Page 13 of Queen of Shadows and Ruin

Zarya grinned and nodded. “I’d love that.”

“Perfect.” Then Ekaja pressed the tips of her fingers to her mouth and blew them both a kiss before leaving and closing the door behind her.

“She seems intense,” Zarya said, and Rabin snorted another dry laugh.

“You have no idea.” Then he grabbed Zarya’s wrist and hauled her against him. “I missed you,” he said, and she smiled.

“I missed you, too.”

“Are you okay?” he asked. “Everything is okay?”

“Yeah. I think so. It was a little overwhelming, and he’s also intense, and I have no idea how the three of you live here together without this place imploding, but…” She paused and searched his face. “It was also nice.”

Rabin brushed a lock of hair off her forehead and cupped her cheek.

“And what will you tell him about your magic when he asks? I know what Row said about your nightfire…”

Something wary moved behind her eyes. “That’s part of why I agreed to come here. If he knows as much about magic as you say, I have some questions I’d like to ask.”

He thought often about what she’d done to his flowers in Daragaab. She was obviously struggling to explain it, but Rabin wasn’t hurt that she hadn’t confided in him yet—he understood what it was like to carry something inside you that you weren’t ready to share.

“And what about the vanshaj?”

She chewed her bottom lip. “How do you think he’d react if I told him everything? The secret is out now. I’m not sure why we need to hide what the sixth anchor or my nightfire are capable of.”

Rabin blew out a breath. “I don’t know how he’ll react.”

Zarya cocked a head. “Can you guess?”

“Honestly, I think he’ll be fascinated by the process more than anything. That could trump any reservations he might have.”

“Then I’ll work with that. Anything is better than the outright antagonism of Dishani and the Madans,” Zarya said.

She extricated herself from his hold and turned to face the room, her gaze sliding over the bed and the windows, the fire crackling in the hearth. She took a few steps. “This is where you brought me that night.”

He didn’t reply as she approached the desk they’d used as a shield between them. She picked up the same dagger she’d threatened him with, a small smile playing on her lips.

Holding it up, she twisted it left and right, admiring the gleam in the firelight. Then she looked over with a spark in her eyes.

“What’s on your mind, Spitfire?” he asked, his voice dropping low.

She winked and then turned towards the window, staring out as he watched her. Her midnight hair fell in soft waves down her back, reflecting orange in the firelight. She lifted a hand and pressed it to the glass.

“It’s so cold,” she whispered, and Rabin walked up behind her, laying a hand on the curve of her waist. “But… beautiful.”

“That’s how I’ve always felt about it, too,” he answered.

They stood silently for a minute, staring at the sparkling landscape together. This was all he’d wanted. Zarya in this place beside him. Eventually, they’d tell Abishek everything, and there would be no more secrets between any of them.

“What did you think of him?” Rabin finally asked.

She looked up. “He’s not what I expected. He seemed genuinely pleased to meet me.”

“He is,” Rabin said, meaning it. “You made him very happy today.”

“He behaved a bit strangely when he asked about the Bandhan.”

“He likes to be the one in control. And I can tell he’s already possessive of you.”