“Hey! I was always wise,” he argues playfully.
“If that’s what you gotta tell yourself.” I elbow him in the arm, and it almost feels as if we’re old friends falling into old habits. It feels comfortable and yet unfamiliar at the same time.
“Okay, maybe it just gave me the clarity I was missing when I was alive.” His smile falls as his eyes bore into mine, and the feeling of friendship evaporates. “You were the best thing to ever happen to me, Reign. I didn’t deserve your love, and I know that.”
Despite the cold wind wrapping itself around me, heat begins to rise within me. It’s not my power this time, though. It’s nervousness. A feeling I haven’t felt around him in quite some time.
“Damien, you don’t have to—”
“Yes, I do.” The lines in his face tighten. “You need to hear it. You need to know that losing you is worse than death and I know because I’ve experienced both. I would die a hundred times over if it meant getting another chance to be with you.”I start to open my mouth, but he continues. “I know I don’t deserve it and I would never ask it of you. But that won’t stop me from trying to prove to you every day that I’m not the person I was before. Being loved by you was the greatest honor of my life. To experience it once is more than I could’ve ever asked for and yet it wasn’t long enough. So, I will wait. However long it takes.”
The heat that had been radiating from nerves has now elevated to a point of concern. I can feel the pressure building in my shoulder blades as my wings demand to be set free. It’s my emotions. Damien has pushed them to the brink, and it’s making me lose control. I take off down the stairs, heading for the lower part of the ship where the others aren’t.
“Reign!” I hear Amaya call out after me, but I don’t slow down.
Both her and Ryder are on my heels as I descend into the ship’s entry level. Strong hands grab me and spin me around in one motion.
“Look at me. It’s okay, just breathe,” Ryder instructs. “She’s losing control. I got her, but the others can’t know,” he says, turning his attention to Amaya. “Go tell them she’s just seasick, but I’m with her and she’ll be fine.”
She glances at me with worry, but quickly runs back up the stairs, following Ryder’s orders.
“Shh.” He cups my face in between his palms and the feeling of his cool hands against my skin is calming. “Think about the way the sun glistens against the sea. How the wind kisses your skin as you hear the crashing waves in the distance.”
The pressure in my back begins to dissipate along with my heat. It vanishes almost as quickly as it came on and it surprises me. I’ve never been able to gain control that fast before.
“Better?” Ryder ask, pulling his hands from my face.
“Better.”
“Good. Maybe try to stay away from Delecroix until we’re back in the Shadow Lands. He’s obviously a trigger for you and it’s not safe for you to lose control here.”
“Agreed.”
Chapter 33
Ryder
Everything went perfectly today. They have agreed to join us, Reign agreed to the arrangement, and their fleet is exactly what we need. Plus, I got a chance to assess their fighters firsthand and I must say they’re quite impressive. Clearly well trained and unified. We accomplished everything we came here to do. I should feel elated but instead my mind keeps going back toher.
What could Damien have said to her to make her lose control like that? Actually, no. It’s none of my business.
Still, I can’t help but notice there’s tension between the two of them. Ever since we sat down for dinner, Reign hasn’t looked at him once despite his many attempts to catch her eye. I told her to stay away from him, but I didn’t think she would completely ignore the poor guy.
Mother, she’s driving me completely mad, and she doesn’t even realize it. She just sits there, throwing her head back in laugher not even noticing how she lights up the room. After everything she has been through, she should be a shell of a person. Yet here she is, absolutely radiating strength and resilience. It’s incredible.
“How’s the salmon?” Zaro asks, snapping me out of the thoughts I shouldn’t even be having.
“It’s by far the best I’ve ever had, and I’ve been around a long time,” I commend with the raise of my fork.
“I’m going to be dreaming of it when we’re back in the Shadow Lands,” Amaya mumbles with a mouthful.
“You guys head back in the morning, right?” Ion chimes in.
“Yes. We’ll sleep here for the night, but we’ll be needing to get back.”
“It’s a shame you couldn’t stay longer,” he adds. “It’s been nice having you all here.”
“Just gives us all the more reason to come visit again once this is all over,” Reign assures.
