Page 114 of Somber Prince

The storm raged outside the temple. The wind lashed against the doors like a feral beast trying to break in. At times, it felt like it might succeed.

The carving over the inner doors caught my eye. It must be old as the letters seemed worn by time with some words missing. I believed it said, “Don’t be afraid of the dawn. After a storm always comes peace.”

The words echoed what Rha had said to me back on the patio in Teneris when he was comforting me. Sometimes all we could do was wait until the storm would pass and the calm of the night would return. He’d said these were the words of the First Priestess of Joy. Wait was all we could do now.

Other than the storm, no one knocked on the doors leading outside or the doors leading inside the temple. Rha and I remained alone.

After a little while, Rha’s eyes closed, but his breathing remained stable. I hoped he was indeed healing. Because it didn’t look like there was help coming to him anytime soon.

Quite a few of the humans from the sarai had gone through the portal, including Melanie. I hoped she returned to the time she wanted to be. I hoped she made it and that she was safe and happy wherever and whenever she was now. We hadn’t always seen eye to eye, but she’d forever remain my sister and my only family, even with the worlds between us.

At the thought of Elaine, tears welled in my eyes. Her fate scared me. I’d seen the people who’d taken her, and I did not trust them to keep her safe.

I tightened my arms around Rha, as if someone was about to take him away from me too. At least he appeared to be resting peacefully, and I hoped the magic in his strong body was helping him heal.

* * *

The storm quieted. The beast was no longer pounding with sand and wind against the doors. Its howls had calmed.

Rha shifted in his sleep and groaned. His eyelids fluttered open. He blinked, looking momentarily disoriented.

“Did you sleep well?” I smiled.

His eyes found mine, and his features relaxed a little.

“It appears I did. Your emotions proved soothing.” He stirred, wincing. “Has anyone tried to come in?”

“No. No one. Stay still.” I leaned over and carefully removed the cloth I’d been pressing to his wound. The cloth was soaked in blood, but it looked old. No new blood seeped from the cut. “We should clean it somehow.” I examined the wound for any signs of inflammation. “Do shadow fae get infections?”

“Since the iron hasn’t killed me by now, I’ll live.” He sounded casual, almost dismissive, which eased my worry a little.

I helped him to sit up. He moved his shoulders tentatively, as if testing the toll the injury had taken on his body.

“How are you feeling?”

“I’ll live,” he repeated, with even more confidence than before.

“Okay. Can you answer some of my questions, then? Who were the people that attacked us?”

He made a face as if having bitten into a lemon. “Low-lifes, riffraff of the desert. Most of them are thieves. They’d take anything if given a chance. Someone must have told them you’d be here. It’s not surprising that they jumped on the chance to snatch Joy Vessels.”

“What would they do with those they took?”

“Sell, most likely.”

I sucked in air through my teeth, worry spiking in me again.

“They took Elaine.”

“Your friend?” he asked.

“My best friend. Elaine has always been closer than a sister to me. Who do you think they’d sell her to?”

“To whomever pays the most.” He cupped my face with his hand. “Joy Vessels are precious. Everyone wants one, but not many can pay what they’re worth. I’ll send the word out, offering a reward to anyone who returns my Joy Vessels to Teneris. We’ll get Elaine back and everyone else who’s been taken.”

“Thank you.” I felt better but far from relieved, not until I saw Elaine again, alive and well. “And then what?”

“What do you mean?” He arched an eyebrow in question.

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