Page 88 of Of Blooming Embers
“Don’t forget the headache. And the regrets,” Breena chimed in.
“You’ll have a raging headache afterward. Likely not worse than when you’ve enjoyed a night of mead.”
His smile didn’t reach his eyes as he lifted the container to his eyes before tucking it into his pocket. “Thanks, Ser.”
My mouth tipped up at the corners as I looked at Gavrel. It seemed a lifetime ago since I’d felt his skin against mine, even though it was just yesterday. But so much had happened in such ashort amount of time. I reached for his hand and ran my thumb over his rune tattoo. It warmed under my touch. “Why don’t you two catch up?”
The weight of Kaden’s glower settled over me as he followed my thumb’s path, and with a sigh, I reluctantly released my hold on his brother.
I’d have to speak with Kaden about Gavrel and me. About any lingering resentment he might have. I wanted my friend to work through whatever he needed to, but I wouldn’t hide what I felt for Gavrel either.
The commander closed his eyes for a moment, arm dropping, before they moved toward the food table with Rhaegar.
Marek went toward his room, a deep frown furrowing his brow, his footsteps heavy on the cobbles. I watched him walk away, our unspoken thoughts fading into the distance. Was he thinking of what had happened to Yaya?
I’d no doubt that she was culled or imprisoned. My hands fisted at my sides.
Another wrong. Another fresh wound upon my already lacerated heart. During the last Dormancy, Melina had laughed as she likened Elder Strom and Guust’s minds to scabs she kept picking, as she erased their memories over and over.
She enjoyed causing pain.
Delighted in the suffering of others.
But what did it say about me that I understood?
That I would relish Melina’s agony?
By the Ancients, I didn’t bloody care what it said about me.
“I’m going to end her,” I snarled.
Breena’s brows rose. “I thought Wren was quite nice. Eh, well, I’ll help you hide the body, but the wings might be a problem. Maybe she’ll just turn to dust.” She tapped a finger against her mouth in thought.
I cuffed her on the arm with a wry chuckle. “Appreciate the support, Bree. But I’m talking about Melina.”
“Ah, even better. That twat-wafer needs to go.”
My shoulders sagged, and Breena wrapped her arm around mywaist as we moved toward the tower before us. “Yaya is the toughest broad I’ve ever met. She’ll either berate her captors to death or haunt them into eternity. Either way, she’ll make them pay.” She squeezed me tighter. “As will we.”
With a watery smile, I paused and wrapped her in a hug. She rubbed my back and then turned me by the shoulders, pushing me through the entrance to the building.
Our rooms were on the ground floor down a long hallway that curved along the circular bend of the tower. The floors were made of smooth opal slabs.
“Do you think of your Gran often?” I murmured.
The hollows under Breena’s cheekbones sucked in as she nodded. “Yeah. She would’ve liked this place. I’m sure she didn’t go down without a fight either.”
I thought of my friend’s ashen face in the Stygian Murk last autumn as she’d mentioned finding her grandmother’s husk. A shade had consumed the poor woman before she could find her way to the Surrelian portal. It was likely that her astral body eventually turned into one of the shadow beasts as well.
“If she’s as fierce as her granddaughter, I’ve no doubt.” I took her hand in mine, and one corner of her mouth lifted.
The Dreamreaper’s angry red claw marks still scored each of Breena’s shoulders—four vertical lines on either side.
“Why didn’t you let Kaden heal you?” I asked.
She shrugged. “I’ve had worse. Makes for a good story, eh?”
She looked up, blinking away the subtle wetness lining her lower lashes. “So, how are things with Kaden, the man-child?”
