AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Her eyes slid to his hand resting over the scar. “It calls to me. What is it?”
Old habits resurfaced, and he deflected, guard walls snapping up. “You’re mistaken. Chaos must have messed with your senses.”
It physically hurt him to watch her features scrunch up in anger.
“I can’t learn to trust you if you refuse to be open with me,” she said.
“That goes both ways, Tenah,” he said firmly. “You never explained how you defied death.”
After a long stretch of tense silence, she replied, “I have no answer to that.”
Renton shut his eyes as he released a sigh. There was no one to blame but himself for her deep-rooted mistrust. He’d caused that wound.
“Look,” she said, and Renton studied her once more as her hands kneaded in her lap. “My behavior hasn’t exactly been…pleasant. I don’t mean to be abrasive, but I’d rather not involve you all in this mess. I appreciate that you came back to save me. I understand why you did what you did. If a contract had meant any of the staff in my home that helped raise me could have walked free that night, I would have made the same decision as you.”
A knot loosened in his chest. Renton fought the overwhelming desire to pull her in closer. “It doesn’t change what I did. Had you been hurt, or had they transported you to Dreaddix—”
“They didn’t. So stop beating yourself up about it, okay?”
He shook his head, feeling defeated. “I was a fool to think Boedworth would keep his end of the deal. Years of his lies and…” He dug his fingers into the ground. “And Aeyis…you saw how well he handles himself. He’s no longer a child in need of protection. I’m not really sure how to process that.”
“He seems kind,” she said softly. “He reminds me of someone I lost.”
Renton frowned. “We will fix things, Tenah.”
But there was no conviction in his words. Even if they managed to stop Kherathi and slay all of his monsters, that didn’t mean he knew how to start mending the tattered relationship with Aeyis. Or what to do with her.
Her scorching eyes locked on him. “You assume I want your help.”
“I’m hunting your father too.”
She frowned. “Then why do you hold back when you fight me? How is that helping either of us?”
He couldn’t help but crack a smile at her determination. “You’re right. I accept my punishment in the form of another fight.”
Chapter18
Renton
Renton’s head was a twisted mess by the time he arrived back at the villa with Tenah. Their walk had been in silence, but he was content to simply be at her side. Though he was aware of each breath, each movement she made, he wasn’t going to push his luck reaching out to take her hand. She’d forgiven him. That was enough for now.
To his displeasure, Vesara snagged her away as soon as they wandered onto the terrace. The instant drop in temperature from Tenah’s absence felt like the loss of the sun.
Sighing, Renton dropped into a low chair near the railing. It offered an unbelievable view of Denoden, including the Embassy—a lofty stone wonder that defied gravity. It was as ostentatious as its assassins, brown marble the shade of milk chocolate and windows lined by gold awnings.
A boy named Fen brought him a cup of chamomile tea then peppered him with questions about his armor and Mire’s training camps. Renton laughed when the boy’s mother Zia, the head cook, scolded and ushered him back into the kitchens, all the while balancing a giant stack of dishes in one hand.
As the tea soothed the buzzing high from his scrimmages with Tenah, his eyelids drooped closed. Would he capture sleep tonight, or would it slip through his trained hands like everything else lately?
Why, of all shadows, did it have to be a Vozarian Chaos caster that caught his eye? He hadn’t permitted much time to indulge in desires, only the occasional, meaningless hook up when he visited a tavern or an inn.
Renton folded his hands behind his head and stretched deeper into his chair under the stars. Venomous thoughts immediately slithered in. How long would it take for Boedworth to find them? Because hewouldtake revenge. And if Boedworth didn’t send an arsenal of trained hunters after them, there was still the threat of Tenah’s father. Worse yet, how long until Adra’s rebel king, Cirel, picked up where his dead mother Advanth had left off?
The isles were not safe.
Aeyis plopped down in the chair across from him with a soft laugh. Renton cocked a brow in question.
“Tenah called me a meddler for tuning in to her thoughts.” Aeyis pushed unruly locks of white hair away from his forehead. “I’m just acting accordingly. What’s wrong, brother?”
