Chapter 7 #2
“No.” The word was firm. He almost said that once upon a time he’d had his brother, but he held his tongue. What was that saying? No point in crying over spilled milk. And that bond had been spilled a long time ago. He should know. He’d been the one who spilled it.
“Tia,” he pressed, not only because he wanted to hear about the girl who was so important to his bride, but also because he simply wanted something to push out the lingering thoughts of his brother.
“Well, I’ve only known her for about five minutes, even though it seems like years.
We were assigned the same room and hit it off immediately.
She’s sharp—like, scary smart—but she comes off as flighty and woo-woo, so most people underestimate her.
At their own peril,” she added with a laugh.
“She’s also the only person I’ve ever told the truth about my dreams—well, I guess I sort of told the freaky Oneiroi people, but they already knew. ”
He cringed slightly at the mention of that ridiculous cabal, but held his tongue. They were pests, but he couldn’t imagine them ever being a danger.
“I told Tia about my dreams before I understood any of this. I told her about you and about Chase rescuing me from those freaky nightmare beaches. You know. Pretty much all of it.”
She shrugged, her expression charmingly bewildered. “And the thing is, she believed me. She’s my person,” Cora added, and he could almost feel the sadness radiating off of her. She missed her friend, and her pain felt like a twinge in his gut.
He pushed it away.
“And the other one? Riley?”
“Tia’s girlfriend. Recent. Computer science major, but somehow ended up in Tia’s Religious Studies class, and they hit it off. She’s softer than Tia, but she’s not soft. If that makes sense.”
“It does.”
They walked in silence for a stretch, and he took the chance to study her—not the Bride, not the woman he’d claimed as his betrothed so that he could be free of his castle—but the girl he’d watched in dreams before he even let her see him. Cora, whose mother had died by his brother’s blade.
He wondered if she knew. He considered asking her, then pushed the thought away.
The truth would hurt her if she didn’t already know.
If she knew, the reminder would pick at a scab.
True, he was tempted to give her a reason to pull away from his brother.
But not when the reason would cut her so deeply.
Instead, he chose to study this woman he loved. He’d thought he knew every facet. Now he realized that he’d had only the dream of her. The shadow version that existed when she crossed into his realm, leaving so much of herself behind.
“What about you?” she asked.
“Me?”
“Do you have a close friend? Someone other than the sycophantic, raging, power-hungry bitch with a mean streak you keep on your payroll?”
He bit back a laugh. “I can’t say you’re wrong. But those are also qualities that make her well-suited for her job as my lieutenant and closest confidant.”
“And you sleep with her.”
His body tensed, and he cursed his brother. “I do not love her. Nor have I bedded her since I found you in dreams.”
“Oh.” Her cheeks went pink. “Not that it matters,” she said.
“It’s not as if we’re ever going to have a real marriage.
And I already told you I’m not giving up Chase.
Not unless he gives me up. And if you force me to go through with an actual wedding, then there will be absolutely zero sex after we say, I do.
” She tilted her head and nailed him with an overly sweet smile, then added, “Prophecy, remember?”
“I recall, yes,” he said, her reminder that their marriage would be chaste twisting in his gut. “As I said, I have not touched Kali since I found you in dreams. Nor will I.”
“Glad to hear it. But you haven’t answered my question. Do you have a Tia?”
“No.” The answer hurt more than he’d expected it to, and he surprised himself by continuing to speak.
“There was Chase,” he said. “Before. When we were one. But even then, it was not the same. I was he, and he was me. That changed near the end. We began to see our purpose differently, and in that disconnect, we became unique. But rather than giving me a true brother, that split pushed us apart.” He forced himself to look at her.
“So, no. I suppose I have never had my Tia.”
“I’m sorry.”
He shook his head. “Don’t be. It is good what you have with Tia, but you forget that I’m not human. I don’t need that. I have my court, and that is more than sufficient.”
He expected her to call him out. Instead, she simply took his hand and said, “Of course.”
It was such a small gesture, and yet it felt like she was giving him the world. He, who already ruled one entire realm of existence. “Cora,” he began, but stopped when he heard her delighted squeal.
He followed her gaze to see the two girls. Tia was talking with her hands, her silver rings catching the sun. Beside her, Riley tucked a strand of purple hair behind her ear. When she laughed at something Tia said, the gemstone in her septum glinted.
Beside him, Cora sucked in a breath, then took a single step forward before Adric caught her hand and tugged her back.
“We watch,” he said quietly. “That’s all.”
She tried to pull free, then relented. “Why?” she whispered. “I’m right here. I could just—”
“Because the moment you cross that distance, you owe them an explanation that includes me. Are you ready to give it?”
Her lips parted, but no words came out.
“I didn’t think so.”
She grimaced, then sighed. “Fine,” she whispered as they followed at a distance—close enough to hear, far enough to remain unnoticed.
And when the girls settled at an outdoor table close to a campus snack bar, Adric guided Cora to a nearby bench, partially hidden by a hedge where they could remain unseen.
“I just have this feeling,” Tia was saying. “Like something’s wrong. My gut has been screaming for days, and I can’t make it stop. I mean, I’m not crazy, right? They should be back by now. Something happened in the crash. What if they’re all hurt?”
“She knows,” Cora whispered. “She knows we crashed, and she’s worried to death. I have to tell her.”
He shook his head. “You’ll hurt her more by telling and leaving. Tell her fully when you return. Haven’t you already told me that’s your intent?”
He watched her face, hoping she’d say that she’d changed her mind and would stay in his realm at his side. But all she did was nod, then whisper, “Of course, I’m coming back.”
For a moment, he thought she would say something else, but instead, she stiffened as Riley spoke, “It’s only been a week.
And you heard what Mr. Griffin said. He couldn’t find any evidence that they died in the crossing.
And for all we know, it’s only been five minutes for them. Time moves differently across realms.”
“I know,” Tia said, her tone grudging. “Doesn’t mean I’m not going to worry.”
Riley leaned over to kiss her cheek. “You’re a good friend.”
“Well, duh. But it’s more than friendship, and you know it. We need them. All the weird shit going down at the Widow Maker? Griff doesn’t have a clue, so Chase is probably our only hope for real answers.”
“Hello?” Riley said. “Remember me? I’m making progress. At least, I think I am.”
As Tia took Riley’s hand, Cora whipped around to face Adric.