Estelle sat on her window seat, resting her forehead against her knees. The shadows were quiet, thankfully, and remained still on her arms. She was feeling worse by the minute, her head and back aching now, as well as her abdomen.

Estelle had thrown up three more times since she reached the cottage and she hadn't bothered trying to go back to the training rings. If she got into trouble, she guessed she could just throw up on Commander Ameer's boots and use that as an excuse.

Footsteps drummed on the staircase. Estelle didn't lift her head, even as someone knocked on the door. "Not now," she called.

"Are you feeling any better?" Mikael poked his head into her room.

"You're not supposed to be in here." She looked up, finally.

"Do you want me to leave?"

"No. Did you need something?"

He nodded. "I have something I want to show you."

Estelle sighed, lowering her head again. "Can it wait? I don't feel like doing very much right now."

"You don't have to do very much, Batsy." Mikael offered her his hand. "I promise you'll like it."

Estelle managed a small smile. "All right." She took Mikael's hand and let him pull her out the door.

Once they left the cottage, Mikael spread his wings. Estelle knit her brows, but flew after him. The training grounds receded behind them and they soared through the clouds. He was taking her to the Palace. Estelle suppressed a shiver as cold air swirled beneath her wings. Her stomach clenched with a stab of pain. Mikael glanced back at her. She simply waved him on.

At last, the opalescent Palace appeared before them. They landed on Mikael's balcony and entered his room. "What is it you wanted to show me?" Estelle asked.

Mikael guided her into the bathroom, his hand resting on the small of her back. Estelle's eyes widened in surprise. The room was permeated by sweet heady scents. The large raised tub was filled with steaming water, laced by a variety of herbs and flower petals. Candles burned on the rim. She spied a few bowls of cold fruits and chocolates lingering on tables nearby.

"What is this?" She whispered.

"Celeste and Sienna told me why you were feeling so poorly after you left. I kicked you in the gut. I had to make up for that," Mikael replied. "The food is spelled to stay cool, and the water is spelled to stay warm. There are herbs in it that should ease your nausea and cramping. There's tea that can help with that as well."

"And chocolates?" Estelle giggled.

"I asked Lysander what kind you liked."

"How did you know what types of things would help?"

"I did some quick studying before getting everything ready."

Estelle looked back at him, a bright smile crossing her lips. "I love it."

"I thought you might." Mikael pressed a kiss to her cheek, then her neck. "I'll be out here if you need anything." He backed away, closing the door behind himself.

Estelle stared at the tub for several minutes, then shrugged out of her leathers and jumpsuit. She stepped into the warm water with a sigh of relief. Estelle rested her head on the lip of the tub, folding her wings over herself. The shadows drifted past her ears, whispering softly.

No one has ever done anything like this for me, Estelle thought with a smile. Most males prefer not to acknowledge female problems. At least, in my experience anyway.

He is not most males, the shadows pointed out. Prince of Sunrises. Angel of Dawn. Your Prince. Your Angel. Your equal.

Estelle straightened and picked up a cup of tea from one of the tables. She sipped it cautiously. She had never been fond of tea, but Mikael said it might help. She licked her lips thoughtfully. It was sweeter than the teas she had tried in the past. Whether that was Mikael's doing or just how the tea itself tasted, she didn't know.

Estelle sampled one of the chocolates next. It melted in her mouth, leaving behind a hint of peppermint. Lysander had chosen well. She sat back again, feeling more relaxed than she had in a long time.

She stayed in the tub until most of her pain had seemingly vanished. Finally, Estelle climbed out and wrapped a towel around herself. She grabbed her undergarments and reached for her jumpsuit, then paused.

There was another door in the bathroom that led into Mikael's closet. He'd shown it to her the first time he brought her to his room. Estelle smiled and opened that door. She grabbed one of Mikael's shirts and tugged it on. The loose clothing hung just below her hips. The neckline was wide, leaving her shoulders mostly exposed.

She held the clean fabric to her nose and inhaled. It smelled like him, morning dew and crisp mountain air. She picked up her family pendant and clasped it around her neck, letting it disappear beneath Mikael's shirt. Estelle ran her fingers through her hair as she emerged from the bathroom.

Mikael was lounging on his bed, a book in hand. He looked up and a cocky grin spread across his lips. "That's mine, Batsy."

"Do I need to take it off?" She raised her eyebrows, smirking.

"Don't tempt me," he chuckled. "Do you feel any better now?"

