Page 122 of Upon Buried Embers

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“N-no—” I walk backwards when he keeps coming, fear making me tremble, lifting my free hand to my collar.

“You think because I’m lenient with you, more than others that you can go behind my back and ignore the rules?!”

I clutch the roses tighter. “I’m s-sorry.”

“You think because I’m keeping an eye on you that you can worm your way in and I’ll ignore my duties?”

“That’s not what—”

“You think giving me roses every day will soften me to you and I’d forget my duty to my clan?”

“I’m sorry,” The roses fall from my hands, hitting the floor as I trip over my own feet, tears spilling from my eyes as I right myself. “I’m sorry!”

Rohan pauses, a growl coming from him and he turns back to the table, running a hand through his hair.

“Leave.”

My heart stops. “W-what—”

“I want you to leave.”

I look down at the roses spilling all over the floor.

“But where will I—”

“Leave!” he shouts, causing me to flinch.

A whimper spills from me and then I spin around and fly out the back door, leaving him and the roses behind as I run into the storm.

Thirty

Rohan

I sit at the table, looking down at the hair in front of me.

I haven’t moved since I told her to leave, since I couldn’t stand to look at her any longer after what she’d done.

A part of me didn’t want her on the receiving end of my anger, but the other half of me wanted to rage at her, and if she hadn’t left when she did, I would have.

And I wouldn’t have been able to stop everything from boiling over and her being the collateral damage.

I let my hands rest on either side of the braided hair.

It’s a little lighter than mine, but darker at the roots.

My fingers twitch, but I don’t dare touch it.

How could she do this? How could she defy my rules and for what?

Why has she done this?

I hear Drogonah roar in the distance, but it’s muted as rage and sadness war within me.

Is she with them now? Hiding out in the cave?

I look at the end of the hair. It’s different from how she used to do it.

Did she say she only did one? Does that mean the other is left on his reins?

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