Page 45 of A Storm of Fire and Ash
“Again.”
We repeated the process until my skin was slick with sweat, my limbs trembling, and my stomach aching from hunger. My magic crackled through me in fading bursts, unpredictable and unsteady, like a dying ember in the wind.
“I can’t,” I groaned, sinking to my knees. “I’m done.”
“You’re not,” Makar said softly, crouching in front of me. “But you’re tired. And starving.”
“You think?” I snapped, rubbing my temples.
“I also think,” he said with a smug grin, “we need a break. I propose we get very, very drunk tonight. You deserve it.”
I blinked at him, too tired to argue. “What?”
“Come on,” he coaxed, turning to Eryn. “Back me up. We’ve been breaking her body and her brain all week. She needs to let loose. Right?”
Eryn chuckled. “I’m not usually one to mix battle prep with ale, but I think she’s earned it. And I wouldn’t mind getting a little reckless either.”
I looked between the two of them and sighed. “Fine. But if I end up dancing on tables, I’m blaming both of you.”
Makar’s grin widened. “I’ll holdyour hand while you do it.”
Chapter Thirteen
The bathwater was laced with lavender and jasmine, steam curling from the copper tub in lazy spirals. I sank into it with a sigh that shook the bones from my body, letting the warmth soak into my sore muscles.
I knew I shouldn’t be drinking before the tavern, but my body was sore, and I needed to numb the hole I constantly felt in my chest.
I finished the last of my wine and set the chalice down on the tile bathroom floor.My hair floated around me like ink, the only sound the soft drip of water and the distant hum of the castle beyond my chambers.
I had just begun to doze when the door creaked open.
“Elara?” Yara’s melodic voice called gently. “I come bearing options.”
She slipped inside with a soft smile and an armful of fabric. My heart sank and fluttered at once.
“Please tell me it’s not something that requires a corset.”
“No corset,” she said sweetly. “But I am dressing you like a goddess.”
I groaned. “Why?”
“Because if you’re going to walk into that tavern tonight with Makar, Eryn, and the prince, you’re going to make jaws hit the floor.”
I hadn’t known Fintan was planning on coming out too, but a wave of excitement surged through me at the thought of seeing him again. Memories of our steamy night together flooded my mind, igniting a warmth deep within me. Overwhelmed, I submerged myself beneath the water, as if hoping to drown the flutter of anticipation that coursed through my veins.
With no room left to protest, I felt Yara’s gentle but insistent hands pulling me from the bath. She wrapped me in a soft, warm towel, cocooning me in its comforting embrace before leading me to the mirror. As I blinked at the figure staring back at me, I barely recognized the weary reflection. It was the image of a tired, half-drunken Fae girl, her spirit seemingly weighed down by grief and flickering embers of fire.
Through the glass, Yara met my eyes, her expression a fragile blend of concern and understanding. Her demeanor softened as she leaned slightly closer, and I could see the way her brow furrowed ever so slightly.
“You’re more than what’s happened to you,” she said gently, her tone tender, as if she were trying to offer me a lifeline.
Yara pulled up a chair, and I sat in it.
I didn’t respond. I couldn’t. I simply nodded, feeling the warm, treacherous tears brimming at the corners of my eyes.
“Have you ever lost anyone you loved?” I suddenly asked her, the question escaping my lips before I could think twice.
Yara brushed her fingers through my long, damp hair, her touch both soothing and maternal. “Of course, dearie. I have loved and lost many throughout the years. The world is not a kind place,” she replied, her voice tinged with a quiet sadness.
