Page 37 of Sienna Rossi: Beyond Shattered Trust

“So what else did you get up to in the land of gods?” he asks, taking a drag on his cigarette.

“Well, I trained. Helios allowed me to have as many instructors as I needed; they trained me and helped me. Luckily, he wasn’t always around. As a god, he had a lot to tend to, and I’m grateful for it. I was his… wife, but I refused to be a part of that world, and he knew that.”

“We learn from our experiences, and you have been through things that no other mortal can say they have. For what it’s worth, I am proud of you,” he says quietly.

His dark eyes meet mine before I lean in and kiss the side of his head. “Thank you,” I whisper.

He looks up at me, and I smile. I needed this.

“Anytime, kiddo, anytime.”

I rest my head on his shoulder, deciding to stay here for a while longer, and so I begin telling him about what he’s missed back in England. I’m sure Aunty Kiara has filled him in, but still.

“Allie’s getting better with her magic, you know,” I begin.

“Oh yeah? That bottle of poison is determined.”

Gods, do I miss them.

I smile softly. “Of course she is, just like her papa.”

He chuckles, and I tell him about one of our training sessions as I stare into the fire, a small smile playing on my lips.

Side by Side

Sienna

Later that evening, I find Ahren sitting on the low fence bordering the training yard. Because it’s so full of snow, the fence is barely two feet above the ground.

“Hey, what are you doing out here?” I ask as I trudge through the snow, holding out the steaming mug of coffee I’ve brought him.

“Just enjoying the silence,” he says quietly before giving me a smile as he accepts the hot drink. “Thanks.”

I look around. The wind is still howling loudly, and the faint hum of the dome can be heard, but aside from that, it is quieter away from the chatter of the men and women stationed here.

“I guess I can see that,” I say as I take a seat beside him. My foot slips in the snow, and he takes my hand, helping me until I am seated beside him.

“This reminds me of winters as a kid. Remember when Mom or Aunty would turn the pool or pond into an ice rink, and we’d enjoy playing on skates?” Ahren chuckles, motioning to the snow-filled training yard.

I smile, remembering those days. Ahren, Heaven, Tatum and I had a lot of fun.

“Yeah, it was so much fun, and when we went inside, Jaddati would have hot fried snacks and hot drinks ready for us,” I agree, resting my head against his arm.

“Yeah, near the fireplace,” he says, taking a sip of his coffee.

We fall silent, reminiscing about memories of the past. “So, what are you going to do?” he asks after a moment.

I stare out at the blizzard, my smile fading. “I think I’m going to stay for a bit longer. I know why I wanted to come, but I genuinely feel I can be of use here.”

“Because of the barriers, or is the dome itself the reason?” he asks. I glance up at him, cocking an eyebrow.

“The barriers. But what do you mean by the dome?” I ask curiously. “I mean, yeah, it’s intriguing, and I can’t deny that the similarity between our barriers and the dome has captured my attention.”

“Not the words I’d use to describe it.” He frowns, and I raise an eyebrow.

“How would you describe it then?” I ask.

He’s quiet for an extremely long while, and I’m beginning to worry. His brows knitted together in a way I don’t see very often.