Page 55 of Maleen

“I have to agree with him this time,” Ember mutters as Lennox and Cynder nod their heads.

Nero sighs. “You fae. Can battle any creature with a smile on your face but spiders are where you draw the line. Don't worry, I’ll protect you from the delicious little creatures.”

“Hey now,” Roz says, shaking his finger at Nero as we all take our seats again. “They bite, and that can kill you, before they vanish into the aether without a trace.”

“Plus they have eight legs,” Cynder mutters with a shiver.

“And spin webs,” Lennox adds.

Nero chitters in amusement as he settles back on my shoulder.

“I think Roz and I are going to find something to eat in the kitchens and head off to bed,” Ember yawns as she gets up from her chair, still looking a bit pale.

“Yeah, sleep,” mimics Roz, not looking the tiniest bit tired as he checks his surroundings again, scanning the surfaces.

I snicker but also keep my eyes peeled for any more. Thankfully Nero never lets them get too close to me. “You two go have fun and get some rest. We will be back in here tomorrow anyway.”

“Not until after training,” Lennox adds, rising from his own chair. “Batsil wants us to keep on top of everything. With that being said, I’m off to bed too.”

He watches Cynder out of the corner of his eye, and when it’s obvious she’s too engrossed in the book, his shoulders droop and he makes his way out of the study room back into the neverending library.

When he’s gone and it’s only Cynder and I left, I speak. “You know he likes you, right?” It may be weird to talk sex, but relationships are on the table. I blame Nero for my meddling.

“Me? Never!” he sasses.

“Bullshit, your obsession with other fae’s relationships reminds me of the elder females who enjoy their tea and gossip.”

He gasps. “Is not!”

Cynder peers at me with wide eyes. “There’s no way, plus…” She glances in the corner of the room as if the shadows might tell her secrets. “What if I like another male… or males? What if, like you, I’m fated, and I break their hearts? It’s better if I just keep my distance.”

My brows rise. “That’s fair. Just know you shouldn’t live your life with ‘what if’s. Anything could happen. Don’t forget that, okay?” I pause. “I’m guessing the males are the Safir Raiders? Is it all of them or a few…?” Yeah. Nero is definitely rubbing off on me.

She turns a dark shade of crimson and mumbles, “All five of them.”

I smile and shrug. “It’s perfectly okay to like them all, and Lennox too. Just tell them when you’re ready and you might be surprised,” I tell her as I stack all my books on the table for tomorrow.

“I will… one day. Where are you going? To bed?” she asks as I stand, stretching my stiff body.

“Not yet, there’s somewhere I want to go first, but I need to do it alone. Have a good night Cyn. If you need anything, let me know. This is your home too.”

She forces a smile and glances around. “I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to think of anywhere as home,” I think she mutters under her breath, but since I’m not sure, I just smile and make my exit, walking toward the one part of the library that always brought me comfort, and I’m hoping it brings me some now.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

MY BODY ALMOST FEELS RELAXED. More and more of the Vathian warriors have been arriving with the rebels. Shadowfire is placed strategically around the city, and I’m finally happy with the rotation of guards keeping watch over Maleen. It feels like I can breathe, and now it’s almost as if I’m walking back into the past as I venture down the decorative corridors that lead to a library I never thought I would see again… to her. My mate. The female I never thought I would see again in this lifetime.

We were young then, but she was always safe. Somehow I knew that she was the one for me, even if I didn’t know what that meant then. She was my best friend, a fae I knew would never judge me, who sat with me in my darkness while she held the candle, keeping me anchored to this realm.

Even now, she quiets the demons that threaten to take over. They almost consumed me. I was happy to be the protector of our group, keeping my brothers safe, but now, because of her, I want so much more. I want her.

The door to the library opens silently and my blood pumps with nerves and excitement. My Little Warrior is here somewhere and I have a feeling I know exactly where she is. My massive form weaves through the stacks of dusty tomes and stories until I reach the far back corner where a large window lets the moon shine its silver light across the small corner—our spot.

It takes me only a second to find her, and seeing her curled up under the table reading a book has my heart sputtering. It’s like we never left—that here, none of the shit that plagues our realm exists, and it’s only me and her.

She’s so engrossed in whatever she’s reading that she doesn’t notice me slip under the table beside her until I knock my head against the solid wood. Her body jerks and she rolls to the side, her hand instantly flying to her dagger, eyes wide with fear until she realizes it’s just me.

“It seems I’ve outgrown our table,” I mutter as I try to make myself as small as possible to fit under it, but it doesn’t work, so I lay on my side.