Page 31 of Feathers and Thorns

“Not great,” he admitted. “I knew they were set to marry, but I hadn’t realized the date was so soon.”

“So, this duke … What’s his name? Is he so bad?” she asked tentatively.

Jai brushed a hand through his wavy brown locks and loosed a sigh. “Not at all. That’s the worst part. Duke Erick visited a few times a year when we were growing up. He is kind-hearted and always treated Adaryn and I with the utmost respect. I hear he has shown signs of being a great leader.” He hesitated before tacking on the last sentence, “There couldn’t be a more perfect match for her, for the crown.”

“I’m sorry,” Soren said empathetically and took a step closer to him, placing a comforting hand on his arm.

He blew out a breath and chuckled mildly. “It’s no fault of yours. It was my own stupidity that got me here. I thought I was protecting her.”

“You’re a good man,” Soren said, repeating the sentiment Enara had spoken to him previously. She stood in front of him now. Even slouched against the counter, he still stood a few inches above her.

“I am a coward,” he said, bowing his head in defeat.

Soren’s brow furrowed, and she pressed both palms to each side of his face, willing his eyes to meet hers. “We all make mistakes, Jai. Some worse than others. It’s how we learn from them, grow from them, that matters.”

It was the first time he had noticed the gold ring that encircled her irises, like two tiny halos gazing up at him. His hands met hers, and they felt so soft and small in his.

Soren looked at him expectantly, a whisper of a breath escaping her parted lips. If he were a worse man, he would let this play out, but it would not serve either of them well in the long run.

Gently, he removed her hands from his face and said, “You are something to behold, Soren, and I want you to know I understand the closeness you crave, but we cannot do this. As much as we may want to, I am not him and you are not her.”

As much as she wanted to lash out at the rejection, she knew he was right. It was her turn to bow her head, embarrassed for even entertaining the idea of kissing him. “I know.”

“Come here,” he said, pulling her into his arms.

Her body stiffened at the unexpected embrace, but her muscles quickly uncoiled, and she rested her ear against his chest. “I’m sorry.”

“So am I,” was his response as he rested his chin on top of her head.

Neither of them knew exactly what they were apologizing for, but in the early hours of the morning, they had found a comfort in each other that most others would not understand. A mutual mourning of two hearts breaking over lovers they could not have.

“Jai?” A soft alto voice drifted from the doorway, causing the tracker’s body to stiffen.

Soren turned to see a young brunette woman with tanned skin a few shades lighter than her own. The stranger’s gaze shot flames in her direction as she took in the sight of them. Her doe-like eyes narrowed to angry slits, her body wound so tight with anger it looked as though she would snap at any second.

It took Soren a moment to realize who this was, and she muttered, “Oh shit,” under her breath before moving to the other side of the room. She wished she could scurry into the mouse burrow she had noticed earlier in the stone wall.

She had just reached the other side of the kitchen when the woman stormed forward, stopping within a foot of Jai’s body, and punched him squarely in the jaw. To his credit, he took the hit without flinching and lifted a hand to rub his chin where the blow had landed before grabbing the girl’s wrist. He caught her mid-swing before she could strike him again. His grip was firm, and she growled, trying to pull her hand away. He let her go, holding his hands up in surrender. Then he spoke softly, as if to a wounded animal.

“Hello, Adaryn.”

* * *

“I knew it was you!” the woman screamed.

Soren took the opportunity to try to slink her way out the door but was stopped by the next words that flew from the girl’s mouth.

“And after everything, you come here with some whore!”

Jai responded calmy, “We are just friends, Adaryn. Her heart is with someone else.”

Adaryn scoffed. “You expect me to believe that? You were embracing her but a moment ago!”

“That was not as it looked. Let her go, and I will explain.” He waved Soren off, and she left gladly, not wanting to be caught in the middle of a lovers’ quarrel.

She ignored the shouts coming from the kitchen as she walked down the corridor to their sleeping quarters and hesitated at the door. She had guessed that only twenty minutes had passed but shrugged and entered, anyway.

She covered a laugh with her hand as she entered.

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