Page 66 of Bound By Blood
The air hummed above him as Quinn arrived.
Quinn spoke again, a little louder this time. "You should go reflect in the ballroom."
He scoffed as he scooped up the water and splashed it on his face. Ordinarily, Quinn didn't come into his room, but that meant they were probably even more concerned than usual.
"There's no time for reflection. I know you don't like her, but that doesn't matter. She is the most incredible woman I have ever met. And if you can't appreciate her—well, I don't know what the solution will be, but I doubt you'll like it."
The dull aching of his muscles and marrow was starting to subside. Every time he defied the curse and stayed out in the daylight outside his castle, it hurt more and longer. But there had to be a limit.
"We're certain she has her good traits. But you should not be worried about her. Perhaps she found the kytobar again. He might help her."
Grunting, he splashed more water on his face. He wasn't sure if he trusted that kytobar. Their first meeting had left him uneasy, as if Traelan could see straight through him and all of his tricks. Now that Ryul knew what he was—he suppressed a shudder.
The kytobar hadn't missed a trick. He'd probably picked up on every bluff Ryul had made against those five barbarians. Not that it felt as if he intended to do anything nefarious with it. It was just—uncomfortable. A bluff only had value if it was believable. Those five hadn't known he was at his limits, but that kytobar had. No matter how he had pretended that he could have done more, he had been pressed well to his limit.
His mood worsening, he picked up the towel and dried his face. He hoped Traelan had stayed away from Erryn. On top of everything, he didn't like the way he looked at her. Despite what he promised, he probably did want to eat her. Metaphorically or whatever kytobars did when they actually wanted someone romantically.
"You can't leave the castle until the daylight departs," Quinn pointed out. "So go to the ballroom and watch the sun set. You've spent almost all day trying to get out of that pit. The least you can do is give yourself some calm. It's a noteworthy point. You may find it instructive."
"Instructive how?"
He needed to get ready to find Erryn. As long as she had Buttons, though, he could find her. Eventually. As long as he got properly focused.
"Just go." Quinn's words buzzed in his ears. A sure sign they were annoyed.
The study door slammed open and struck the wall. Other doors slammed open as well.
Cantankerous consciousness.
They were probably right, though. He was just going to brood in here. The fresh air might clear his head and push out all the fears that his family wasn't looking for him anymore and that he'd never find them and that Erryn would leave too. Even if all of that was true, there was nothing he could do at the moment.
He stepped out into the ballroom. Like a couple of the other rooms, large portions of the walls had disintegrated, leaving little more than rubble here. The magic, of course, tried to tidy it as well, clearing away dust and debris as well as weeds. For some reason, it allowed the moss along the very edges to grow and trail down like streamers. Maybe it thought that was beautiful?
The blue-grey marble floor shone like a fractured mirror with all the cuts and cracks marring its smoothness. Most of the carved columns had vanished. Perhaps they floated around someone else's castle now, or perhaps they'd fallen away.
But it was beautiful in a broken, distorted way.
The sun had not yet disappeared beyond the horizon. Its vibrant light turned the sky a myriad of shades with the deep purple-black of night creeping ever closer from the east.
He missed stretching out on the grass and watching clouds and drifting off to sleep. Just like he missed a lot of things. It probably wouldn't be as enjoyable to do alone.
The wind changed directions, blowing against the back of his head and ruffling his hair. He paused, noting a different but familiar scent. How—
He turned his head, then froze, his heart clenching tight.
Erryn stood at the top of the fractured staircase, her shoulders lifted and her face flushed. She wore an elegant rose-pink gown with a long train that trailed across the stones. The little silver belt had tiny leaves. It set off her auburn-red hair. Her hair wasn't pulled back in that lopsided bun or tied back with a ribbon any longer. She'd combed and styled it so that it flowed over her back with a little gathered up and clipped with a silver-leafed rose barrette
Tiny pearls and rosebuds lined the dress's hem, and the angel sleeves had a little coil of shirring just above the elbow and thin bands of silver-white ribbon.. Every facet of it set off her body to its full advantage.
If this was the dress she'd said was a mistake, she couldn't be more wrong. Utterly impractical and perfectly stunning. His chest tightened as the blood surged faster through his veins. How was it possible for her to be even more beautiful than before?
"I hope you don't mind," she said. "Quinn and I had a bit of a talk. I think we're in agreement now. In fact, they're keeping an eye on Buttons for me."
"Oh?" He started toward her. It felt as if he was in a dream. Was it possible he was dreaming?
She halted in front of him, just out of his reach. "I've been thinking. I am older than you. And wiser."
"Such an old woman." He smiled but did not close the distance between them. She could still tell him no. She might be wanting to tell him that wisdom meant they must part forever.
