Rinnie had fallen asleep in Hugo's arms. Keeping her on top of his body, he rested his back against the headboard. He raised the quilt over her shoulder, stroking her bare back gently.
"I don't want to be alone, Hugh. It scares me."
Hugo leaned his head down to sniff the scent of her hair, hearing her previous words in his head like a broken record. A glint flickered across his eyes at the sight of her lash scars under her buttocks. A hidden part of her body.
"Everfell..." he muttered in a menacing tone but was still stroking her back gently. "... what the hell is that place hiding?"
The more Hugo get to know Rinnie and the people coming after her, the more questions arose in his head. Not just questions, but also realization. At first, he thought Rinnie was a pampered princess who never felt pain in her life. He also considered that her parents were just overprotective to keep her away from the restrictive life within the palace.
