Page 45 of Feathers and Thorns

“We don’t know how to lead a country,” she said, defeated. “We need you.”

“Adaryn”—he lifted her chin to meet his eyes once more—“you have been running the country alone for months now.”

“I would hardly say that. I?—”

The king used a hand to cut her off. “You have done more for Edras Mora in the last few months than I did in all my years on the throne. Trust yourself and trust each other.” He looked to Jai. “You are the leaders of this province now.”

Adaryn stood and wiped her face, letting his final words fill her with strength. She would keep it together. If not for her dying father, or Jai, but for this kingdom.

Finding her fortitude, she cleared her voice and spoke for them both when she said, “For Edras Mora.”

To which the king replied, “For family,” and took his last breath.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, Adaryn finally released her father’s hand and walked to the wash basin to clean her face. She was still a bit shaken at his sudden passing, but more so that if it weren’t for Jai’s unexpected arrival, he would have passed without her being by his side.

She walked over to him one last time and kissed his forehead. It was still surprisingly warm. The sensation unsettled her.

She stood back as Jai walked forward and touched the king’s feet over the blanket, pressing his fingertips to his forehead as was accustomed in Vakari. He was preparing to say his last words to his father when the door to the chambers creaked open.

“We are not finished!” Adaryn yelled, assuming it was one of the guards getting nosy.

When the door continued to move, her mouth parted to yell again, but she stopped short when her uncle walked in.

“Now, what have we here?” he asked, looking at Jai hungrily. “The tracker has returned. Our hero,” he sneered. The wretch of a man had yet to even notice Adaryn’s red-rimmed eyes or the fact that his brother’s body was now devoid of life.

“August,” Jai said, clenching his fists.

“Why the hostility?” he asked with a saccharine smile, revealing yellowing teeth. “Aren’t you happy to see me?”

“No,” Jai growled angrily. He took a step toward the man, grinding out every word in the sentence that followed. “I am not happy to see the man who tried to have me murdered.”

Hallival, Present Day - Braexmirth

Soren turned in slow motion, ice filling her veins. The shock on her face was evident even below the keen features of her fox mask. Eyes the color of glaciers met hers, and her breath was momentarily stolen from her lungs.

Rook’s eyes roamed up and down her body, obviously appreciating her current outfit. He, of course, wore a raven mask.

How fitting.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Her voice was clipped. She threw out each syllable as though it were one of her daggers, pinning him in place with their pointed edges. She tried to ignore the fact that he was shirtless as she waited for an answer. The knowledge that she still found him unimaginably attractive vexed her to no end.

He cleared his throat to speak, and it was then she realized she had been ogling him for a solid minute. She tore her eyes away, returning them to his icy stare.

The smirk that peeked out from below his mask confirmed that he had noticed her staring. She was thankful he could not see her blush, at least.

“After you left …” He started again, all traces of humor erased from his expression. “I needed to explain.”

To his surprise, Soren laughed, but it was not a humorous laugh. Her voice was strained, as though her psyche were moments away from cracking. Her resolve was like a porcelain glass crashing to the floor and breaking into a thousand little pieces.

“What possible explanation could you have to give? You murdered my father. You should be lucky I don’t cut you down where you stand.” The fury in her eyes showed she would follow through with her threat, though he noticed the hint of sadness behind the golden halos.

“I did not kill him in cold blood,” Rook started, but she cut him off.

“It doesn’t fucking matter how you did it, Rook!” Her voice was shrill, and she was thankful the music was loud enough to hide their quarreling. “My father is dead because of you. Now get the fuck away from me.” She quickly moved past him, slipping through the crowd to one of the dozens of small tunnels and caverns that veered off the main cave.

The panic had returned, and her heart raced as she sucked in rattled breaths. Her mind was in emotional turmoil, and she struggled to rein in her feelings. Though she would never admit it to him, even after everything, something in her chest had still warmed when she’d first realized it was him.

---