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The open row between tents is clear, and Izan is nowhere to be found.
Safe.
As I twist my body back to face forward, I slam into a rock-hard wall.
A Dreyden-sized wall.
“Fuck,” I mutter under my breath as soon as I realize it’s him.
“What?” he asks, confused as I refuse to look at him. “What’s wrong?” His voice is full of concern as he reaches for my chin, dragging my face to meet his.
He inhales deeply, then exhales slowly as he takes in my bloodshot eyes and puffy skin. Immediately pulling me into his warm embrace, he chooses to not push me for answers as he holds me. He doesn’t know the exact reason as to why I’ve been crying, but he can feel my hurting heart.
Breaking our silence, I take a step back. My body feels cold as it leaves his. “When are you leaving for Tartarus? It’s getting late in the morning and I’m sure Alaric will be wondering where you are.”
He gives me a quick once over, probably checking to make sure I’m still in one piece like he always does. “I’m not going this morning.”
“Why not?”
Healwaysgoes. Why wouldn’t he be going? Last night before we fell asleep, he told me about a starving child and how he needs to do more, but this morning he’s not going.
“I’d rather spend the day with you.”
Liar.
I can tell by the way he breaks eye contact when he says it.
“Last night you sounded so sure you’d be in Tartarus as soon as the sun rose. What changed?”
He looks away again, mulling over his answer. Lying to me is not his specialty. “You look like you could use my help this morning,” he says as he swipes his thumb across my cheek, staring into my still-red eyes.
I shake my head, brushing his hand off my face. “Tell me the truth or don’t talk to me at all. Don’t lie to my face like it’s nothing.” My voice is cold as I snap at him.
He looks taken aback by my lack of patience with him this morning, and I can’t really blame him, but why does he have to fucking lie to me? To my face.
“I’m sorry,” he apologizes before I lose my temper more. “I was watching you with some of the lost travelers this morning, and I must admit I don’t like the way they look at you. They’re watching you like you’re something to eat. They’re being creeps.”
I furrow my brows at him, already losing my cool. “Do you think I don’t know how to take care of myself?”
“That’s not what I’m saying at all. I don’t trust these… people,” he says as he looks around, pointing to the lost travelers.
“It sounds like that’sexactlywhat you’re saying.” I take another step back as my rage grows. I never used to get angry this quickly with him, but he can’t seem to give me a break. He’s constantly pushing me, “protecting” me. I’m being smothered by his over-protective alpha male ego, and I’m sick of it. “And these people have done nothing to break our trust.”
“They’ve done nothing toearnmy trust, Adeena,” he bites out. “Why can’t you see that?”
I have nothing but nasty and mean words I’ll regret, so I hold both my breath and my tongue. He watches me, waiting for my response.
Closing my eyes softly, I say, “Please, just go to Tartarus. You’re not needed here today. We’ll be better off without you.”
I open my eyes to see the hurt penetrating his soul. My words hurt, but I chose them over a million other nasty things I could have said. A heated argument isn’t what either of us needs this morning.
“You don’t mean that,” he says at a near-whisper.
The words are hard to form. “Idomean it, Dreyden. I feel pulled to help them, and you’re not understanding that.”
He throws his hands in the air. “How do you expect me to understand that when you won’t elaborate on what it means? Do you realize how crazy you sound?”
Now he’s being hurtful, and it doesn’t feel fair. “I need you to trust me, and to not question my choices. Calling me ‘crazy’ is insulting and rude, and now you’d be wise to spend your day in Tartarus. I don’t want to see you until dinner.”
