Page 190 of Insolence
“Watch your mouth, El.” Maida levels her Stern Professor Glare at me. “Didn’t youjusttell me—”
“It is a different matterentirelyseeing it in person,” I say stiffly.
“Take a moment. Get yourself under control,” Maida sighs. “Nobody’s burning anything or bludgeoning nuns tonight.”
She’s right, of course. Logically, I know better. But the heart isn’t always logical. Love certainly fucking isn’t.
All I know is Ailen and Deirdre are both gods-be-damned fortunate Tiss is a Succubus who happened to feed last night. That her body is in the process of healing ten times faster than a human’s would.
With a squeeze to my arm, my friend whisks toward Tiss. “Well, let’s take a look at what you got yourself into.”
From the pink-tinged water in her washbasin and the bloodstained hand towels, Sadrie tried to clean her up as best she could. A few rusty spots are still flaking from her cheek and neck. It looks like blood is matted in her hair, too.
Fresh ire surges through me, and I struggle to breathe. Concentrate on Maida and Sadrie hovering around Tiss.
Watching the tenderness with which Sadrie fusses over her helps soothe away the rest of my fury.
I’ve never had a problem with the concept of sharing Tiss. It was always the reality of our situation. Given what she is, it was inevitable in a way. At least if nothing else comes of this debacle, perhaps it’ll be the catalyst the two of them need to work through their hurt and injury. And I want that for them, truly.
If that’s what they want. So long as everyone respects everyone else’s boundaries.
Now that we’re here, Maida and I eventually convince the other two to clear out. Once she’s satisfied Tiss won’t die in the night, Sadrie mumbles something about taking care of the greenhouses. Cleaning up the garden tools. Cordelia volunteers to check on Kiera and Lydia in the bathhouse.
“Just stay as far away from Lydia as you can,” I instruct.
“You don’t need to worry about that,” she says on her way out the door. “I’m not Tiss.”
Fair enough.
Maida emerges from the bedroom not long afterward. Closes the curtain behind herself. “Her injuries are knitting cleanly. And yes, extremelyfast. I’ve never seen anything like it. If you hadn’t explained the feeding/healing process, I wouldn’t believe my own eyes.” She shakes her head, her gaze probing when I don’t answer. “She’ll befine, El. Just fine.”
Every clenched muscle in my body releases at once. I realize I haven’t taken a full breath since I entered this room. “Thank you for checking her over.”
“She needs rest now more than anything. I’m going to make a batch of sleep tincture. We’ll need to illusion prolonged injuries, although it helps that none of them are in obvious places. Nothing we can’t handle. Andyou.” Her sharp tone brings me to attention. “You know what you need to do now, right?”
Patch things up between us, she means.
A tight ball of dread forms in my gut when I think of Deirdre’schaos evaluations. The self-destructive tendencies of a starving demun.
I’ve been hard on Tiss. So consumed in my own hurt and panic this whole time.
And yet, the decisions shedidhave control over have resulted in so much distress, for me and Maida both.
“This has all been such an ordeal, and our troubles have only just begun,” I say. “I wish there was something I could say or do to make it better. The truth is, despite everything, I don’t know what I’d do without her, Maida. Everything is pointless without Tiss. Nothing—” I suddenly can’t catch my breath. “Nothingis as important to me as her well-being.”
“Then you must tell her what she means to you. And the toll she’s taken on you as well,” my friend says in her Wise Professor Voice. “We can’t change the past, but together we can go forward with a fresh, more informed perspective. Yes?”
I nod, unable to verbalize the feelings swirling inside me.
My friend knows me far too well because she continues. “She’s sore and very stiff. That shoulder of hers is bruised to the bone and will take some time to heal completely. Worst case scenario, it’ll slow her down if she decides to strangle you, so don’t fret too much.”
I don’t miss the mischievous pull of her mouth. Shoot her a dark look. “Not funny, Maida.”
“Oh, it’s a little bit funny.” She reaches up to pat my cheek. “You’ve got until I get back.”
Chapter 54
El
