Matthew glanced around the room. “Have you seen Kalen this morning? I was hoping to speak with him.”
We’d talked about Kalen’s departure last night while we’d been wrapped in each other’s arms. Matthew told me about the strange way he’d been acting, but said he had no clue why he’d stormed out like he did. Though he tried to hide it, I had a feeling his friend’s absence had hurt him more than he’d let on.
Luka’s frown deepened. “No, I haven’t. I knocked on his door this morning, but I imagine he’s hesitant to show his face or seek a remedy for the headache he’s undoubtedly suffering from.”
Matthew nodded, his brows creasing. I reached down, slipping my hand into his. “You’ll have plenty of time to talk later. Give him the day to lick his wounds before you confront him.”
He said nothing, only squeezing my hand gently in comfort.
* * *
“How is the elixir coming along?”I asked, striding into the small chamber off of the garden. Ciena had turned this into her craft room, a large cauldron standing proudly in the middle of the floor. Sprigs of dried herbs and flowers hung from the ceiling, filling the room with a strange array of scents.
Ciena looked up from her notebook, hair falling into her eyes. “Actually, I think it may be ready. There isn’t a way to test it, of course, but according to the information I’ve found on the base mixture and a few of my own adjustments…” she shrugged, trailing off. “It should be perfect.”
I approached the cauldron, staring down at the strange mixture inside. It bubbled ominously, the pale green coloring reminiscent of decay.
“I wouldn’t do that—” Ciena began, but she cut herself off with her own laughter as my nose scrunched up in disgust.
“What the hell is that?” I asked, stepping back and covering my nose. I looked back at the cauldron in horror. “Gods above, that is potent!”
She nodded. “It’sawful, I know. I put a containment spell over the top to keep the smell confined, but it wears off as you get closer. Unfortunately, there’s nothing I can do to eradicate it.”
“And Damien has todrinkthat?” I asked, eyebrow quirking.
“Hm,” she said, turning back to her book. “Renai should come by to pick it up any moment now.”
Renai pushed open the small wooden door, her eyes glancing warily around the room. Dark circles stood out starkly against her pale skin, her eyes were red-rimmed as if she’d been crying. She only let a faint flicker of vulnerability cross her face before she pulled herself together and swaggered through the door, and I had to give her credit for that.
“Well, well, well,” she drawled, smirking and dropping into an exaggerated bow. “I didn’t expect to see you today, Your Majesty. I figured you would be otherwiseoccupied.”
I rolled my eyes, though I couldn’t help the small surge of giddiness I felt from thinking of the evening before. “Once we win this war and put Lachlan down once and for all, perhaps then I’ll be able to enjoy my mate the way I should.”
Renai shuddered. “I could have done without that mental image.”
“You’re the one who brought it up,” I said, pointing at her. “Blame yourself for that one.”
She stepped up beside Ciena, nudging her with her elbow. “Is it ready for me?”
“I suppose we will see. As I told Eva, there’s no way to test it, but I’ve gone over everything three times. It should work as we predicted.” She pulled a small vial from the shelf and brought it over to the cauldron, filling it and handing it back to Renai.
As Renai stepped forward, though, she gagged and jumped right back. “Fuck,” she cursed. “That’s disgusting.” Then a smile crested her lips. “It’ll be fun watching him try to drink this.”
“Are you headed there now?” I asked, and she nodded. “Mind if I join you?”
Renai hooked her arm through mine and turned us around. “Not at all! Let’s go.” She turned and called out over her shoulder, “I’ll let you know if this works, Ciena, or if you’ve killed him.”
Ciena just waved her off, sticking her nose back into her book as we walked out into the garden.
After a few moments of comfortable silence, I sighed and turned toward Renai. “Were you able to find Kalen last night after he stormed out of the ceremony?” I’d hoped she was going to walk in while I was visiting Ciena, and I considered myself fortunate that she did. Though I told Matthew to give it a day, it was obvious he was worried about his friend and I hoped to give him some peace of mind.
Renai’s steps faltered momentarily, her shoulders going rigid. “I did. We may have gotten into an argument about it. He isn’t in the best place at the moment. I think finding out Arabella was alive messed with him more than any of us realized,” she said, her voice trailing off. “Especially more thanIrealized.”
I squeezed her arm. “I’d hoped you two were turning into something of an item, but perhaps the wounds are still too fresh?”
She pursed her lips, forcing them into a tight smile. “Perhaps. Either way, I don’t think that kind of relationship is in the future for us. We’re better off as friends, regardless.”
“Is that what you want?” I asked. I shouldn’t pry. I knew I shouldn’t. Matthew’s voice even sounded in my head, telling me to mind my own business, but there was such sadness behind Renai’s words that I couldn’t help but slip the question out.
