Chapter 62

Maxi was awoken from a deep sleep by the kittens' cries. As she squinted into the bright light streaming in through the windows, she thought her head might split open. She groaned and gripped her temples.

Something was scraping the insides of her stomach, and her head throbbed as if someone had brought a hammer down on it. She had never felt such discomfort in her life. Overwhelmed, her face crumpled. Suddenly, a cup of water was thrust in front of her face. She slowly turned her head to see Riftan looking down at her, a brooding expression on his face and three lively kittens dangling off his leg.

"Is my carousing lady finally awake?"

Maxi stiffened as memories of the previous night came flooding back. Riftan placed the cup of water in her hand.

"You were quite the sight last night. I didn't know you loved to drink so much."

He spoke in a voice so soft that Maxi began to feel uneasy.

"I-I don't! Y-Yesterday was the first time I-I d-drank that much."