Page 64 of Above Cursed Winds

“I won’t have you destroy yourselves in front of a child.”

No longer the jovial man he’d always been, Nero’s entire persona was swallowed by the powerful sovereign staring down at him, an electric pulse abrasive against his skin.

“Be calm, Elemental.”

And somehow, he was.

Exhaling, Jeremiah staggered to his feet, finding Gideon only a yard away. But Nero wasn’t done reprimanding them. “Behave, or I’ll liquify your brains inside your skulls.”

Watching mutely as the sovereign made his exit, the cold rain splattered unforgivingly against the side of his face, dripping down his chin and dropping toward the earth.

“Will you talk to me?”

For a moment, it was all Jeremiah could do to hold back his sharp retort. But the calm seeped through to his soul, begging him to keep the hateful comment within. He shook his head.

“I can’t.”

“Why? Why won’t you tell me what I’ve done wrong?”

Drained, he couldn’t hold his monarch’s tearful gaze. “You haven’t done anything wrong, Gideon. It was never anything you did.”

Realization widened Gideon’s eyes. “It was something you did?”

But he’d already said too much, and his jaw clenched. Jeremiah pushed past the other man into the house, finding Zia waiting for him just within the sliding glass door.

Concern pinched her stunning features, her fingers gently reaching for his. He allowed her delicate hands to capture his and coax him inside. Gently, she stroked the droplets of rainwater from his cheeks, uncaring that Rona hovered silently behind her.

Murmuring an apology, Jeremiah stepped away, toward the front door, not stopping until he’d left the home and was in the air.

Chapter Thirty-One

Zia watched him disappear into the skies, her heart tearing in two. Everything within her had strained to comfort him and wash away the bitter anger that’d been directed solely at himself. As she’d watched the exchange between them, she’d realized something with absolute clarity: Jeremiah’s contempt had never been related to Gideon.

At one time, he must’ve fooled himself into believing Gideon’s perceived abandonment had been the reason for his current insecurity, but it’d never been the true source of his wounds.

Zia had read as much from the memories that assaulted her through her gift: Jeremiah was an open book to her, regardless of whether she’d consciously used her ability or not.

The moment Nero had stepped outside to break up their fight, she knew he’d been using his gifts. As a Reader, Zia’s sovereign was capable of both perceiving and altering emotional states, able to make his targets cower in fear or feel such happiness they’d never come down from their high. Tonight, he’d used his gift to dampen the turmoil in Gideon—and loosen the rage in Jeremiah.

Gideon had stepped onto the porch with her as Jeremiah made his airborne retreat, following his trajectory as ruefully as she had. Strong waves of remorse radiated out from him, pressing upon her gifts, tinged with the hollowness of despair.

“Do you know about the fighting?”

The words were out of her mouth before she’d consciously decided to broach the topic with someone she didn’t know, but who Jeremiah loved to the core of his being.

Startled, Gideon’s attention swung over to her. “Yes, but how do you?”

Tightening her grip on the railing, she glowered at Jeremiah’s monarch. “When someone is in that much pain, they find a way to express it. It was easy to track him and discover what he was up to.” She clicked her tongue angrily. “How could you know and not do anything about it?”

“What could I have done?” Gideon replied, as candid as she’d ever seen him. “He’s intent on punishing himself for a crime he didn’t commit, and when I’ve called him out for it in the past, it’s only made matters worse.” Anger abating, he hung his head. “I was hoping this trip would help clear his head, realign his priorities. I’m not sure it has.”

“You’re wrong,” came her quiet reply. “He was getting better. I could sense the change in his psychic signature.”

“Then why has he been like this?”

“Because you’re here.”

A punch of sorrow. “Jeremiah is falling apart because of me, isn’t he? Because of what the Citizens did to me?” When Zia didn’t respond, Gideon continued. “Key has informed Rona and me that we’re not to leave the island. She was explicit in her wishes, made us promise to remain until ‘it was all over.’” Gideon scoffed. “I don’t even know what that means.”

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