Page 182 of Storm and Sea

Atreus took a steadying breath. “Sure, what’s up?” He sounded tight, even to his own ears.

Nyel shifted from one foot to another. “You aren’t mad, are you?”

“No,” he replied quickly—and it was the truth. He wasn’t mad at Nyel or his decision to leave. In fact, Atreus was happy for him.

But the pit in his stomach had only sunk lower with each passing day. And tonight was the last night. Tomorrow, the final morning.

He had no idea what to do with the feelings churning in his chest. So, instead, he reassured Nyel with a playful kick to the shin.

“I’m not mad.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.”

He wanted to say more. And the way Nyel lingered suggested he wanted to as well. Yet they stood awkwardly, the silence stretching between them, neither willing to break it.

“Well, if that’s all, I’m gonna head to bed. Early start tomorrow.”

Nyel dropped his head. “Yeah.”

“Yeeeaaaah.” Atreus stretched. “Night then.”

“Night.”

As Nyel turned to leave, Atreus watched him go, his gaze tracing the elegant lines of his slender frame. For a fleeting second, he was half-tempted to invite Nyel to stay—to spend their last night together in his room, just to bask in the sireno’s presence a little longer. But the words never came.

Hours later, Atreus lay wide awake, staring at the cobwebs on the ceiling. His mind churned with thoughts of what he could have said—what he wanted to say. By morning, it would be his last chance.

“See the lengths he goes

through to be rid of you?”

Atreus squeezed his eyes shut, desperate for sleep to silence the voice gnawing at him from the inside out.

“Ready to leave it all behind

just to escape you.

You’re nothing but a burden to him.”

“I tried not to be,” Atreus whispered.

“He got what he wanted;

he doesn’t need you anymore.”

“That’s not true. He’ll come back.”

“What if he’s already planned

a life without you?

What if tomorrow is the

start of his forever… far away from you?”

Atreus curled in on himself, bracing against the voice’s words all through the long hours of the night.