Chapter 221 - Two Hundred And Twenty One
A soft, contented sigh escaped Suzy’s lips as she burrowed deeper into her pillow, chasing the last traces of a pleasant dream. She yawned, stretching languidly beneath the warm duvet. But something was different this morning. The pillow... it smelled distinctly, wonderfully, of Ryan. Of his familiar scent of sandalwood, old books, and the faint, crisp aroma of the outdoors.
"Am I missing him that much that I smell him every now and then?" she mumbled into the plush fabric, her eyes still closed. It had been weeks since she’d last seen him properly, his duties for the King keeping him at the palace, or so she’d been told. She snuggled further, inhaling deeply, a comforting warmth spreading through her. This pillow was remarkably... solid. And warm.
Then, a soft moan, not her own, vibrated through the "pillow" and into her ear.
Her eyes snapped open.
Someone was in her bed.
Panic, cold and sharp, lanced through her. Her heart leaped into her throat. This wasn’t her familiar, empty bed at the Chateau Valeré. This was an invasion. A man’s face, partially turned away, lay on the pillow beside her own, sleeping soundly. Dark hair, strong jawline...
Instinct took over. She scrambled backwards, a strangled gasp caught in her throat, until her back hit the ornate headboard. Then, she screamed. A full-throated, terrified shriek that shattered the morning peace. "Ahhhh!!! Help!!! A robber! Guards! Help me!"
Her hand fumbled for a weapon, finding only the offending pillow. She seized it and threw it with all her might at the sleeping intruder’s head.
"Wha—?!" The man jolted awake, sputtering, his eyes flying open in alarm as the pillow connected squarely with his face. He sat up, disoriented, running a hand through his tousled hair.