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"Turn around," Arkan barked, sounding less frosty and cold with every second.
There was a quake through the ground, and I watched through a veil of tears as the warriors and their fan club put their backs to us. Arkan strode past them, his expression completely flat but his eyes lined with silver.
"Fuck me," Taj grunted. "Don't tell me you're crying, Ark."
"Shut up," Arkan snapped, but he knelt when he reached us, pulling us both into a rough hug.
I whimpered, my head tucked onto Taj's shoulder and tears burning down my face.
A heavy breath lifted Taj's chest; he exhaled it as a sigh, burying his face in my hair and holding me tight. I cried harder.
As we knelt there, probably ruining our knees for the remainder of the week—especially with how old these fuckers were—I felt the mess of our circle bond heal a little, some of the cracks closing.
I was either delirious, or Taj pressed the softest, most heartbreaking kiss against my head. "Is that the Company of fucking Murkyr?" he asked, glancing over my shoulder.
"Yeah, I called them in," Bel’s smoky velvet voice replied, way too close.
"Oh great, it's you," Taj groaned with so much sibling energy that I understood their dynamic in an instant.
"Yup, it'sme.You've had four days of peace while you recovered, so I'm here to give you all the pestering you've missed out on."
"Fuck no," he moaned, trying to hide behind me, which wasn't working for a couple reasons—he was eight feet tall and bright red, plus there were horns and wings involved. Also, I wasnoteight feet tall.
"The pestering will be delivered in a single, blissful hour," Bel finished with relish. "I'm so glad you're back, Taj."
"Express that gratitude by leaving me in peace," he huffed. I gave her a look that echoed it. "I'm surprised you haven't stabbed her already," he remarked to me.
"I don't have a knife right now," I tried to laugh. It came out strangled.
Taj drew back, his heavy brow knotted. "Who the fuck are you, and what have you done with my mate?"
That last word ruined me.
My heart splintered, and a low, keening wail came from my throat.
"I know," he murmured, pulling me back into a hug, pressing my head on his shoulder and tangling his fingers in my hair. "I know. I thought you died when you fell to Hell."
"You didn't—e-even like me then," I replied, faltering and broken.
"I liked you the moment you saved my dog," he argued. "I didn't try to hide that. I brought your knives back to you, drew your blood so I could taste it, knotted you … there were plenty of signs."
I thumped my head into his shoulder. "Great, now all of Hell knows I fucked your knot."
"Yeah, I could've lived without hearing that," Bel agreed, sounding sick. "I’m going to go to disinfect my entire body. Have fun with your cuddle huddle. Andrest,Taj. No running off doing dangerous and daring shit. You need to recover."
"Youneed to recover," Taj parroted in a bratty mutter.
I laughed deliriously, caught somewhere between broken and mended. "She's right."
Bel sounded like she was smiling. "I like her. Ten out of ten, would befriend."
I hiccupped on a sob, digging my fingers into Taj's back, holding myself together through sheer will. "I'll hold you to it."
Her footsteps scuffed the stone floor as she headed into the castle. I meant what I said; I badly needed a girl friend. I missed Maxine, my bestie neighbour from Orchid Vale.
"Where are the others?" Taj asked. He must have directed the question to Arkan, because I felt the spiral of sickness through my wraith's soul.
"Let's go back to the hospital," I murmured, forcing my breathing to stay even as I pulled away and got to my feet.
