When Ryleigh awoke and turned to her side, there was a stone-faced woman sitting on a chair beside the fire. She blinked, but the woman was still there. Ryleigh guessed she was a warrior, judging from her muscled physique, disciplined look, and the scars littering her limbs at random.

"Ah, you're awake," she said. "Took you long enough." She reached for a sheet of paper beside her. "Austin left some instructions, because apparently you come with a manual." She unfolded it and glanced it over. "I'm to inquire after your health. Ridge is busy with house calls, but he told me to link him should you feel unwell."

"I'm fine. Who are you?"

She ignored the question, flipping her braided hair over her shoulder and peering at the list in her hands. "I'm also to make sure you drink enough. There's water on your nightstand." She stared Ryleigh down until the latter sat up, spotting a jug filled with water on the nightstand and pouring a glass.

"Are you going to introduce yourself?"

"That's not on the list. Thirdly, food. I'm to ask if you want something to eat." She squinted at the list. "Actually, scratch that. I'm not to ask, I'm to ensure."

"I'm not hungry."

"If you don't eat, it'll reflect poorly on me. I already linked the kitchen to bring you something."

"But I'm not hungry."

"Yes, and I'm not a babysitter. Guess we both just have to deal with it. Next –"

"No, no. Forget the list," Ryleigh said, waving her hand in between sips of water. "Who are you?"

"Sky. Now..."

"O, you're Ridge's daughter! The one I hurt."

"You only hurt me because I was trying not to kill you."

Ryleigh pulled her lips into a pout, nodding slowly. "Sure."

"I'm serious."

"O, yes, I've noticed. You're more serious than my condition. I'll have you know I could take you on a good day."

Sky's eyebrows inched up. "When's the last time you had a good day?"

"Been a while. But if I'd met you two months ago, I would've been a worthy opponent."

"I believe that. Now, Austin mentioned some kind of new arrangement. You are not to be left alone."

"Yes, but he mentioned having two guards follow me, not one woman."

"Are you insinuating I am less capable of guarding you than men?"

A slow smile spread over Ryleigh's face. "I wouldn't dare."

"Good. You do have two guards, they're in front of your door. Austin didn't want them in the room with you while you slept, so here I am. Because apparently I have nothing better to do than sit here and watching a stranger sleep."

There was a knock on the door, followed by a servant entering with a tray of food.

"Put it on the nightstand," Sky said.

"Actually, put it on the desk, please," Ryleigh said.

The servant halted, brow furrowed, glancing from Sky to Ryleigh and back.

"The nightstand," Sky said.

"The desk."

"For the love of the Goddess, do not test me." Sky shot a glare to Ryleigh, then glimpsed at the servant again. "Put it on the nightstand, no matter what she says."

"I'm your beta's mate," Ryleigh said, raising her eyebrows. "Desk please."

The servant looked like she was about to cry, the tray trembling in her shaky hands.

"Fine, put it on the desk," Sky said. "Rest assured I will inform Austin of your behaviour, Ryleigh."

"Please do." Ryleigh grinned and put her cup down on the nightstand. "I sure like pissing him off."

Sky inhaled slowly and deeply, shaking her head. The servant hurried out of the room as quicky as she could, and the door was closed firmly behind her again.

"Austin said you're supposed to be on your best behaviour," she said. "Something about a deal the two of you made."

Ryleigh's smile froze, then faltered. "Well, that's no fun." She raised her arms above her head and stretched. Her muscles ached, but it was the kind of pain that came after a long run or good training. "Anything else on your list?"

Sky eyed her for a second. "I'm not bothering with the list anymore."

"No, come on, you can use the list."

"You're mocking me."

"I'm not! I'm mocking your list, maybe, but certainly not you."

"It's Austin's list, not mine. I'm just following orders."

"Even better, mocking Austin is becoming one of my favourite pastimes. Can I see it?" She bent forward and stretched out her arm as far as she could towards Sky, who, after a brief hesitation, did the same and handed her the list.

"He has neat handwriting." Ryleigh settled back against the headboard and pulled her legs up to her chest. Slightly cursive, simple, no smudges. "Number four, arrange for her to take a bath. Is that his subtle way of saying I smell?"

"You do stink. I already linked the servants, they should be here any second."

"Wow. Bit rude, but alright then." She returned to the list, tapping her hand against it. "This is ridiculous. What does he think – that we have no brains to get ourselves through the day? Such a man."

"At least he cares."

The door opened again and a couple of servants came in with buckets of steaming water. They disappeared into the bathroom, emptied their buckets and disappeared again. Ryleigh waited for the door to fall shut behind them.

"This whole ordeal does make it seem that way, doesn't it? Funny how the mate bond works."

"You can't blame the mate bond for everything. Austin cares about people. He's responsible for you and he tends to take his duties seriously. Honestly, you're lucky. You could have done much worse."

"Lucky? Lucky to have found a mate who's already taken, who keeps me prisoner, and who patronises me with a stupid list?"

