And then she was gone.
64
SEVERIN
For a long time afterRavikleft, neitherSeverinnorCassandrasaid a word.
The door had closed behind him with a soft pneumatic sigh that seemed entirely too quiet for something that had just shatteredSeverin’sworld.Hestood there for a moment, staring at the place where his best friend had been, feeling as though every part of himself had gone still and hollow.Itwas a strange sensation—like being wounded in battle but not feeling the pain yet.
ThenCassandramade a soft, broken sound that brought him back to reality.
Severin had turned at once and saw her sitting on the edge of the enormous nest-bed, one hand pressed to her mouth and the other gripping the red silk robe where it covered her heart.Hereyes were shining with tears, and the sight of them was enough to force him out of his own grief.
He crossed the room and sat beside her.
“Sweetheart,” he murmured, reaching for her carefully.“Comehere.”
She came at once, folding herself against him as though she had been waiting for permission.Severinwrapped his arms around her and held her close, resting his cheek against her hair while she trembled against his chest.Herbody was warm and soft and still faintly scented with nectar, honey, and the strange serumDr.Verityxhad given her.
Underneath all of that was sorrow and need.
Not the sharp, feverish need of the virus this time—though he could still smell traces of that too.Thiswas emotional—a deep, aching grief that had nothing to do with biology and everything to do with losing a piece of the three-sided shape they had somehow become.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered against his shirt.
Severin closed his eyes.
“You have nothing to be sorry for,” he told her.
“Yes,Ido.”Shesniffed and pressed closer.“Ibrought all this into your life.YouandRavikwere best friends before me.Youwere solid.Youhad each other.AndthenIcame along and now everything is broken.”
“No.”Severintightened his arms around her, wishing he could make her believe it by force of will alone.“Youdidn’t break anything,Cassandra.Youmade us stop pretending.”
She was quiet for a moment, her cheek pressed to his chest.
“Pretending what?”she asked at last.
Severin looked toward the door again.Thatwas the question, wasn’t it?
He had spent years not answering it.Yearsburying one night under duty and silence.YearsacceptingRavik’sexplanation because it was easier to let theGoldsheillale take the blame than to admit that something real had happened in that pleasure house.
He drew a slow breath.
“There was a night, years ago,” he said quietly.“BeforeVisslickPrime…before theHungerVirus.RavikandIwere on shore leave after a brutal campaign, and we went to a pleasure district onTenebria.Therewas a woman there—aTenebrianwoman.Beautiful.Clever.Verydirect.”
Cassandra lifted her head just enough to look at him.
“Direct how?”
“She wanted us both.”Hismouth twisted faintly, though there was no humor in it.“Raviktold her we were notTwinKindredand thatBeastandBloodKindreddid not share females.Shetold us not to share, then.Shetold us simply to enjoy her at the same time.”
Cassandra’s eyes widened slightly.
“And did you?”
“Yes.”Severinlooked down at his hands.“Wehad both been drinking.Ravikblamed the ale afterward.Ilet him…it was easier that way.”
Her voice was soft.
