Page 57 of For the Ghastly and Beautiful

Chapter17

Adelaide

DAY THIRTY-EIGHT

Rin and I leave shortly after Imryll. We barely make it out of the square before she’s moving on to the next stage of her crazy plan.

She leans into me to whisper, “We need to split up. Stay with him. I’m going to check some things out.”

I nod at her as we catch up to Imryll. It’s almost as if he expected us to be on our way. He doesn’t say anything, simply grinning as he slides his hand into mine. I grin back because I’m a fucking idiot. But Imryll is my safety, and nothing will change that.

“Are you busy today?”

“I’ve got to get back to the clinic. No one is there right now. I only came into the square to grab some lunch.”

“Where is Selmar?” Rin discreetly bumps my ribs with her elbow like I’ve forgotten she’s ditching me. “I saw him working this morning.”

Imryll shrugs one shoulder. “He needed to visit the other healers to distribute supplies and stock our clinic, so I came in early today.”

“Mind if I stay with you?” I ask him, knowing he’ll say yes but still wanting to give him an option. “Rin has plans, and I’d rather not tag along.”

She scoffs. “You can come. I don’t know how you feel about watching other people have—”

“You never have to ask, Ada,” Imryll interjects, pulling me away from Rin when she smirks deviously. “And I’d rather you didn’t join Rinya.”

“Why is that?” she chirps.

“I know that look; you’re up to no good.” He glares at her. “Don’t you have somewhere to go?”

“I do, but I’m enjoying making this awkward for you.” She sighs like she just can’t deal with him. “Ada knows we’re all courting her, and she knows I have no intentions of anything other than friendship with her. Does she know what you want?”

His hand spasms around mine, and we both end up glaring at Rin. She backs away from us, playfully dancing across the footpath as she leaves us alone.

Imryll drops my hand as he opens the door to the clinic door for me. I’m shocked at how much I enjoy something as simple as holding hands with him, and I miss the touch once it’s gone. But that doesn’t deter me from quizzing him as soon as Rin leaves.

“So, what just happened?”

“Which part are you referring to?”

“You changed for a moment while we were at the bakery. I could feel the power rolling beneath your skin, and you were cold under my touch. I felt your possession and hostility. Is that a Mongrel thing or…” I leave my sentence hanging, unsure of how to finish it.

“Oh. That.” He frowns. “There’s a natural hierarchy of power here, though few people sit at the top. I’m known for my extra ability, and they assume I’m not a powerful water elemental. I just had to put him in his place.”

I nod like that makes sense to me, but really all I can picture is the equivalent of earthly alphas in the animal kingdom. Imryll doesn’t strike me as the type of person to have to physically fight for dominance. He exudes it in every movement, though I haven’t noticed until now.

“I’m not sure what to say to that, other than is it something I need to know? Should I be worried about where I land on this power scale?”

He glides from room-to-room, checking stock in the cabinets and drawers as I follow behind him. I wait patiently for an answer, but his silence bothers me. I stand in the doorway, blocking his exit with an expectant expression.

“Life on Spiran has treated you well so far,” he explains. “I don’t expect that to change for anything but better treatment. You have no need to worry about where you land in any hierarchy.”

I list every interpretation of his admission that I can think of, and then I realize how much of a mistake that is. It’s overwhelming to have so many possibilities, but not quite understand what any of them mean.

A quiet sigh slides past my lips as I start helping him stock and shuffle supplies. After a few minutes of watching me from his peripheral, he turns to face me, leaning his hip against the counter in a lazy stance.

“What’s wrong?” Imryll asks. “You look like you’re ready to burst.”

“Speaking of life on Spiran,” I begin, then run my fingers through my hair. “I need to ask you a question. Don’t laugh at me.”