"Lucky to have found a mate who took you out of Alder's prison despite being taken, who has made sure you got medical attention, who lets you sleep in the mansion rather than the jail, and who cares enough to write a list for the unqualified babysitter to make sure you get what you need. Besides, he is surprisingly territorial for someone who has no interest in you."

Ryleigh frowned at the paper clenched in her hand, slowly crumbling from distress. "Guess it's a matter of perspective. By the way, isn't Julie pretty much your sister – being your brother's mate and all? Shouldn't you be on her side?"

"Ridge couldn't help himself again, could he? I am on her side."

"So what? You don't think she and Austin should mate?"

"I think it's not my place to have an opinion on the matter."

"How correct of you. You needn't say it. Ridge doesn't like them together either. Far as I can tell, no one really does. Wonder why that is."

"They like to be together, and that is the important thing," Sky said, and her tone allowed no continuation.

Ryleigh folded the list and handed it back to Sky. "I think Austin missed his calling. He should have been a doctor."

"I have a natural dislike of people who hide their true feelings behind humour," Sky said, taking the paper.

Ryleigh laughed, if only because she didn't know what else to do when presented with such blunt honesty. "And I have a natural dislike for people who think they are better than others. We should get along splendidly, what do you think?"

"I think not."

"Not with that attitude, no."

The door opened once more to allow water-carrying servants in.

"I don't think I'm better than others," Sky said, tapping the paper against the armrest of her chair.

"Good. And I don't hide my true feelings behind humour. I just happen to be very funny."

Sky rose from her seat and walked to the bathroom, which was adjacent to Austin's bedroom, and checked the room for anything Ryleigh could use to escape or arm herself. She leant against the doorpost and glanced at Ryleigh. "People say I have no sense of humour, so I have little hopes of being able to understand you."

"Most days I hardly understand myself, so I'm sure you'll be fine. How's my bath looking?"

"Nearly ready. I'll link someone to bring you a clean set of clothes. Don't forget to drink."

"Yes, I remember." Ryleigh picked up her cup again and raised it as to toast. "Here's to peeing all day."

A third wave of servants flooded the room and then the bath was done. Ryleigh slipped out of bed, her legs contemplating whether to show up for work or take the day off.

"Are you dizzy? Should I link Ridge?"

Ryleigh waved it away and walked past her into the bathroom. "It'll pass."

"Perhaps you'd feel better if you ate something."

"Still not hungry, but I applaud your perseverance. Are you going to watch me bathe?"

Sky had followed her into the bathroom and closed the door behind them. She was still holding the list and gestured to it with her free hand. "Number five: don't let you out of my sight."

"Right. I have to say, I'm not loving that list."

Getting no response from Sky, she shrugged and pulled her nightgown over her head. The bathroom quickly filled with hot steam so she didn't feel cold. She dipped a hand into the hot water, letting out a sigh of contentment. Holding onto the rim of the tub for dear life, she raised her leg to step in. The scalding hot water morphed around her leg and she hissed, but it was the best kind of pain. She slowly let herself slide down into the water, releasing a long breath.

"You're very thin, are you sure you won't eat?"

"Still sure." She rested her head against the edge of the bath and glimpsed at Sky. "So, why don't you think Austin and Julie should be together?"

"I already said –"

"Yes, but I'm nosy. I would make my own observations, but I've heard Julie isn't here, which, to be frank, strikes me as really odd. What woman would willingly step aside for someone else?"

"That's Julie for you. Always does what's right. Apparently she thinks that if after a month you and Austin still don't work out, she won't have to feel guilty about being with him. She's afraid that if Austin never even considers you, he might grow to regret it later. She has a point."

"We won't work out," Ryleigh said. "Not in a month, not in a year, not in a lifetime. I don't want him any more than he wants me. She shouldn't have bothered. If she'd stayed, I'd have told her as much."

"You shouldn't speak so lightly about fate. Your insistence on rejecting each other is an insult to everyone who no longer have mates. Lots of us have lost our mates to war and there is little we wouldn't do to have them back, and the two of you are just throwing it away." She pushed a breath through her nose, shaking her head. "The list also says to take you outside if you behave and are up for it. Austin says fresh air might do you good."

Ryleigh blinked at Sky's choppy transition. "Alright," she said. "Maybe." She drew her hands through the water, then held her breath and slipped down, ruffling her hands through her hair. When she resurfaced, Sky quietly handed her a bar of soap.

"Scrub good, please, you really do stink."

"Noted." Ryleigh took care to clean herself thoroughly, noting with some embarrassment how dark the water coloured after a while. Once finished, she crossed her arms over the rim of the bath, resting her chin on her hands and looking at Sky. "Austin is the one who doesn't want me. He has a chosen mate. Besides, even if he didn't, it wouldn't change anything. Despite appearances, I have a plan for my life, and he doesn't fit into it."

"Mates rarely fit perfectly into your life. Relationships come with sacrifice."

Ryleigh let herself slid further into the water, fixing her eyes on the wall opposite her. "There are some things I'm not willing to sacrifice." 

_____

A/N: Sky is another favourite of mine. What do you think of her? 

Thanks for reading!