"Yes." Estelle joined him on the bed. "You are a miracle worker, Feathers." She kissed him, then twisted so that she was laying halfway on top of him.

Mikael set his book aside. He began to massage her shoulders, his hands unusually warm. "That's a trick I learned from Eris Vanserra," he said, as though sensing her thoughts. "He showed me how I can heat my hands, or body, to different temperatures without manifesting flames or burning someone."

"A useful skill," Estelle murmured, half closing her eyes.

Mikael's lips brushed over her shoulder, then met the crook of her neck. One of his hands left her shoulders to rest against her stomach. Soothing heat spread throughout Estelle. She closed her eyes completely, relaxing against Mikael. It wasn't long before sleep found her.

◦═══✦═══◦

Mikael blinked his eyes open, hearing a door creak. Thesan glanced inside the room. He saw a smile on his father's lips before the door closed again. Mikael's gaze flickered to Estelle. She was still asleep, the shadows nestled in her hair and around her face.

He nudged one of them aside and kissed her cheek before inching his way off the bed. Mikael left the room and made his way down the hall. A sitting room door hung open up ahead. He could see his fathers inside.

Mikael entered and they both looked up. "I thought you were sleeping," Thesan said.

"You woke me up."

"Oh, sorry."

"It's all right." Mikael dropped into a chair across from his fathers. They both watched him with bright smiles. "What?"

"You and Estelle seem to have grown a lot closer," Ameer said. "You train with each other more than with anyone else. You spend a lot of time together afterwards. You've been showing her around the Palace."

"Don't think I haven't noticed all the little side glances you give her when she's practicing her magic," Thesan piped in. "Or that shadow on your arm."

Mikael blushed as Umbra gave him a prompting squeeze. "We have grown close." His fathers waited patiently. "We care for each other."

"Are you together?" Thesan asked.

Mikael nodded. "Since we last returned from Windhaven. Are you...all right with that?"

"Why wouldn't we be?" Ameer asked. "She obviously makes you happy. As we've told you before, we like her."

Mikael gave a sigh of relief. "I'm glad to hear you say that."

"Do her parents know?" Thesan asked.

"Not yet. She didn't have time to tell them before we left Windhaven. She plans to next time we're there." They both nodded in response. "It's so strange..." Mikael began.

Thesan tilted his head. "What is?"

"My feelings for her. My...instincts." He lowered his gaze, resting his elbows on his knees. "I've never felt this way towards anyone. Not even the females I've been with in the past. I... Calden reminded me of something recently."

Ameer gave him an encouraging look. Mikael rubbed his forehead, trying to unscramble his thoughts. "The first time we went to Windhaven, Estelle sparred with this male, Ze'ev. They have a history together. Not a good one. When Ze'ev began to get the upper hand in their fight, I tried to cut in. Calden held me back. I don't remember trying to reach her, but he says that I fought his grip the entire time they were sparring. He said I only stopped when Estelle left the ring."

"And then there was one night when she didn't come back to the hut and I just knew something was wrong. I don't know how I knew, but I did. I had this feeling that I couldn't shake. When I went looking for Estelle, I found her drunk and in the middle of a fight with Ze'ev and several others. A fight that she was sorely losing."

Anger burned through his stomach, just thinking about that night. How those males had watched Estelle. How they'd pinned her down and drove daggers through her wings. How Ze'ev tore her leathers and pressed rough kisses to her skin.

Thesan leaned forward, touching Mikael's knee. "Keep going."

Mikael flashed his father a grateful look and continued. "I wanted to kill them. It took every ounce of self control I had not to. After I healed Estelle, it was all I could do to stay in the hut and not go looking for them. I barely knew her, barely trusted her, and I wanted to kill those males for what they had done."

He pressed his palm flat against his chest. "There's this strange feeling I've been getting now too. It's like this...tether. A tether in my chest that has always been there, and yet it's new. I can feel it. I can feel her. Not completely, but well enough."

Thesan and Ameer exchanged knowing glances. "You've researched it, haven't you?" Ameer asked. Mikael gave a hesitant nod. "What did you find out?"

"I..." Mikael bit his lip.

"You already know why you feel this way. You know why your instincts are so strong. You know, don't you?" Thesan asked. "You know who she is. What she is." Mikael swallowed, not answering. "Consider it, Mikael. You'll acknowledge the truth soon enough."

Mikael nodded, then left the room. He tried to ignore the way his heart was full of hopeful flutters, and how that tether within his chest seemed to grow stronger and burn with a brilliant light.