Page 81 of For the Ghastly and Beautiful

“I know it’s not the best justice, but I hope that brings some peace to you.”

“I want to see.” A single tear slips over her lashes as she takes a deep breath. “I believe you, but now I need to see with my own eyes so I can lay that beast inside my mind to rest.”

I know that feeling all too well.

Since Poko doesn’t have any living relatives, they were going to dispose of his body this morning. I didn’t ask what that meant, but I did tell the guys she would want to see after I talked to her.

Ecaeris is patiently waiting in the hallway, ready to escort us through the catacombs. He suddenly wraps his arms around Rin, hugging her as she freezes in place.

“I’m sorry,” the prince whispers, the amount of sincerity infused in his tone heartwarming and gut-wrenching.

Why does he have to be so cute when we need him to bicker with us until we’re frustrated and distracted?

Rin gives me a wide-eyed, what the fuck is happening expression as another tear tumbles down her cheek. I try my hardest to not smile at them, though it’s a losing battle. She bares her teeth at me like an animal.

“Get off me,” she grumbles. “You’re not you right now, and I don’t like it.”

He squints at her, then points to his chest. “I’m not me? How does that work?”

“I’m not sure yet,” she says with suspicion in her gaze. “But if you hug me again, I’m going to fight you.”

I roll my eyes. “It’s him. Don’t let the moment of sweetness fool you. He’ll be back to himself in a few minutes.”

He glares at me as he laces our fingers together and practically drags me down the stairs. When we reach the first corridor into the catacombs, Rin slows down. I give Ecaeris a worried glance, which he interprets as his cue to start shit.

I’ve barely gotten my arm linked through hers when he scoffs at us.

“There he is,” Rin mumbles to me before snipping at him. “Are you concerned I’m going to steal your woman, or is there something else you need to get off your chest?”

“How would Marren feel about you being with Ada while we’re with her and you’re with him?”

She blinks several times, leaning forward as confusion creases her forehead. “What?”

“Exactly,” he states, tossing his arms in the air like he makes perfect sense. “You can’t steal her. It would make things too awkward for all of us.”

“What is he talking about?” Rin whispers.

I shake my head. “Honestly? I have no clue.”

“We’re going to have a talk with him about properly courting you,” Ecaeris decides.

“Will you tell him how you courted Ada while acting as if you didn’t like her?” She huffs at him. “Make sure he takes notes on what not to do. I don’t go with the flow like Ada. I swim against the current, and I would have stabbed you for being such an ass to me.”

Ecaeris holds his hand out. “We’re not talking about me and Ada.”

“You kind of are,” I snark, but he keeps going.

“We’re talking about you and Marren. When were you going to tell us?”

“I told Ada,” she snaps. “Telling the four of you about the guy I’m sleeping with is like telling my overbearing brothers I’m having sex with their friend.”

“It’s exactly that,” he pops back, his cheeks twitching as he fights a smile. “That’s something we need to know.”

She gawks at him before arguing, “No, it’s really not. I like the casual thing we have—”

“Liar,” Ecaeris and I interrupt at the same time.

“Traitor,” she hisses, then realizes we’ve been standing in place for a while. “You picked a fight on purpose.”