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“Again?” I nudge her with my elbow.
She scowls and looks away. “It was one time.”
“Oh.” I twist my hands in my lap. “Is that why you hate him?”
“I don’t hate him.” She says those words with such sadness my own chest aches. “Part of me wonders if it would be easier if I did,” she confesses. It’s so easy to hear the heartbreak in her words. That’s something I’m all too familiar with.
Sucking in a breath, I place my hand on her arm and squeeze. “What did he do?”
“He picked someone else.”
“Mother fucker. I’ll castrate him.”
“You sound like your trull friend now.” She shakes her head. “We weren’t dating. I might’ve said something to him that pissed him off. The next time I saw him, he was with another person.”
“And now?”
“I don’t know. I don’t care enough to pay attention.”
She’s lying, but I let her have it.
“Well, he’s an idiot.”
She chews on her cheek and falls silent. Her face crumples, and I instantly regret bringing up Callum.
“Zyla, I’m so sorry.” I reach across Prometheus and hug my friend. “I shouldn’t be prying.”
Her breath shudders in her chest. “It’s okay. I don’t have anyone to talk to about this stuff. Ever since I became Grand High Witch, the others treat me differently.” She sniffs. “I didn’t realize how much I needed a friend.”
“Well, you’re in luck because I’m on the market.”
“You’re good with tears.”
I laugh and rub her back. “I only did what I would want someone to do for me.”
Hugging me, she sniffles. “Thank you.”
Once we break apart, I cast my gaze across the library. The tall library tables with dark stain and leather cushioned chairs at this end of the library are mostly empty and the large shelves surrounding us give us our own little bubble of seclusion “How about we find Harald and head out for a walk?”
“He’s probably busy with his mom. She arrived this morning.” Zyla swipes at her cheeks.
“Is she terrifying?”
“Absolutely. Best to steer clear for now.”
We both laugh and Prometheus rolls over on its back, begging for pets. Zyla and I spend the rest of the afternoon together holed up in the library. There’s plenty of conversation to distract me, but one thought ping-pongs through my mind.
Will Orcus send me home?
* * *
The king callsfor a formal dinner later that night. Orcus is somber as we head to the great hall. There was an incident with the kingdom’s soldiers and a small group of vampires. No one died, but limbs and even a few eyes were lost. The message about the attack was wrapped around the bloody horn of a minotaur.
The ground shakes as Orcus walks, but I’ve gotten used to walking beside him and avoiding being stomped to death.
“Are you okay?” I ask for the second time since he told me about what happened.
“No.”
