What else could I say?
With that, we returned to my chambers.
Paris collapsed onto the single bed in the corner, passing out in seconds.
“He seems so peaceful, doesn’t he?” Medusa said, watching over him.
And radiant,I wanted to say. “He does.”
I liked that she seemed to care for him, although I wondered if she was just as foolish as me to feel anything for the elf.
Fatigue crept toward me. I stifled a yawn, taking a seat on my bed.
My friend sat on the floor, sticking her legs out. “What happens next?”
How was I supposed to sleep today? Surely my brain wouldn’t let me.
I explained every detail I knew so far to her.
She didn’t know what a Knife of Fractured Rapture was either.
“And I’m going to need your help,” I added. “Your portal power, to be precise.”
“No problem.”
“You don’t mind?”
“What’s the point of having a portal power if I can’t use it to help my best friend?”
The warmth of her friendship pooled in my belly. “Thank you.”
“Anytime, sugar,” she answered, wincing.
Shame on me for only noticing her injured scales. “Let me call someone to tend to your wounds.”
She shook her head vehemently. “I’ll be hunting shortly. That will fix me up. But first, I want to be here for you.”
Ah, yes. The twelve-hour healing rule.
I smiled, her companionship nothing short of wonderful. Thank goodness she was here.
“This thing about your sister,” she said. “I can’t even imagine how you’re feeling.”
“Confused, as usual,” I responded.
“I’m sorry. I wish I could help ease the pain for you.”
She was so, so kind. “And I’m sorry for everything. Because of me, you’re hurt and Gilbert died. I…” I steadied myself against the kernels of ache in the Heart of All. “The best thing for me to do is leave for a while.”
She got up, hurried over, and sat beside me. “Oh, sugar.” She threw her arms around me, crushing me in a tight embrace.
I held her as she began to sob. “Everything will be alright.” If only I believed that, if only I could promise her some sort of future. But the longer this went on, the weaker my determination became.
Maybe I just need to sleep this day away and wake up fresh at nightfall. Because no decent king would allow himself to languish in self-pity.
It was time to be strong.
I let her cry into my shoulder until her tears stopped flowing.
