Page 64 of Shattered Heir
“Okay, I will stop you right there. I mean, I know we are best friends and all, but I don’t think I want to be the kind of best friend who you talk to about your feelings and intimate moments with Shad.”
‘Kind of friend. ‘I want to be the kind of friend who knows you. I want to be the best friend that you—that you fall hopelessly, and desperately, in love with—’
I thought those words over and over again in my head, trying to bite back the memory that they brought into my mind, a beautiful and wonderful and deeply painful memory.
“Ry—” I tried to force the words from my brain. But they haunted me.
‘Best Friend.’
‘Best Friend.’
‘Best Friend.’
‘I want to be that kind of friend, Emma.’Shad's voice was an echo in my mind, a memory trying to escape.
I bit my lip, trying so desperately to control my emotions, to control my feelings, my memories.How has this simple title, ‘Best Friend,’ done this to me?
Ryker talked on as if nothing was going on inside of me. “Tell Ash this stuff, but if you need anything else, I am your guy.” Ryker walked past me, pulling me along, and opened the door to my house. I followed him as he made his way into the kitchen.
I let go of his hand, and as the words floated around me again, I felt each letter as they formed the word. I counted the four letters inBest: a rounded “B,” a small “e,” a swirled “s,” a “t” the shape of Shad's sword, which he had used to unbind Ryker in the cave. I gulped. The memory spilled from me then. I couldn’t help but remember. I wanted to remember, was afraid to remember; I cherished the memory, and I lingered on it, letting it engulf me.
“Darling, I want to be your best friend that knows you entirely—body, mind, heart, and soul. Emma—I do, indeed, want to be your friend.” He moved his face, so that he was whispering into my ear. “I want to be that kind of best friend for you—the very best kind of friend that you will ever have, darling.” He kissed my ear and then bent his head down lower, leaving another kiss on the side of my neck and at the hollow of my throat. His hands trailed down my arms, leaving me speechless. “Emma,” his voice was low and grave as he said: “I want to be the best friend that you—that you fall hopelessly and desperately in love with.”
“You are that kind of friend, Shad—my best,” I whispered.
“Emma?” I heard a voice that interrupted me from my memory. I turned and saw Ryker standing in front of me with a cup of water.
“Oh, thanks.”
“I am sorry about the Karen thing,” he said as he handed me the cup. I took a sip and then placed it on the counter. The water was so cold that it felt as if I I had to choke it down. I coughed and could not help comparing the hot chocolate from earlier and the way it warmed me, like peace inside of my soul. I scooted the cup away, not wanting another drink.
“It’s okay. I have a plan. It will work,” I said.
He pulled a bar stool over and sat beside me. “I do hope so, Em.”
“I am going to train my melody, working harder with Keil, and I will, seriously, start to befriend Cade.”
“You weren't doing these things before?”
“Not with all my heart. But now, I will; there is no turning back.”
Ryker gulped and turned to me with shock in his eyes.
“Why are you so shocked? I need to control my melody like you all can; plus, Cade can soul-speak to me like Shad used to. He will, eventually, learn all of my secrets, and tricking him would then be impossible. I want to make sure I can control it.”
“I am all for more training. Does Keil still think this will help you access the memories that Shad gave you?”
“Yes.”
“I wonder why you can’t access them already. I mean, normally, it is pretty hard to ignore someone else’s note inside of your own, or so I hear.” I looked at him, and he tugged at his collar as if he was nervous? I didn’t understand that, but I moved on.
“Well, Shad always just seemed like a part of me. To be honest, I don’t always notice that it is there, but not in a bad way. Plus, when I need a little comfort, I do play it. I miss his melody so much, Ry.”
He patted my knee and smiled at me. “Well, if anyone can help train you fast, it’s a warrior. They are good at training. I don’t know if you are going to train as fast as you want to, but I am proud of you for trying.”
“I know it won’t be as fast as I’d like, and that I will continue to be drained and tired.”
“Training your melody is exhausting and tiresome work, yes, as you are well aware, Em. That is why we do it when we arechildren when we still live with our parents, and the corruption is kept at bay.”
