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“Unless the pain is remembered,” Sindri whispered. “Kraish. The pain from another time.”
I grind my teeth against choice words. “Why did they torment him? He was only a kid.”
Sindri lifts his starry gaze at me, brows drawn together. “The ways of the world are cruel,Almaya.”
“But—”
“Which is why it’s rare to find someone like you.”
I don’t know what he means, but just then the paramedic gets up from her stool. “All done. Let me spray some antiseptic, put a bandage on him, and he can rest in his bed.”
Jason’s hand relaxes enough for me to pull mine away and shake it out, let blood return to it in pins and needles. His lashes flutter. I don’t know if he’s conscious or not.
“I’ll take him to his room,” Emrys says, returning and approaching the table. “If nobody has any fucking objections.”
In the silence that falls, he scoops Jason up and turns to go.
How can I fix all this? There doesn’t seem to be a way. Emrys and Jason are walking out of the room again. Maybe I should let them go, let Emrys and Ophelia look after Jason, since they are the ones he chose to have by his side.
Instead, I find myself hurrying after them. “Rys, wait.”
8
MIA
Emrys kicks Jason’s door open and carries him to the unmade bed. The room is kind of a mess, dirty clothes strewn everywhere, papers on the floor. Last time I was here, it was neat as a pin. I wonder if he’s been here with Ophelia, but the clothes on the floor all seem to be his.
Which doesn’t really mean anything.
And I should stop thinking of Jason in bed with Ophelia.
Emrys swings Jason’s legs onto the bed, lays him down and straightens. The braid at his temple swings as does his earring with the blue gem, blinking like a falling star. “Rest, buddy. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Need your beauty sleep, huh, demon?” Ashton mutters, following us inside.
“Fuck you.” Emrys turns around, scowling. His black tank top and pants are streaked with dust and probably blood. Red stains his arms where he had held Jason. “I have training tomorrow. We have a Scale-ball match in a few days.”
“So much more important than making sure that Jason sleeps through the night,” Ashton goes on.
“Save your romantic, bro-bonding bullshit. Not interested, asshole.”
Ashton bares his teeth. “What’s the matter, want me dead, too? Does my existence threaten you?”
“You…” Emrys shakes his head. “No, you didn’t do anything to me, vampire. If anything… you’re too much like me for comfort.”
Gray eyes darken. “Rys—”
“No. I helped you see your brother, fend off the attackers. I’m going to bed, try to sleep, for all the good that will do.”
“Ah.” Ashton nods. “Nightmares are a bitch.”
Emrys looks startled. “Yeah,” he says slowly. “Yeah, they are.”
“I’m staying,” I say as Emrys walks out.
“I’d stay, too,” Sindri says, leaning against the desk, “but I also need my beauty sleep. And some self-care. I’ll use face cream from unicorn poo, cucumber slices on my eyes… It’s hard work, being so sexy.”
“Fuck off,” Ashton mutters.
