Page 52 of The Bonds of Nyx

I bit the inside of my cheek. Her dismissal had hurt more than I’d expected, but I tried to push it aside. I wanted to blame it on stress or being overwhelmed with everything that was going on.

And yet, I couldn’t fully understand why it had hurt to be pushed aside and regarded with disdain. Had she been disgusted with me? Herself? Maeve was an expert with hiding her emotions, and right now, she only proved how skilled she was.

I cleared my throat and pushed out into the hall. Maeve stepped aside to let me through, waiting for the door to shut before speaking again.

“You mentioned your mother. Have you decided what you want to do?”

I nodded carefully. “Eloise decided it was time. She wants to let Kerry go and tell the younger girls.”

Maeve’s blue eyes softened as she glanced at the door. “Poor girl.”

“Yeah,” I murmured, crossing my arms. “I just need to know what happens now. Do you talk to Marion? What exactly will happen to Kerry?”

Sparkling eyes met mine, eyes suddenly so filled with sadness and anger that I almost flinched away. But I tightened my hold on myself as she watched me. My blood warmed, and my cheeks flushed under her gaze.

There were a thousand things I wanted to say, to ask. I wanted to know if she felt just as affected as I did. I wanted to ask if she felt that same spark of electricity or if it was all in my head.

Because it was getting harder to ignore. Was I just fooling myself? I had Elias and Adrian, yet Maeve and Rowan affected me the same way.

Maeve was here, standing in front of me, and it felt like we were worlds apart once more. Again, I was still so unsure if what I was feeling even made any sense.

“I’ve been in contact with one of the queen’s council members. It is not uncommon for the Queen to have a family tomb, though those tend to be built over two hundred years into their rule. However, Queen Greer has ordered a tomb for your rule to be built now so that Kerry can be laid to rest there.”

A shiver worked its way down my spine. “That seems a little morbid.”

Maeve reached for me hesitantly before dropping her hand. “I understand. Queen Greer wanted to make sure there was a place for her in Avalon.” Something in Maeve’s voice told me it hadn’t been Queen Greer’s idea.

Cocking my head, I allowed myself to take her cold hand in mine. Maeve’s eyes flashed to mine, darkening as she tightened her grip on my fingers. “Thank you.”

“For what?” she asked.

“For thinking of my family.”

She opened her mouth, but it snapped shut as the door opened. Eloise stuck her head out and looked at our joined hands for a moment before crossing her arms. “So, what do we do?”

Maeve squeezed my hand once more before releasing my fingers. “Leave it to me, Eloise, but I’ll have everything ready for you tomorrow.”

El cocked her head, but she didn’t question Maeve. “Okay.”

A shaky breath fell from my lips as I nodded to Maeve. Pushing the door open further, I motioned for Eloise to enter before turning back to Maeve.

“Thank you again.”

Maeve stood there for a moment, her eyes alight with emotions I couldn’t read, but they were shut down completely.Bowing her head, she stepped back and clasped her hands behind her. “Sleep well,a mhuirnín.”

I could only nod in response as she disappeared down the hall and into her personal office.

~

Morning came with rain and darkness. I awoke with a dry mouth and crusty eyes from crying in my sleep. No nightmares had awoken me, but I could feel an impending headache at the edges of my mind. My stomach turned as I pushed myself up into a sitting position.

Eloise slept soundly across the bed, her head buried beneath a pillow, her soft snores filling the room. On the floor beside me, Elias gazed up at me in wolf form.

“What are you doing?” I asked quietly, throwing the blankets off. The cold air hit me immediately. “You didn’t have to spend the night—”

The wolf cocked its head before the sound of bones snapping and reforming filled the room, cutting me off. In the blink of an eye, the dark-brown wolf was gone.

Elias knelt in front of me and brushed a hand over my cheek. “I couldn’t be without you, especially when I could feel your pain.” He shook his head, his eyes flickering to where Eloise slept. “Being the wolf and sleeping beside you was the only way I could be with you, to offer you comfort.”

---