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“No, no, no. I just think you’ll be safer there. You’ll all be safer there.”
“We’ll be safe in the Acture Court, too,” I said softly. He needed to keep his voice down before he stirred up more panic. I didn’t need to spend the rest of my journey calming hysterics.
Dace growled, his hands fisting at his sides. “I don’t understand why you would want to put yourself and all of these Nymphs in jeopardy.”
“Like being sitting ducks in the Heathern Court isn't? Dace, we couldn’t even keep King Ganglin from sneaking into the castle in the first place. Clearly, something needs to be done. King Ganglin could have killed me if he wanted to.”
His normally pale skin lightened to practically transparent, his blue eyes flaring in displeasure. “You don’t get it, Ryker. You clearly don’t get it.”
“You want to explain it to me, then?” I whispered. “Because right now you are just acting like a spoiled prince because I haven’t done what you want.” I stepped closer, running my hands over his shoulders and down his arms. For a second I thought he would lean into me, let me wrap my arms around him. His eyes closed and he remained still until I got too close. His frown deepened and he shrugged my hands off of his arms.
“If my power had the strength, I would take you back with me to the Twinity Court right now to keep you safe since you so clearly have a death wish.”
I scanned his face looking for a hint of sarcasm. Something that said that he didn't mean what he said. “What makes you think I’d come with you willingly? I have a duty to these people. You know that.”
“Your life is more important than your duty. It’s more important to me.”
“Would you put me before your duty too? Would you lay down your crown if it meant saving my life? Dace, I’m one Nymph. If I can save thousands with this cause, it’s all worth it.”
“No, it’s not. And I would. I would lay my crown down for you. I would serve a thousand years in Havala if it meant you were spared.”
“That’s obsession,” I breathed.
“That’s love.”
“And that’s manipulation! You don’t think I haven't been talked to that way before?”
Dace’s gaze searched my face, then panned down to the ground. He blinked several times, his nose scrunching as he tried to compute what he had just said. A possessive rumble started in his chest, rolling off his lips in a frustrated growl.
“I don’t know what to say,” he finally huffed.
“Don’t say anything.” I chewed my lip and my eyes narrowed. “You cannot, and will not control me. That isn’t love.”
He scrubbed his face, pulling the hair down over his forehead. “I don't want to control you. I just want you safe. I’m sorry.”
“Dace?” Shavarra’s voice carried from behind him.
He squeezed his eyes shut. “I can’t. I can’t talk to her right now. I’m not...I’ve got to go.” Dace didn’t so much as toss a look over his shoulder at his friend who jogged over before the air shimmered and he disappeared.
My cheeks were flushed with anger and confusion while my skin still tingled where our bodies had brushed. Shavarra’s smile fell, her steps slowing as he vanished and she stopped before me.
“What’s wrong?” Shavarra said. The normal sense of joy and hope she carried fell flat as she asked, her gaze searching me like I had the answers written on my forehead.
“He thinks we should turn around and go back.” I tried to present it matter of factly, but the anger in my voice seeped through.
Shavarra stuffed her hands into her pockets. “Why? Why did he leave so quickly?”
“He was…drunk and…mad.”
It was a struggle to find the words to explain. Dace didn’t even seem to understand the words that came out of his mouth, as much as I didn’t understand why he would even say them. I felt bad for Shavarra. I understood what it was like to lose a connection with your closest friend. I tried not to think about the fact that they had also been lovers. Did that make their connection stronger?
She turned to walk next to me and we followed behind the majority of the Nymphs. “We aren’t turning around are we?”
“No, we very much aren’t. He’ll have to understand that we will have to agree to disagree on this particular topic.”
“Deep down at the root of it, I know that Dace is a good man, and he’ll make a wonderful leader if he just believes in himself, but to say that he isn’t mentally unhinged at times would be a lie. Maybe I should keep traveling to the Twinity Court once we drop off these guys at the Acture Court. I’m worried that he’ll do something stupid.”
“Dace is grown. He has to be responsible for his own choices. You can’t just rush off and save him every time something goes wrong.”
