Chapter 71

Scarlett's POV The first light of dawn touched the edges of my curtains, but I stayed curled under the blankets for a moment longer. Lucien had never left my side since the events of last night. He had been watching me and holding my hand—trying to comfort me, to make me feel like I wasn't alone. He never left, not even after the mark on the back of my neck had eased up. "You're awake… How do you feel now?" Lucien asked from the doorway, holding a cup of water as he walked toward me and handed it to me. I accepted and drank it before I spoke. I noticed that my throat ached, and my voice was hoarse. "The pain's gone now… What's up?" "Just checking on you. You sure you're okay?" he asked, glancing at me with concern. I nodded. "I'm fine. I want to go outside and check on the people." "I'll go with you," he said, even assisting me as I got out of bed. I paused and looked at him helplessly. "Just so you remember, I'm not disabled, nor is my life at stake. I'm really okay." "I know you're o