Page 46 of Feathers and Thorns

Until the memories had returned.

Her father’s body, covered in hundreds of marks. Burying him. The trauma of being hunted and kidnapped. The fear, anxiety, and heartbreak of finding her mother’s ring. It was too much. It was all too much.

She clawed at her throat, unable to inhale the amount of oxygen she needed to keep herself going. The edges of her vision began to blur, and she slammed a hand to the wall in a poor attempt to steady herself.

“Hey, are you okay?” Braxten asked, miraculously appearing out of nowhere. He placed the two goblets down and rushed to her side when she didn’t answer. “Did that guy say something to you?”

When she didn’t respond, he continued, chuckling nervously, “I thought he may be a friend of yours when I saw you talking from across the room and didn’t want to interrupt. You looked upset when you walked away, so I followed you.”

His rambling had allowed Soren’s mind to clear enough to slow her heart rate, and she managed to squeak out, “Ex-boyfriend.” Though the label was not exactly correct, it was the only way to explain the situation to an outsider in as few syllables as possible.

“Oh …” he said, dragging the word out. “Are you okay now?”

“I will be,” she replied, eyeing the goblets. “Could I have one of those?”

“Oh, yeah, sure, no problem,” he said, his sheepish grin returning.

His smile was infectious, and she couldn’t help but return it as the water cooled her.

She finished the contents, and Braxton put both glasses in one hand and held out his arm for her. “Let’s get back out there and show him what he’s missing.”

Now that, I can do, she thought, linking her arm with his, and then they headed back toward the party. It was almost midnight, and she didn’t want to miss the surprise that Saoirse had spoken about. Mercifully, Rook was nowhere to be seen. She hoped, for her sanity, he had taken the hint and left.

How is he even here?

She shook her head to remove the thought. She was here to enjoy herself, and she was not going to let that asshole ruin her night.

Braxton handed the goblets to one of the many servants milling about and took Soren’s hand, pulling her into the center of the crowd. The energy was palpable as they resumed dancing with Braxton’s hands grasped firmly on her hips.

A mane of red hair to her left caught her attention, and she noticed Saoirse and Callan locked in what looked to be a rather sensual embrace. They were facing each other, both of his hands firmly grasping her buttocks as they pressed their bodies against one another’s. Her hands were draped around his neck, and it was apparent they would be leaving together.

For a moment, she thought it odd that the king’s son would be so outwardly affectionate with the royal staff. She just figured the people of Braexmirth followed different rules than those in Patrivah.

If it were even possible, the energy in the room seemed to expand even more. The entire cave pulsed with the ebb and flow of bodies mingling amongst the sounds of the drums, and Soren followed the gaze of the crowd as they lifted their hands to the sky. It was then Soren noticed the tiny rings of metal wires encircling the opening at the top of the cave. They were attached to small orbs that were affixed to the roof. She watched in awe as one of the servants stood, waving a torch on a platform at the far end of the room.

The music stopped abruptly, and the king was led up the dais with his guards in tow to make an announcement.

“Happy Hallival!” he started boisterously.

The crowd whooped and cheered, falling silent again as he held up a large hand.

Soren leaned back against Braxton’s chest as she listened.

“In a few moments, the autumn tide will end, marking the 317th anniversary of the hunt. May the next season bring you all warmth and joy.” He paused here, giving a signaling nod to the servant who brought the torch to the wall. Much like the explosive powder back in her mother’s temple, Soren watched as the flame lit an invisible path up the wall leading to the dangling orbs.

“I hope you’re ready,” Saoirse whispered.

“Ready for wha?—”

Her question was cut short as the flame reached the metal rings and the orbs began to explode overhead. Each one had been filled with a different colored powder to represent the changing of leaves between seasons.

Saoirse let out a squeal of excitement as everyone removed their masks and allowed the powder to cover their bodies. Soren followed suit, placing her mask in the hands of another servant who was making their rounds and let the powder wash over her.

The entire crowd was soon a live painting of the autumn tide. Faces and bodies were covered in deep oranges, dark burgundies, and golden yellows as the powder fell.

The drumbeat picked up again, and the dancing continued.

Soren turned to Braxton, whose face was now half-red, half-orange and couldn’t help but smile. She couldn’t imagine how she must look to him in that moment, but the heat behind his eyes showed her it couldn’t be all that bad.

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