Chapter 75: A Long Torturous Night

"Well, the contortionist is safe but we have another problem,” Nelson said, coming back into his office.

I stopped glaring at Tallis and turned my attention back to Nelson. He stood beside his desk, tapping his finger on a stack of papers.

"What's wrong?" Tallis demanded gruffly.

"There's been a landslide, not too far from here. Only about a mile away," he said somberly.

“A landslide? Is anyone hurt?” I asked, perking up.

"It happened late at night when no one was around. It does cover the road we were going to take to our next location, but no one was injured," Nelson assured with a nod.

I sighed and relaxed into the chair. The landslide must have been on my pack territory. They weren't common, but I remembered one from my childhood that hurt a lot of people.

I was relieved to learn that it hadn't caused a lot of casualties this time.

"The road isn't a well traveled road, but It will be a while before they clear it, so we will be stuck here until it is cleared," he explained, "Anyway, we aren't planning to leave until the ceremony ends. So hopefully by then, the roads are cleared."

Tallis nodded in understanding. I couldn't tell whether he was upset about the news or not. For some reason, I was a bit happy.

"Now, because space is tight, your little friend is going to have to bunk with you, Tallis," Nelson said, winking at me again and swiftly changing the subject.

"What? No. That is unacceptable," Tallis argued, shaking his head. His brow creased deeply.

"You know how it is. The two of us are the only ones with actual rooms. The rest of the performers share a tent out on the lawn," Nelson said, arching an eyebrow at Tallis.

He grumbled and shook his head. Clearly he didn't like that idea either.

"If that doesn't appeal to you either, he can always stay with me," Nelson suggested, smirking at his brother.

Tallis snorted and glared at the floor..

It was a bit odd to have Nelson refer to me as 'he.' I needed to get used to it now that I was in disguise. Normally, when I was in disguise, I tried to avoid interacting with anyone. It had been to prevent people from recognizing me, not for me to role play long-term.

"Those are all our options," Nelson shrugged.

will stay with me," he ground out through gritted teeth, his jaw tensing, eyes refusing to

glanced over at Nelson who smirked again and winked at me. My jaw loosened as I realized he'd planned that

didn't even want to know

his brother was meddling with his love life now, and things

of you will bunk together. I'm going to head off to bed and I'm going to assume

back popping. Tallis was still standing there, looking grumpy. He might not have been tired, but I was

I was ready to

on," he said forcefully, motioning for me to follow

thick, velvety curtains. It was a cramped room with just one twin sized bed, which hardly fit in the small

sat on the edge of the bed. I yawned again and rubbed my weary

toward the curtain door. Being inside a tent,

having me bunk with you, you had other options," I

should rest," he told

how he didn't really answer my question. He also refused to look at me. I laid down on the bed and looked up at the

still hadn't moved and I wondered if I was being too needy or presumptuous, taking his bed. I got up and sat down on the ground.

and actually offer the bed to me. He didn't seem like the selfless type. When he didn't say anything at all, it was hard

could have been lying on a bed or razor sharp rocks and it wouldn't have mattered. For the first time in days, I actually felt as long as he was here, there wasn't anything I needed to

relaxed, my eyes dropped

*Theo

kept my eyes averted until Ciana's breathing evened out. Glancing at her, I saw her chest rising and falling evenly. Her eyelids rippled as underneath, her eyes shifted back and forth. She

wished she'd wash that crap off. Right now, I was Tallis, I wasn't Theo. I couldn't ask her why she was disguised as a boy or anything else that would

legs out on the ground. She looked peaceful but

through the tent and she shuddered. Turning on her side again, Ciana hugged her

my cheek and glanced around. Could I really just leave her on the ground to freeze? No,

and brought her over to that tiny, sorry excuse for a

mumbled something in her sleep and curled into me, whispering

smile tugged at my lips, but

my shirt as I lowered her onto the bed. She nuzzled her nose against my chest and wouldn't

tried to pull back once I was sure the thin, springy mattress was supporting her.

a protest and her hands pulled on my shirt. I wasn't balanced and

around me like a boa constrictor. Clearly, she'd been

could get away from her without waking her. Seeing as I was supposed to be a stranger, if she woke up

desperately to my shirt. Despite myself, the heavy

to be a

and my desire ached for release. It should have been driving me

I warned myself, but no matter how I tried, my body wouldn't move an inch

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