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Without another word, he walked out. Angel, who had been locked outside by Diego to ensure she didn’t feed off any of the high emotions, watched him leave with keen interest. But, for whatever reason, she didn’t follow him like she would another resident who was upset. Instead, she watched him leave like the rest of us and then trotted into the house, going to Aya and laying her head on my friend’s lap.
My stomach knotted. I couldn’t explain why, but something about his retreat bothered me. Maybe it was because, with the way this all started, I expected a more explosive denial.Not something that sounded so defeated and broken.
“Don’t let him upset you, Astrid,” Aya said, turning her attention to me.
I shook my head. “I’m not. I knew this would be difficult. It’s not something that can be tackled in one session.”
Aya chewed her lip. “I think you’re going to have more difficulties than you think.”
My eyebrow ticked up. “Why’s that?”
“You… share a lot of similarities with her,” she admitted. “It’s not like these qualities are unique in a person or anything, but…”
I nodded slowly, understanding what she was implying. “I wish I’d known. I would have considered having Diego handle this instead.”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t know. I don’t think I would have been able to de-escalate his anger as effectively as you did.”
“I have to agree with him,” Aya said. “Tyr wouldn’t have stayed for even five minutes if it’d been Diego reaching out. Your similarities with her is a double-edged sword.”
My lips twisted. It was a ‘damned if I did, damned if I didn’t’ situation. And it explained the feeling of betrayal I sensed from him.
I rose. “I’m going to go for a walk.”
Aya frowned. “Are you okay?”
Deep down, I was reeling. There was all manner of chaos thrashing about. But I didn’t know how to explain that, so I nodded. “Yeah, it’s just a lot to process. Some time alone will help me sort things out.”
“Alright. I do hope this conversation hasn’t gotten you to see Fen in a lesser light.”
I shook my head. “I wasn’t lying to Tyr when I said I hadn’t picked any side.”
She gave a small smile. “I’ll take neutral over you condemning him.”
I headed for the basement. Angel followed; her usual bouncing steps calmed. I was sure she could sense the hidden turmoil within me. She’d stick to me like glue until I felt better. And I needed her presence.
Because I didn’t know how to process this strange feeling inside me.
Chapter Eight
Tyr
Water lappedat the shore of the lake. I ran my fingers through my hair, breathing hard through my nose.She didn’t believe me.That moment swarmed my mind and played over and over. Astrid didn’t have any accusatory tone when asking questions. She genuinely listened to the whole situation with fresh eyes. But the fact she’d question me at all…
I sighed again. Even if Astrid didn’t have her memories, some part of her did. She had to.And that means, deep down, Astrid doesn’t believe what I saw.
I didn’t understand. She saw Fenrir. She watched him kill her. And yet… even she doubted the events.She has to be in denial… she has to be…Because if she wasn’t, and Fenrir wasn’t the one who killed her—No!
I shook my head. I wouldn’t doubt myself now. I wouldn’t break after all this time.Can you really say you haven’t?
Aya didn’t tell me about all the deaths because she thought it’d break me—that thinking the reincarnation process just took a long time was better for my mental state. I only knew of three. Three.
Before seeing Astrid, I would have denied I was broken. I was just exhausted.But the moment I saw her…
A snapping twig drew me out of my thoughts. My senses went on alert, centuries of existing through war honing them into instinct. Someone approached. No, two bodies approached. Their pace wasn’t consistent, as if they stopped and started several times.
Then I heard the familiar giggling and voice of the one person I craved to hear, even in my current state.
I turned just as Astrid waltzed out of the forest, Angel trotting excitedly next to her. The dog gazed up at her owner, watching the ball Astrid carried. Astrid laughed when her companion jumped to try and steal it.
