Page 39 of Badmouths & Bards

“That means she’s fine, right?” Tala had encroached so close to Casimine, Ameriden wondered if she would crawl into his lap. “What’s she doing?”

The water was boiling now, on the verge of spilling over. Whatever doubts Ameriden had about Tala’s relationship with Avie completely disappeared when he saw the tremor in Casimine’s free hand. It was subtle, but Ameriden knew what a spell looked like when it was on the verge of ending.

“She’s—”

“Casimine!”

Ameriden was already moving, catching Casimine just in time as he swayed backward. He had broken the connection, the water in the bowl piping hot but stable. Surprisingly, Tala had shot out at the same time Ameriden had, her hands supporting the hand that held her precious opal while the other supported Casimine’s upper arm.

“Casi, hey, hey,” Ameriden tapped his cheek. “Hey, baby, wake up.”

“I’m awake, just weak, you mother hen,” Casimine groggily replied.

“Thank the Water Mother,” Ameriden sighed, pressing a kiss to his forehead. “Do you need anything?”

“Crysine?” Casi joked.

“I am not getting you drugs right now, you beautiful dick,” Ameriden laughed.

His lover laughed in return, before he lazily turned his gray eyes to Tala. She looked—well, unnerved by the experience.

“She was in a room…” Casi paused, then with determination. “In a bed with someone else. Naked.”

Fuck.

“I—” Tala blinked rapidly, her mouth twisting. “What do you mean she was in bed with someone?”

Fuck.

Before Casimine could explain, Tala snatched the opal from his palm. She ran her thumb across the back, brought the stone to her mouth, and exploded.

“Did you really run away to GloomsDale to fuck someone?!” Tala snapped. “I’ve been worried sick about you for weeks and you’ve just been fucking some guy?!”

Ameriden and Casimine shared a look.

This wasn’t the response they had been hoping for.

Chapter 17

Taldesa

Avie—her best friend who had been missing for three weeks was in GloomsDale because she was fucking someone.

Why didn’t she just say that?! Why couldn’t she just tell me?!

A million angry thoughts filtered through Tala’s mind. All of them conflicting with the worry and doubt she had been carrying for so long. If she was back at the temple with the Valiant Circle, she would grab Cercel by the collar and demand he spar with her. Unlike the others, the top student didn’t fear her recklessness the way the others did. When she was angry, she was more prone to mistakes, but that didn’t mean her hits didn’t hurt like hell.

Why couldn’t you have just said something to me Avie? Do you not trust me anymore?

“Tala…”

Casimine’s voice pulled Tala outside of her body enough that she realized she was pacing. Her hand hurt from how tightly she had been clutching the opal. Ameriden had sat on the floor, pulling Casimine’s body between his legs to support him. Through all her emotional turmoil about Avie, she had completely spaced on the fact that Casimine had stressed out his body finding her friend for her.

He had done it as a token of his affection for her, whatever the fuck that meant. She had once thought Avie had affection for her, but doubt clouded Tala’s mind. What had she done that Avie didn’t trust her anymore? Had she said something too direct? Had she hurt Avie to the point that she thought it was better not to tell Tala anything about this situation? Also, who the fuck was this guy she was in bed with?

“You okay, sunshine?” Ameriden asked.

Fuck it.