Page 85 of An Empress of Earth & Darkness

Gideon glanced at Sybil, who had a bashful blush on her cheeks. She bowed her head as a thank you to him, her huge moss-green eyes glittering with gratitude.

She cast her gaze out to the watching crowd. “The portal is ready to take us to Tolsah Bay. Gather your things and meet me in the gardens; I will wait for you all by the rose arch,” she announced, her voice still sounding a little shaky. She wasn’t a speaker like Emara could be, but when she produced magic, she was a force to be reckoned with. Her portals were probably the strongest in the witching world now that they had no supreme. “Oh, but please do not step through it until I say.”

Gideon’s chin lifted. “You heard what the empress said; not a person steps through it until she says. Let’s get moving!”

As the hunters moved, she reached out and caught Gideon’s arm. He met her stare. “Thank you for that,” she said, “truly. I never have the nerve to shout in front of hunters. I feel like I am doing something wrong.”

“You are not doing anything wrong.” Gideon tried his best not to smile. He lowered his head so that he could whisper, “Maybe next time you should just shake the ground. They would listen then.”

A genuine smile lit up her face, and Gideon did all he could to stop his heart from feeling like it could tumble from his chest as he drew away from her.

“I think I might try that next time.” She found a corner of her lip with her teeth. “Thanks for reminding me that I am an empress who could part the ground from underneath their feet.”

Gideon laughed and then his eyes met hers again. “I am more than happy to remind you of that every day.”

It looked like her breath caught in her chest, and her eyes diverted to her hands as a rosy blush stained underneath her freckles.

“I mean, I am your guard, and I get to watch you create magic all day, every day,” Gideon said, flustered, trying to hold on to any professionalism he had left.

“Right.” She finally looked up from her hands. “Shall we get to the portal, then?”

“Yes, let’s.” He gestured for her to go first.

When Breighly’s hands hit the white sandy shore of Tolsah Bay, so did her vomit.

“Fucking portals,” she cursed as she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

She knew the portals did not agree with Shifter blood. her bones already shifted, her magic already running through her blood so that she could transform; she didn’t need to add another dimension onto that.

The summer sun was scorching down on the bay, so much warmer than in Huntswood, burning into her scalp. She had vomit tracking down her tunic that suffocated her neck and barricaded her chest. Hunting gear was not made for women, and it was noticeable. Her feet were in heavy boots, and it made it hard to even walk in the sand. Her stomach was still unsettled, swishing and splashing like the waves behind her.

And the words of her brother carried to her ears even in the sea breeze.

You know, you are just like her.

She always left too.

She ran from the pack too, always looking and searching for something more. We weren’t enough for her.

Her day was already a shitshow; she’d fought with her brother, her pack hadn’t joined the hunters, and the memories of her mother’s abandonment were all too fresh in her mind.

Just as she thought she had stabilised the nausea, a wave of it overtook her again and Breighly hurled over in the sand, emptying the contents of her stomach. She retched and she heaved until there was nothing left in her belly.

A shadow in the sand notified her that someone was coming towards her, but she couldn’t hear anything from the pounding in her head, nor could she see anything, blinded by tears brought on by the retching. The large figure stood over her, shielding her from the sun’s heat long enough to feel shade kiss her skin.

It was glorious.

“You need to drink more water,” a deep, strident voice said from behind her.

She didn’t have to look up to know who stood in front of the sun for her; she could already smell his scent. It wasn’t enough to keep the liquid from filling her mouth.

She spewed again.

Great! Maybe the day could get worse.

“I didn’t bring any water.” She tried to swallow the relentless surges of queasiness. “I was going to refill on the ship.”

The shadow moved to crouch beside her. “Drink this.”

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