad intentions to come here. Like bait for predators."

"So am I," Sven retorted. "In case you didn't notice, that protest earlier was about me."

I snorted out a laugh.

"Stop thinking so hard," Sven ordered, sliding an arm around my waist and pulling me in against his front. "Sometimes, you have to stop thinking and do what feels right. What your gut tells you. And mine tells me that I'll be happier with you by my side than I would be if I was alone and a little safer. There is no comparing the two. And this is one area of my life I'm not willing to sacrifice for the good of the phoenix race. It's none of their goddamn business who I want in my bed with me."

He sounded angry and fed up just saying it. I completely understood. I settled my face against his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat.

I wanted to.

I really did.

But it was so selfish to do something just because I wanted to, not take into account all of the downsides for everyone else, when that was what I'd spent my whole life doing.

"Yes," I heard myself murmur before I even realized I'd decided to take Sven's advice and stop thinking. And I felt an immediate loosening of the tension around my heart.

Well. It seemed that perhaps this was a new me.

Sven squeezed me tight in his relief, and then slid a hand into the hair at the back of my head, using it to tilt my head back. I saw a brief glimpse of his glittering eyes, full of an almost desperate passion that called to my own.

"Adara..." he whispered.

And then his mouth was on mine.

And I'd never felt more alive.