Page 69 of Forgotten Embers

“Please, let me help you.” She had never heard him plead before. He was leaning forward in the chair with his hands laying on the bed just before hers. So careful not to touch her, even now, unless she told him that she wanted him to. She wished she could have told him that she did.

“The mark grew,” she murmured, barely audible.

“I know,” he said quietly.

Wren closed her eyes again. Last time this happened, it had been different. It hadn’t been two days, and the pain hadn’t been suffocating. At the memory of it, she winced as if she were still able to feel the flames licking at her skin.

“Wren, are you in pain?” He stood reaching for a vial next to her bed. “Sophie left this for you in case you were.”

She shook her head; even that movement was effort. “I was before.”

He blanched as if the memory was painful for him as well.

“Tell me how to help you.” His normally vibrant blue eyes were muted as if there were a film over them. She could see how unsure he was. Unsure of what she needed, unsure of what she needed him to be. She wished she had answers for them both.

“I just want to sleep,” she whispered.

He nodded and took his seat again, watching her. Wren wanted to tell him that he should leave, but then she realized she didn’t care either way. The darkness took her and she was grateful for it once more.

Chapter 31

SunlightpouredthroughWren’swindow, ripping her out of the darkness that had become like a second skin. When she looked around she found that she was alone this time and hated the relief that flooded her. Wren didn’t know how long she had been in bed and didn’t care to know. She urged her unused muscles to get up and move, but they protested as she sat up. There was warm tea next to her bed and she sipped it gratefully, her mouth horribly dry.

When she went to put the cup down, her eyes caught her new mark. Suddenly desperate to cover the mark Wren ventured to push her muscles further by going to her wardrobe to find anything that would hide it. Grabbing an emerald silk dress, she donned it and quickly slipped the embedded string around her middle finger. Relief flooded her at not being able to see the triangle on her skin.

Wren’s eyes caught her reflection in the mirror, and nothing could have prepared her for how sallow her cheeks were. What was more surprising was, outside of her cheeks, she almost appeared healthier than she had before. Her skin was tanner, and her complexion was clear and glowing. Even her hair was more lustrous and a deeper brown. She shook her head, not wanting to make sense of any of it.

Wren brought the cup of tea to the fireplace and sat trying to recall the fever dream she had had. At first only the emotions she had felt were tangible. She remembered being sad, but also scared. She remembered being taken from her parents.

Wren dropped the cup, causing it to shatter into a million pieces when she was able to recall that it was to her aunt and uncle she had been brought to. A bargain, she was part of a bargain. They had never truly loved her. She wasn’t sure what part of the realization was most painful for her.

Before she had a chance to worry about the shattered glass Sophie was there kneeling in front of her, grabbing her hands, and asking her if she was okay.

“I didn’t know you were here,” murmured Wren.

“I was in Kai’s room, trying to sleep a little, but I heard a crash, and—oh gods, Wren, what happened?” Sophie was buzzing with concern.

She gave a bitter laugh. “What part are you asking about?”

Sophie dropped her hands and stood up indignantly. “This isn’t you, Wren. You are kind and patient. Almost too good, minus a few glaring flaws here and there.”

A spark of fire lit in her. “And just what are these glaring flaws?”

Sophie looked past her. “Well, for one your inability to make up your mind is problematic, but also there is the one where I think you set your bed afire.”

Wren was about to ask her what she was talking about, but the other woman paid her no more heed as she went and grabbed a pitcher of water, tossing it on the flames taking up a small portion of the bed. Wren stared in disbelief. She had felt the spark in her before it happened. She grabbed at her wrist anxiously.

“I am really going to struggle if I can’t make you mad. Do you think you can learn to control that?” Sophie said as if she hadn’t just witnessed a magic fire.

“I remembered how I came to be with my aunt and uncle.” She said the titles bitterly.

Sophie didn’t say anything, only came to sit across from her, ignoring the shattered teacup.

“A man took me from my real parents and brought me to them as part of a bargain. They didn’t even want me.”

Sophie didn’t hesitate, “Maybe they didn’t want you to begin with, but I am sure that is not how it ended up being.”

Wren shrugged and wiped at the tears flowing down her cheeks. She was not willing to entertain the idea that they came to love her, not after she knew they had only taken her in exchange for something. Realizing Wren was not going to offer any more, Sophie took to cleaning up the cup. When she was finished she brought a new cup of tea to her, making a poor joke about not breaking this one and took her seat again.

---