Tamar walked into your shared quarters sleepily, her only interest in finding you and collapsing on top of your body.

Also maybe get some help with the cut on her side.

She had been supposed to spend tonight with you, but the king had broken free of his sleeping chains and fled the palace.

Nikolai had been bit by one of The Darkling’s Oprichniki, and ever since he’d been turning into a monster of some sort ever night.

Some nights, a potent-enough sleep remedy could knock him out, and some nights he broke free of the chains that he was locked into to prevent a rampage.

Tamar, Toyla, and Zoya had gone out in a carriage to find him, and had only just now gotten back. He had been… pillaging a poor farm’s livestock. And by that, he had been scarfing down their sheep- fleece and all.

Both Tamar and her brother had needed to use their Grisha magic to almost stop his heart, so they could get him back to the palace.

Toyla and Zoya were locking him back into bed right now.

You had been up late, doing paperwork and waiting for your beloved Heartrender to return. You set down your quill and closed the ink pot when she entered, getting up from the desk.

You helped her undress, pulling her tunic over her head. You made a face with you saw the gash on her side and she winced. “I know, I know. Should’ve been more careful, right?”

You frowned, pressing a kiss to the corner of of her lips. You left her standing there for a moment, coming back from the attached bathroom with some bandages.

You kneeled so you were at eye-level with the gash, shushing her gently as you cleaned off her wound with antiseptic.

Then, you started to bandage the gash. You put a larger cotton pad over the now-sterilized wound, securing it by wrapping gauze around her middle.

You pushed yourself up, her head falling sleepily onto your shoulder. The hand that wasn’t on her shoulder came to hold her head to your neck, smiling when she tilted her head up.

Saints, you loved those golden eyes more than anything.