Page 73 of The Sacred and the Tormented

A small smile crept to his lips and Arianna wondered which memory he might be reliving. “She’s the only one who’s ever treated me like a real person. Aside from you, of course.”

“Must run in the family.” He pressed a kiss to her hair. “Do you think we can trust Gavin? Do you really think Kirian is alive?”

“Talon made sure to strip Gavin of his magic before asking questions, so yes, I believe we can trust him. As for Kirian, I imagine they’re using the half-breed to keep Ellie in line.”

“Do you think they’ll be okay after—” Arianna didn’t finish her sentence. She didn’t have to. Rion’s nightmares were still a day to day struggle.

“I’ll make sure she is.” The words were a solid promise even if they felt hollow. He was always giving too much of himself, willing to help others before he was even whole himself.

How had the world ever branded someone like him as a monster?

Rion shifted and she allowed him to turn her around. His hands moved to her shoulders and she nearly moaned when he began working the tension from her muscles. She noted how careful he still was around the scar on her neck.

He’d gasped the first time he’d seen in and a fresh wave of overwhelming regret had washed through her. They’d both cried again, and he’d tried to kiss away the pain.

Arianna propped her elbow up on the rock ledge and rested her chin on top of her arm. “Tell me something.”

He paused for a moment. “What do you want to know?”

She shrugged. “Anything.” She knew they wouldn’t have time for simple conversations once they crossed into Ashling. Probably not until the entire war was over.

“You can ask, you know.”

She knew what he meant. But Rion relived those nightmares enough without her pulling at them too.

“It doesn’t have to be about that.”

Silence enveloped the space as he continued working her shoulders. His thumbs moved down her back, right over the scars from her past. He was careful around the thicker bands. “I want to tell you everything. But I’m not sure where to start without questions.”

Arianna studied a small pebble before her, staring at a swirl in the stone. “Did he … hurt you?” She inwardly kicked herself. What a stupid question. Of course he had. She could see the scars. Still, she hoped it’d been a one time incident. That perhaps Niall had merely been in a fit of rage when—

“Yes.” Rion paused a moment and his voice lowered. “Over and over. Every time he visited.”

Arianna’s jaw clenched. She’d kill Niall. She’d wrap her hands around his throat and watch the light leave his eyes herself. Or maybe she’d deliver him to Eimear and the two could tear off his limbs together.

“How did you meet Kaylee?” The young half-breed had been doing better with other younglings around, but she still clung to Eimear as if the female were her own mother. It’d made hiding Eimear’s current state impossible, but Kaylee didn’t seem affected by it. Perhaps Eimear had been the same way in her cell before Rion had released her.

“She was responsible for keeping the prisoners alive.”

“But she’s a child.”

Rion tensed slightly behind her. “I know.”

Kaylee was better now. She had more color to her cheeks and had gained a bit of weight. But Arianna couldn’t get the image of the frightened neglected child out of her mind. She’d been so frail too.

“At least she’s out of that animal’s reach now.”

“She told me she wanted to see the trees.” Rion said. “She doesn’t stop talking about them whenever I visit.”

A smile ghosted Arianna’s lips. Trees. Children were so simple in their delights. “Was she the one who told you about your mother?”

“No.” Rion began working on her other shoulder. “That was Niall. He—” Rion hesitated, and Arianna noted the way he tried to block his emotions from floating down the bond. He did that a lot.

“You don’t have to,” she whispered.

But Rion took a breath. “She was always screaming. Niall wanted me to know who it was.”

Oh gods.

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