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Aeyis crouched beside her.You wouldn’t have done anything if you knew it was wrong. You were only a child. You were manipulated by a powerful force in a very painful time.
His finger, too hot for his normal temperature, ran over the symbol on the back of her hand.I’m beginning to think Chaos’s weapon over you is the past, Tenah.
“It picked a fine weapon then,” she muttered, peeking up at him. His lashes were so pale. They framed his unnatural eyes like snow. Markings had drifted just below his hairline. “No more.”
It was a while before he nodded in agreement.For now.
Chapter31
Tenah
Seeking Renton out was a selfish, reckless move. One that would surely cost her heartbreak in the future. But there she stood, mere hours after Aeyis had torn into her memories, her fist hovering over his door. She wasn’t certain how long she’d remained frozen in place when he cracked it open. His room was dark, save for the lone streetlamp illuminating his open balcony doors.
The coldness etched into his features dissolved as he looked her up and down. Tenah pretended not to have a visceral, chemical reaction to his presence.
She leaned sideways. “You have a walkout balcony? Who do I have to talk to around here to get that kind of treatment?”
He didn’t laugh.Damn her strained voice. And she could only imagine what she looked like, hair disheveled and a sickly tint to her skin.
“Tenah.”
Her throat constricted as she ran her hands down the smooth material of her skirt. “I…I can’t be alone tonight.”
The seconds it took Renton to respond felt like a slow kind of torture.
“Come here,” he said, wrapping an arm around her shoulder to pull her into his room.
The door clicked shut behind them, throwing them into darkness. When she started to squirm, he nestled her in tight against his chest, leaning his back against the wall. The heavy weight of his arms helped tamp down her panic.
“You’re safe with me,” he said.
She could live here, armored in him. Breathing in his crisp, mountain scent. She tangled her fingers into his shirt. “Why didn’t I do this sooner?”
His quiet laugh rumbled in his chest. He kissed the top of her head and ran soothing fingers up and down her spine.
She sniffled. “I’m sorry.”
“For what?” He nuzzled his head into the crook of her neck. Her eyelids fluttered shut.
“For everything.”
Renton eased back, though he kept his hands firm on her arms. Muted anger transformed his features as her eyes adjusted to the darkness. “What is this all about?”
“The fight against my cousin. I needed to know if I was even capable. If I could keep it in check while I…while I killed my father.” She rubbed at her tired eyes. “My whole purpose has come down to ending him, but I couldn’t even kill a warlord. And I know now that the answers to fixing all of this are in that stupid Void temple, but Chaos keeps flinging things at me that I can’t process. Except I have to.”
“Whoa.” Renton cupped her chin. “Slow down. What are you talking about? A temple in the Void?”
She closed her eyes. “I don’t know. I’m just all worked up right now. I think I’m going crazy.”
When she looked at him, sorrow glinted in his eyes. They were a deeper, mossy green tonight. “You’ve been through a tremendous amount without sufficient time to grieve.”
Tenah nodded. After a pause, she asked, “Do you have anything to drink?”
His hands dropped away from her, and his absence felt like a hole punched through her chest. She wanted to wrap herself in him again.
Stupid, stupid, stupid, Tenah.She was stupid for coming here.
“The villa staff left me a bottle of wine our first night here. I haven’t touched it.”
