Page 89 of Vengeance Becomes Her

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Her head was pounding the next day and the terror that struck her when she turned over to see Tristain staring at her from Kyra’s empty bed didn’t do anything to help.

“You owe me an explanation.”

She let out a long sigh, but she knew she couldn’t avoid the topic any longer. She pulled herself into a sitting position forcing her tired, ale-impaired brain to focus. “This is going to be hard to believe, but you know how Silas has magic?”

Tristain furrowed his brow but nodded along.

“Well, he got that power by killing that redhead you met—which you already know—but the thing is, she’s not exactly gone.” She rubbed her hand over her face in frustration, she had no idea how to explain this. “Part of her soul remained and she’s able to connect with me somehow. She’s been here all along, ever since Silas tried to kill me.”

Tristain sat in silence, staring down at the bed. Rhiannon couldn’t blame him for having a hard time digesting the information. She hardly believed it saying it out loud, there was no reasonable explanation.

“What do you mean she’s been ‘here’?” Hefinally asked.

“She’s been in my head.” She put her hand up before he could speak. “Not all the time, but she comes to me in my dreams mostly. But when she senses me in danger, sometimes, I can feel her there too. The green eyes, they’re hers.”

Tristain stood up pacing the small room. “Do you speak to her?”

“Yes. Kind of. In my dreams.”

“Do you think that’s how Silas knew where you were—she told him?”

“No.” Rhiannon was quick to defend Delphine. Despite her occasional impatience, she had been a friend to Rhiannon. A protector. Hell, she had saved her life. She was sure that Delphine wouldn’t put her in danger when she’d done so much to keep her alive.

Tristain searched her gaze, reading her assurance. “Okay…well, do you think that maybe Silas can do what she does? If they have the same power source, wouldn’t it make sense that he could get inside your mind too?”

Rhiannon swallowed hard. The thought had never crossed her mind. She’d never felt him there. She’d never seen him like she’d seen Delphine. But she couldn’t help but wonder what if. She stood as she contemplated the possibility that Silas could access her mind too. Maybe he was simply more covert about it. Sweat dripped down her brow as a roll of nausea hit her, forcing her to sprint to the washroom.

Tristain tried to follow her in, but she slammed the door before he could crossthe threshold.

“I need a minute.”

“Okay.” His voice was muffled by the dense wood of the door. She heard his back slide down the frame moments later. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

She wanted to yell that she wasn’t, but her throat was too tight from choking back sobs that threatened to escape. She wouldn’t let a what-if strike fear into her. She breathed deeply, focusing on slowing the pounding in her chest. She didn’t think Silas would have hid in the shadows all this time if he could have had the opportunity to torment her. That didn’t seem like him. Either way, there was nothing she could do about it.

She stood with resolve drivingher movements.

Tristain rose abruptly as the door left his back. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. It’s fine.” She pulled clothes out of the wardrobe and started dressing for the day, pulling on a pair of black leggings and another black top, this one with a low “V” cut into the neckline. “We should get moving.”

Tristain sighed butfollowed suit.

When they went downstairs, Kyra and Samara were already done eating and waiting for them. Rhiannon couldn’t stomach anything, so Tristain grabbed them both something for later.

When they arrived at the training spot, Tristain split them up. With Samara’s bow skills superior to anything he could teach her, he had her and Rhiannon pair up to practice with swords while he and Kyra sparred on their own.

Rhiannon tried not to let it bother her that Kyra was much closer to his skill level than she would ever be. She reminded herself of his praise of her scrappiness—as long as she wanted to win more, it made up for the technique she still needed improvement on. Plus, in a real fight, she would always opt for her daggers. She knew she could rely on herself withthose in hand.

A thwack on her arm shook her from her thoughts. Samara was laughing.

Despite the sting on her arm, Rhiannon let out an amused chuckle. Samara’s laugh was infectious, the airy sound rattling loose the tension in her body.

Rhiannon couldn’t help but have a soft spot for her. She admired her ability to find joy in each day. While most assumed that’s just how she was, Rhiannon knew it was through pure determination, like everything else Samara did.

Despite the darkness she had seen, she was still a romantic at heart and it was a gift she unguardedly shared with others. While Rhiannon worried that it would leave her vulnerable, she couldn’t deny how good it felt to bask in it with her. She only hoped that Samara would hold onto it, even when others would undoubtedly try to take itfrom her again.

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