Page 54 of Realm of Nightmares
“Well, I’ve seen her several times. Since I was young.” Her tone was dismissive, her posture prim. She clasped her hands together, careful to keep her face devoid of any emotion. “So it would make sense she knows much about me.”
He didn’t like it.
Tiernan didn’t like that Ceridwen was concealing her emotions, that she was harboring secrets and hurt. They were twins, they told each other everything. At least, he’d always assumed as much. Or perhaps their conversations were more one-sided than he cared to admit. Plenty of times he’d told Ceridwen all the thoughts that weighed him down—the approaching war, the inability to save his homeland, the love he had for Maeve, and the loss he felt in her absence—and every time, her magic would bathe and soothe him in a flow of gentle compassion. She’d take away his anger, his pain, his distress, until all of it melted into the background, just long enough to give him a moment’s peace.
But she held her own emotions back. She kept her troubles and worries to herself, and she silenced her fears in favor of helping him instead.
Could he have really been so blind?
Could he have been so engrossed in his own matters that he failed to notice his own sister was drowning in a sea of despair so deep that she sought the confidence of an old witch?
He reached out, gently placing his hands on Ceridwen’s shoulders, silently pleading with her to at least look at him. “You know you can tell me anything, right?”
“I know.” She brushed a fallen strand of hair back from her face, her shoulders dropping in his hold. “But it’s simply not in my nature.”
He wasn’t going to give up on her that quickly. “You’d tell me if you changed your mind, right? I don’t want you to feel you have to keep secrets from me or that you have to hold back because you’re worried I’m under too much stress.”
Tiernan released her. “I will always have time for you, Ceridwen.”
His twin placed her palm on his cheek and patted him gently. “I know.”
She turned away, busying herself with rearranging the assortment of crystals, the same ones she’d already organized a few minutes prior.
Finally, he asked, “Is it true?”
She tossed her hands out to the side, exasperated. “Is what true, Tiernan?”
“That you’ve chosen a mate?”
Her eyes flicked to the ceiling and color rose high in her cheeks. “It doesn’t matter.”
No. She did not get to diminish herself or her feelings. Not again.
“Yes it fucking does, Cer.” He moved closer, hating himself when a single tear slid down her cheek. “You’re the High Princess of Summer, your mate—”
“I said it doesn’t matter!” she cried. Ceridwen spun away from him in a blur of satin, wrapping her arms around herself. “It makes no difference who I want as my mate because…”
She swallowed, visibly forcing herself not to cry. Her chest heaved and she shuddered. “Because he did not choose me.”
Dumbfounded, Tiernan stood there. He didn’t know what to say, what to do. He’d never seen his sister suffer such torment, save for when their parents died, but this…this was enough to make his blood simmer, igniting a coil of rage inside him. When hefoundthe bastard responsible for breaking her heart, he wouldendhim. There would be no mercy. All it would take is one swipe of his blade and he’d carve out the asshole’s heart.
“Who?” The word thundered around them.
“Stop, Tiernan. Just stop.” Ceridwen shook her head, her blonde hair falling around her like a golden wave threaded with rivers of dark pink ribbons. “I don’t want to talk about it. My personal problems are the least of our concerns.”
“Cer,” Tiernan pleaded, but she lifted one slender hand, silencing him.
“Go.” Her lashes fluttered closed, and she looked away, tension lines furrowing across her brow. “Just go.”
Uneasy solitude filled the space between them, and when she kept her back to him, he finally left.
No sooner had he left her room, Lirfadedinto the corridor. He bowed. “My lord.”
“Lir.” Tiernan straightened, recovering quickly. “What is it?”
“Merrick has returned from Kyol.” Lir fell in step beside him as they made their way through the corridor to one of the many courtyards.
“Already?”
