Page 16 of A Thread of Breath and Bone

I could drown in this scent—in her.

She shifts in my lap, her soft, damp cheeks brushing against mine as she leans closer. I don’t say anything, I just hold her and let her cry. She wraps her arms around my shoulders and buries her face in my neck. My hands continue running a path up her spine, watching her arms erupt in chills as her body shudders.

A few minutes later, Kellan appears with a blanket, draping it over her, taking care to ignore me as much as possible.

“Thank you,” I say.

He nods, dropping into the seat across from me, still refusing to meet my gaze as he runs a palm over his chin. We’re both quiet for long minutes, with the only sound coming from her shaky breathing.

“Is it true?” Kellan asks.

I glance up, finding him studying her. I’m tempted to make some smartass remark, but for the sake of Raea’s already unstable emotions, I play nice.

Running my free hand through my hair, I drawl, “Care to expand?”

He rolls his eyes, clenching his jaw as he leans back. “Her powers?”

I can’t tell if he’s amazed or terrified. I glance down at her—her dark brown lashes rest against her cheekbones, and her face is flushed. Her breathing is finally slowing. I can feel her body relaxing more every minute. From anyone else’s point of view, I’m sure it’s hard to reconcile this beautiful, soft, docile princess with the powerful, strong-willed, assured woman.

I’ve always seen both.

Her tender side doesn’t make the strong side of her weaker. I think it only makes her stronger, and I love her even more for it.

I finally look up at Kellan, realizing he’s been waiting for an answer. “You think you understand power?” I say softly, shaking my head in awe. “You don’t. Not until you’ve seen her wield it.” My eyes settle on her, the way her eyelashes flutter when she’s dreaming. “It’s not something she uses—it’s something she is. Like the stars chose to show their power through her.”

I press my lips to her forehead, breathing her in for a long moment. Her scent wraps around my heart, her essence winding around our Bond, pressing in on memories new and old. The waves of light shimmer in and out of view.

She’s the only sure thing in this broken world.

“She learned to burn,” I whisper.

It’s late when I finally tuck her into bed. Kellan left shortly after, realizing she wasn’t going to wake up, and I wasn’t leaving.

She stirs when I back away. “Ry,” she mumbles.

I pause, hand gripping the door knob as I peer over my shoulder.

“Stay.”

She didn’t want us to stay in the same room, so I’ve been trying to give her space. But if she asks me to stay?

I cross the room with long strides. Sitting beside her, I brush an unruly white strand from her face. Her eyes flutter open, and she smiles sleepily.

“Stay tonight,” she mutters again. “I sleep better when you’re here.” Her eyelids fall closed again as she yawns, burying further into the sheets.

Fuck it.

I kick off my shoes, peel my clothes off, and crawl into bed behind her. Wrapping a hand around her stomach, I pull her closer until her back is flush with my chest. She makes a small, contented humming noise.

The tension in my chest releases.

For the first time all day, I let myself rest.

I’m shaken awake by what feels like moments later. I seconds from knocking them out when I hear Aksel’s familiar laugh.

“Do it,” he taunts with a smirk.

“Go away,” I huff, looking back to make sure Raea’s still asleep.