Page 10 of Songs of Retribution

My blood went cold, and I drifted back into a shadow. Probably members of their crew dropping dead for no reason scared them off.A useful magic, my powers seemed to whisper to me, and I shivered.

Sai looked at Luz. "We've dispersed our crew, and they're traveling west. They seemed shocked that we kept our word and paid them." Luz snorted, but Sai's attention moved across the room to the bed. "Neia?"

Rainoe glanced in Neia's direction as well. "We did all that we could. She’s in a bad way, Sai." Her voice had drained of all its levity and fear flamed in her eyes, bright and uncertain. I was glad Elisa slept. "Worse than you the last time you washed up on our shore."

"You brought me back though," he said, his voice grave.

"We did what we could, and the rest was in the hands of fate. This situation is the same."

"How long will she sleep?"

Rainoe stepped over to Neia and hummed a note of magic, her eyes turning navy like the sea at night, before she shook her head. "A while. Maybe a week even. She's human. There are fewer guarantees."

"We'll have to deal with it." He swallowed. "We must leave tonight and we're going to take her with us."

Rainoe's lips parted then pressed back together as a crease formed between her brows. "Moving her will increase her trauma."

"Prince Lennox's powers worked to protect her on the way here and it's imperative we get her home." He dropped his voice to a whisper. "We have the final heart stone now." Rainoe snapped her face up. "If we reunite them, it might improve her chances."

Rainoe seemed to consider that. "Prince Lennox, do you believe you could use your powers until your group reached Prasanna territory?"

Lennox shuddered. It was subtle; I doubted the others noticed, but I sat beside him, our hands still intertwined, and it trembled into my arm. "Yes."

"Lennox," I whispered.

"Shaan."Kalin.He touched into magic, and I opened myself to the flood of him in my mind—the warmth and love.I have to do this.

You need rest too.

When we get Neia home.

I sighed but gave a begrudging nod. Neia's best chance probably laid in us reuniting our heart stones and turning her into a fae.

"Sleep for an hour first," Rainoe said. "I'll wake you."

I thought Sai would argue, but he slung his cape off and walked over beside me before dropping onto the floor. "You all right, Shaan?"

I killed tonight, I'm brimming with the potential for massive slaughter, worried about the man I love, anxious about Neia, but otherwise fine. It didn't feel like the best response, so I just shrugged as he slumped down beside me.

* * *

Once we'd finally made it home and I cajoled Lennox to separate from Elisa long enough to rest, he scarcely made it through a bath and into my bed before he fell into a deep sleep. I'd slept for a long time beside him then slipped out to check on Neia. Her condition remained the same. The palace's sirens wanted her vitals more stable before we attempted more magic.

I lay beside Lennox and watched the rise and fall of his bare shoulders beneath my colorful silk blankets. I'd closed all the blinds and kept the sole lamp dim so as not to disturb him. He'd slept for an entire day, but I was reluctant to wake him.

He was beautiful. I fought to keep my hands off him, to not touch his gritty jaw and brush the thick line of his lips with my thumb.

He took a deep breath and turned so that more of his chest slipped past the blankets, his skin glowing gold in the lamplight’s dim glimmer.

To have this man here with the colors of my life in stacks of paintings and furnishing behind him was almost too much. I'd loved this man, then hated him, lost him, and found him. Now I wanted to press him to me and never release him.

As he lay there quietly, I tried desperately not to think about what I'd done. I'd killed, and, perhaps even more cowardly, I’d told no one. I feared that this man, my brother, my parents may not look at me the same anymore if I did.

Lennox had shown me a type of love I'd never known existed, something so pure and beautiful and precious. How could I shatter everything we had by telling him his Atalla was a monster? That even lying at his side I could feel the magic curling through me, hungry and alive and limitless?

I shivered, and Lennox took a deep breath and stretched. For a moment, I'd forget about that and be here with this man. But I knew as soon as we parted the same worries would eat away at my mind.

CHAPTERFIVE

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