Page 35 of Of Blood and Fire
And drew in the scent of my parents.
Tears hit my eyes. I leaned my forehead briefly against the door’s thick wood and fought their sting. I couldn’t unleash. Wouldn’t unleash. Not again.
“Bryn?” Garran said softly. “Are you okay?”
“Yes.”
“There are many who would take that simple statement at face value, but I know you too well.” I didn’t hear his approach, but suddenly his hands were on my shoulders, turning me before wrapping me in a hug. “You can allow yourself to grieve, dearest cousin. No one would ever think less of you.”
“I can’t. If I do... the tears might not stop, and we’ve too much yet to do for me to fall apart.”
“The world will not end if you take a day or so to yourself.”
“And will you take a day to rest and recoup?” I pulled away, not giving him the chance to answer, because we both knew what it would be. “I believe a bath should be your first order of business, though, because you smell worse than a privy hole.”
He laughed, briefly lifting the weariness from his gaunt features. “What I need first is a good glass of red. I had no idea how addicted I was to the stuff until I was deprived of it. And may I point out that, right now,youare not exactly the sweetest-smelling flower.”
I smiled, knowing full well he was trying to lighten my mood. “I’ll have you know that to those of us who love drakkons, the scent is almost ambrosial.”
He chuckled and moved across to the drinks cabinet. “Rest assured, to those of us who have never been near a drakkon, it is almost the exact opposite.”
My gaze followed him and I saw Mom’s bone hair clasp was sitting next to the left side door. I sucked in a breath, then spun around and walked across to the scribe tablet, doing my best to ignore all the personal bits and pieces scattered about the room, ready to be picked up and used again. But they never would be. Not ever again. Not by them, at least.
Once I’d ordered his meal, I returned to the seating area, picked up the glass of wine he’d placed on the table for me, and sat opposite him.
There was a sharp knock at the door, then the guard said, “Medics are here, Commander.”
I started to rise, but he motioned me to remain and walked over. “Jarin doesn’t muck about, doesn’t he?”
“Well, it’s not every day an heir returns from the dead.”
He unlocked the door and ushered the three medics in, which in my opinion was overkill, but I couldn’t blame Jarin for being extra cautious. The medics tsked their way through theirexamination, then declared neither of us were on the verge of death, even if Garran did look like it. Two of them patched his wounds while the third cut away my pants leg, removed the shaft from my leg, and declared me lucky not to have done major damage. After giving us both a number of potions and salves to use, they ordered us not to do too much unless we wanted to split our wounds open again, and then briskly left.
Once Garran had slid the bolt across once again, he picked up his wine, dropped down on the sofa, and leaned his head back, his eyes closed. “What’s with you and the husband? There was a decided amount of hostility evident, which is surprising given Aunt Marin swore there would be no wedding unless there was compatibility.”
“Oh, there’s plenty of compatibility, just not withthathusband.”
He cracked an eye open. “Then he’s the real one, not the fake one?”
“He’s the realheir. I do not consider him the real husband. That honor belongs to the one the treaty mentions—the firstborn son.”
“Meaning it’d be pointless voiding the treaty, because in the eyes of the church, you’re still legally married tothisDamon and that cannot be undone.”
“Unless it’s not consummated. Which it hasn’t been. He knows I’ll cinder his balls if he tries.”
Garran half laughed. “A threat any wise man would heed, but as you’ve said, our Velez king plays a longer game. Besides, lack of consummation isn’t a guarantee of the marriage being voided. It often depends on the situation and the pastor.”
“Marshall will be on our side.”
Marshall was the friar who’d looked after our religious health for over forty years now and was basically part of our family.
“Marshall does not have the final say on such matters, I’m afraid. It would have to go before the church’s tribunal for consideration.” He paused and took a long drink. “That said, you also cannot go to Zephrine. You’d be too vulnerable there, even with the protection of your flames.”
“I’m aware of that, but what choice do I have?”
“I’ll talk to Aric. It wouldn’t, after all, be the first royal marriage to exist in name only, and it probably won’t be the last. Besides, last I heard, Tayte had at least one son; the Velez line is secure without input from you.”
“Aric isn’t worried about securing Zephrine’s throne.”
