Amaya hustles over and kneels down beside us, taking a look at the intertwined cluster. “Jeez, how did this even happen?”
“Your guess is as good as ours,” I offer.
“We’ve been looking all over for you! Artemus told us about Damien. I can’t believe it freaking worked!” Emeric chimes while Amaya works her fingers through the pile of mess.
“Where’s Akari?” Ryder asks.
“She went to go see Damien,” Emeric answers with the rise of his eyebrows.
Amaya looks up at me and Ryder and says, “I’d love to be a fly on that wall.”
“Hopefully she goes easy on him, and they can work their stuff out,” Em adds. “With everything going on with my brother, she could use his friendship right about now."
"Got it!" Amaya throws up her hands in victory.
I quickly slide off of Ryder’s lap and he stands, offering me his hand. I take it but let go the moment my feet are planted.
“Damn, Reign. Did you slam your head into a stone wall?” Emeric chirps when he sees the lump taking up a fifth of my face.
I glance at Ryder who’s wearing an apologetic expression. “Pretty much.”
“I’m sure you three have some catching up to do, so I’ll leave you to it.”
Emeric starts to say something, but Ryder is already gone before he even gets two words out. Amaya gives me a weird look that I can’t quite read, but she doesn’t say anything. She just throws an arm over my shoulder and walks me over to where Emeric is waiting for us.
“So, what happens now?” Em asks without needing to elaborate.
“I have no fucking clue.”
Chapter 29
Ryder
“How are you feeling?” I ask Damien when he steps into the study. It’s been just over a week since everything happened and from what I can tell he’s been acting normal, but you never know what mental battle someone is fighting.
“Good, I guess.”
The way he’s scratching the side of his head makes me think otherwise.
“Sit down.” He pulls out the chair opposite of me and takes a seat. Between his sunken eyes and grown out stubble, he looks completely drained. “How are you really doing?”
“I don’t really know. I haven’t slept much lately. I should feel amazing, right?” He leans back in the seat. “I’m back to being myself but I’m not even surewhat that means anymore. I’ve been bound by that curse for so long and my mind has been split into two for almost two years. I don’t even know who I really am anymore.”
“Then maybe it’s time for you to decide who it is you want to be.”
“Maybe you’re right.” His eyes glaze over like he’s lost in thought.
“I don’t want you to feel obligated, but there’s a seat for you on the council if you want it.” I’ve thought it over the last week and ultimately decided we could use him. He’s familiar with how my father thinks and there’s no denying his impressive set of skills.
“I’ll take it,” he agrees without further thought.
“Perfect. We have a meeting in ten minutes.” He nods. “There’s something else I’d like to run by you.”
“I’m all ears,” he says, sitting up with anticipation.
“I have a meeting with the leaders of the Infinite Sea Territories. I leave tomorrow and Reign is coming with me. Being that your father had a relationship with them, and your sister is living there, I thought you might want to join us.” I expected Damien to shoot out of the chair with excitement, but instead the space between his eyebrows pinches at the idea. “You’re more than welcome to stay here, though.”
“No,” he mutters. “You’ll have a better shot at making a deal with them if I’m there and I need to see her. It’s been over two years since we were last together.” He looks up at me with a strained expression. “She doesn’t know about any of it.”
