Page 65 of Haunted

A creak breaks the silence, and I part my citadel’s doors. Darkness greets me, but it’s canceled out as I focus on Niawen’s inner light.

My heart hammers. She’s flown long into the night and has arrived. I shall finally look on Niawen in the flesh.

I freeze in the open doorway, overwhelmed by her grace, her light. Strong, though blemished. I blink and focus on her brilliance, comparing it to my darkness and the darkness around her in the courtyard. Shadow falling away from the light. As I cross the threshold, her face becomes clear in the light of the fire baskets.

My heart sputters. Its heavy thuds almost knock me to my knees.

She is glorious. An aberration. I can’t believe she came to me as her last resort. I don’t hold this against her. I bask in what will now be mine.

Despite the damage to her heart-center, the light underneath is brighter than that of Mother Siana’s.

A rippling insanity brews under my skin, mirroring her emotions in turmoil. I find myself pulled toward Niawen.

Her dragon nudges her in the back, but both are speechless.

I smile. “You made it. Don’t stand there astonished. I’ve been expecting you for weeks. Your entrance into the mortal realms didn’t escape my notice. I knew you’d find your way here sooner or later.”

She doesn’t move. “You’re not Siana.”

My breath catches.

Her words are musical, and I laugh because she’s confused. “I’m her descendent.”

“Descendent?”

I nod. “Yes. I’m Caedryn.” I step toward her and sweep my arms wide in welcome. “And who might you be?”

“Niawen.” She points to her dragon. “And Seren.”

Niawen—her name means fair beauty. Her countenance fights to shine from under her cloak of blackness. She appears delicate, with porcelain skin, but her immortal emrys heritage makes her nearly unbreakable.

“Well, Niawen and Seren,” I say, “welcome to Islwyn, capital of Rolant. It’s not as elegant as King Sieffre’s city, I’m told, but my home is quite a comfortable place to stay the winter.”

“Where’s Siana?” Her eyes rove over me, and I take pleasure in her assessment. I’m wearing a finely embroidered tunic and woolen britches in olive green. My boots lace up my shins. My physique is not like those mortal men’s she was fraternizing with. I am tall and thin. She’s used to her men being warriors, not bookish scholars.

I hold back a quip on my tongue, though I would love to tease her. It’s too soon to be clever with my words. I do not know how she’ll react. Especially with her anguished heart.

“Siana lives beyond the wilderness.” I skip down the five front steps. “It would take some time to travel there. Why don’t you come inside, and I’ll tell you about her. You must rest. Please.” I gesture to the entrance. Her mood is precarious. I’m worried she’ll collapse, and an unstable maiden is not safe in my arms.

“You’re an emrys,” she says.

I stop three feet in front of her, grinning like a fool. “I’m a half-emrys.”

“Half?”

“Half.” I’m pleased with her puzzlement. It’s distracting her. “My mother was mortal.”

“You can bond with mortals?” A carefully placed support, a breath she was holding, breaks inside her. Tears bubble up and fall with grief-stricken sobs.

Her tears increase in ferocity. I hold myself back. Niawen is too distraught to see my hesitation, but visions of the empress, and how I took her in my arms when she cried, accost me. Even after all the centuries, those memories are fresh.

Those visions only lead to turmoil.

Niawen opens her mouth, and words pour out. “I was exiled. My father doesn’t love me. I killed… I killed people.” She sucks in a breath. “Everything’s dark. My heart-center… everything hurts. It’s crushing me.”

Her hands twist. She pushes wind-whipped hair out of her face. “I thought I was alone. Your light. Led me here. I thought… I thought you were Siana. I was afraid.” She hiccoughs. “Afraid to be alone. Afraid of death.”

I foolishly open my arms, and she falls into them. I wrap her tight against my shoulder. Her touch burns through my soul as though acid. Why did I think I could endure her contact? How could I not have anticipated the effect her skin’s warmth would have?

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