Page 50 of Sky of Thorns

Nero gazes solemnly from beside me. The silence weighs heavily in the air. I exhale, tense and unsure if I’m ready to hear his response.

“I was scared it would break our friendship.” Nero sighs as he restlessly tosses a ball of fire back and forth between his palms. His fingers are tipped in sharp claws. “Ye were so consumed with hatred for shifters after yer mum’s death. Ye still can’t stand the thought of them. So much so that after a hundred years you deny yer own feelings towards yer mate.” Silver lines his eyes as his words trail off. Sparks and ash fall to the snow as he clenches his fist.

“I—“ The words die on my tongue as I watch the grief play across my best friend’s face. How would I have responded a hundred years ago? Fifty? Twenty-five? The truth is that I would likely have arrested him and taken him back to the castle for treason.

But things are different now. My mate is a shifter, so I can certainly accept my best friend being one too. Is this what the spirits in the forest were talking about? My hand reaches to grasp the stone around my neck that seems to pulse against my skin since Nero’s transformation.

Knowing how my entire existence has been shaped by my prejudices and hatred, can I really be angered that he feared for our friendship by withholding this information? With a sigh, I stand up, then reach down and help him to his feet.

“Nero, you’ve been my friend for over a hundred years.” I begin, clapping him on the shoulder. He turns the gesture into a hug, and I accept it. “For too long, I’ve been looking for ways to seek revenge for my mother’s death and needing to protect my people. But perhaps it’s time to change.”

“I’m surprised yer taking this so well, yer majesty.” Nero jabs me in the side of the ribs and grins. “What an unprejudiced reaction.”

“I’ll give you an unprejudiced reaction.” My brow raises in challenge and we both start laughing. I have a lot to process, but I am finally learning to not let pride and prejudices get in the middle of a century-long friendship. It will not shape my future, or the man I hope to become one day. With the hope of Sybil accepting me as her mate—one day—and with Nero at our side, surely all that comes after this is manageable.

“How long do you think the storm will last?” I inquire after a while, watching the wind blow furiously outside the cave opening. It is slowly filling up the space with snow. Hopefully, it will help keep our body heat in the small space.

“Ye and I both ken Shadowvale winter storms are unpredictable. They can be two hours or two weeks. But ye know, I’m nae very good at small talk and ye are very good at evading difficult conversations.” Nero rubs his hands together before exhaling against them. The small cavern immediately warms up a degree or two. He cocks his head and grins, a dimple appearing in his right cheek. “At least yer lucky I’m a fire drake, nae an ice drake.”

“There are ice drakes?” I ask, my eyebrows shooting up.

“Maybe?” He shrugs before digging in his pack and pulling out a flask and taking a swig before offering it to me. I drink deep, reveling in the burning sensation while it slides smoothly down my throat. My eyes water as the warm sensation fills the rest of my body.

“Whoa there. I know it’s been a shocking afternoon, but we need to keep our wits about us.” Nero takes the flask from my hand and returns it to his pack. “Ye ken better than anyone how potent this stuff is.”

“What did you mean by, maybe?” My hand drifts to the crystal at my neck and I rub my thumb against its smooth cool surface, once again quiet.

“I don’t see why there shouldn’t be ice drakes. There are earth, water, wind, an’ fire elementals plus all the sub-elementals. Why can’t there be more than just fire an’ earth drakes?” He counts off the types on his fingers, the tips of his claws making tiny clicking noises.

“Have you ever met other drakes?” I ask, curiously. I watch his face fall as he stares in his lap.

“That’s one thing Sybil and I have in common. I’ve never known another drake in ma life, outside of the man me mum said was my da.”

“Sybil has only known one drake in her life?” My heart speeds up at the sound of her name.

“Nae, ye dolt.” He reaches over to ruffle my hair and I swat him away. “Unicorn shifters are as rare as they come. I inquired around, but besides Sybil and her parents, nae one has heard hide nor tail of them for over a century. Wouldn’t ye think if she knew of other kin, she’d have moved to them after her parents’ death?”

My mind travels to Edmund, the poor elemental child orphaned after the death of his parents. I close my eyes, my fist clenching. Sybil has no one. I had my father at least, although after the death of my mother—he was never the same man.

“Death of a loved one affects us all differently.” I sigh, grabbing a pebble beside me and tossing it to bounce off the hard stone floor. “Do you remember when we first found Edmund after that shifter raid?”

“Aye, he was a wee lad.” Nero grins, lost in memories. “He followed us around like a pup after ye brought him home. If he wasn’t on yer heels, he was my shadow constantly asking questions.”

“That boy was an endless stream of questions; how does this work, what does it take to get on the king’s guard, when can I go on a mission, when can I learn to wield a real sword, why why why…” I chuckle then sober up as I think about him at the castle waiting for us to return. But how can we return now? “How is he going to take all this?”

“The lad is smart and he trusts ye, and he trusts us. He took a shine to Sybil after she healed him. The world is nae black nor white, Aramis. He’ll understand that not all shifters are evil, like the group that raided his city and killed his parents.”

“Perhaps you’re right. But what about Sybil? What am I going to say to her?”

“Tell her the truth. Tell her how ye feel. Yer fated mates, Aramis. Ye were nae the only one looking when ye thought the other’s back was turned. She cares about ye, even if she hasn’t admitted it to herself.” He chuckles and nudges me. “Look how long it took ye to accept it.

“Yeah, but…” Guilt churns heavy in my stomach as I replay that night in the dungeons. Sybil standing defiant and proud despite her torn gown and bloodied head. How could I have been such a fool and not seen it? I should have been the one to rescue her that night.

“I’m nae saying she will forgive you right away. Ye’ve got some groveling to do my laddie, but I’ve seen the real you. I ken she will too, just be honest with her and give her time,” he says solemnly.

“How about you tell me how you helped Sybil escape?” I ask, trying to lighten the mood and I am pleased when I see a shocked expression on Nero’s face.

“I–” He pauses and glances at me. “Alright, ye’ve got me. I could nae leave her down there. Not knowing what I did about Kieran and the Queen’s plans.”

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