CHAPTER FORTY
THE CHANGE IN TALYN HAS been a complete turnaround.
It’s shocking, to be honest. That night a few days ago was not at all what I was expecting; he showed up looking lost, confused and determined.
It was emotional seeing glimpses of the male I knew and learning about what made him so hardened.
Not to mention what that wretched bitch and his father tried to do.
I’ve never felt so out of control. He didn’t notice, but my shadows were stretching out of the corners across the room seeking me out, searching for the threat to destroy it.
I barely kept my magick contained. And that kiss?
If bonds could snap into place from the way our lips collided, with all the emotions that he dared not speak all thrown into that one very mouthwatering action, it would have completed the bond.
I’m not ashamed to say I want more, but I am hesitant to see if this is going to be something that lasts or just a blip in the Talyn emotional whiplash.
Aemon and Jesper were watching him with wary eyes at first until he pulled them aside and explained. Apparently he wanted to tell me first, and Killian didn’t seem shocked by the news, so I’m assuming he already found out at some point. I’m just glad they had each other to lean on.
Mel drops into the seat next to me with her breakfast. “So, I’ve been waiting for you to come to us, but I’m impatient… Did something happen between you and the grouch? He’s been watching you like he’s waiting for you to run, with a mix of praying you run, if you catch my drift.”
I cough as the bite of egg I ate gets caught in my throat. Ember thumps hard on my back until I can breathe again.
“Please, just tell her,” Roz begs. “She won’t stop talking about it and all their little theories, and I can’t even sic Lennox on them because he’s pouting about being left behind when Cynder went with Jesper’s brother.
” He juts his lip out and Ember lightly punches his arm causing him to smirk, and I can’t help but watch their dynamic with new eyes.
“I just miss her, okay. I can’t explain it, but it hurts not being around her.
She’s beautiful and kind. A little strange, too, but I kind of like that about her.
” Lennox’s gaze gets doe-eyed and dopey and I can’t help the light chuckle that leaves me.
Aww, it seems like someone is catching feelings.
Talyn is probably not going to like that too much.
“Well…” I start off teasingly, and as I expected, an impatient expression crosses Melissandre’s face almost immediately.
I take another bite. “I can’t tell you the details because it’s not my story to tell, but I can say we are on the same page now.
I understand some of his reactions, and we are working on building up trust between us,” I tell her along with the quick details I told Ember yesterday, catching them up on my Talyn issues with a small smile.
Since that talk and kiss, the bond settled in me, like the frayed cord connecting us was mended.
I swear I can still scent his campfire aroma on my skin and I need more.
She pouts and sighs. “I suppose I can take that answer for now, but I want more details later. So, we aren’t mad at him anymore?”
“No, we aren’t mad at him anymore.”
“Mad at who?” Talyn asks with a knowing smirk as he strides into the dining room.
Ember chokes and this time it’s my turn to pat her back.
“We aren’t mad at you anymore,” I tell him honestly.
I refuse to keep secrets from them after realizing the other night what can happen when you avoid telling your loved ones anything, no matter how small it may seem.
Now, I just need to figure out how to tell them all about my past and my scars, both physical and emotional.
Just as I go to open my mouth to suggest having them all meet in my room tonight, a bell begins ringing, sounding off across the castle grounds.
Talyn’s face goes from curious to serious in the drop of a coin as he rises from the table. “You five stay here and protect my mate,” he growls before sprinting out of the room.
“Like the void you’re going to keep me here. He should know better than that by now,” I grumble. “If everyone would please join hands, I’m going to blink us to the courtyard.” I grin, holding my palms facing up.
“Oh, you’re flying for a spanking, aren’t you,” Mel winks and the others groan. I mean, a spanking isn’t a bad thing.
I smirk as they do as I’ve asked, and I pull on my magick, wrapping the shadows around us. I hear someone gasp. Roz, maybe. Working with the shadow realm the way Aemon has been teaching me, we appear next to Jesper and Aemon.
As we appear I laugh. “I did it!” I grin up at my white-haired mate whose eyes are gleaming with pride.
Lennox barely makes it to the garden before heaving and Roz appears to be a bit green. “What do you mean, you did it?” Roz asks.
I shrug, trying not to make a big deal out of it. “That was the first time I blinked with a group instead of it being just myself and Nero.” Nero definitely does not like the feeling, but to me it feels like a warm hug. Being wrapped in shadows is comforting.
Talyn finally arrives and his eyes narrow on me, but when he notices that the others aren’t freaked about me being here, he seems to relax. “What’s going on? Why did the warning bell ring?”
Aemon nods to the front gate which is now opening. “An unmarked wagon was spotted heading this way, but it looks to be Vathian.”
The wagon appears, being pulled by two large horses. My mates don’t seem to be concerned, but even so their palms are resting on their weapons.
The door opens and Evander climbs out, his face grim and panicked. “We need a healer. Dante was able to get us to Kraryn but he couldn’t blink us any further before he passed out from blood loss—”
A feminine voice that sounds vaguely familiar bellows from inside the wagon. “Let me out of here. Evander, I don’t need your friends treating me like a delicate flower! I’m the one keeping Dante alive! Now get us to the clinic!”
“Mother?” Jesper asks and Evander nods.
“As I was saying, we need to get him treatment now.”
Aemon nods, springing into action and blinking into the wagon, and it becomes quiet again. I’m assuming he took Dante and Jesper’s mother via shadow-blink to get medical assistance.
“What happened?” I ask Evander who’s covered in blood while Talyn interjects with a deadly calm voice.
“Where is my sister?”
“I’m right here, you overbearing prick,” Cynder snaps as she climbs out of the wagon, looking exhausted as she leans against Evander for support.
“We found Jesper and Evander’s mom, Ceila, and then we headed across the realm to Lord Driscol’s grounds to see about rescuing Killian’s mother.
It was an ambush. We were attacked almost the moment we stepped foot on his property, which should have been impossible.
I’m sorry but…” Her lip wobbles as she searches out my giant mate.
“Lord Driscol slit her throat in front of us. There wasn’t anything we could do, and Dante took an arrow that was aimed for me. I’m so sorry.”
Killian doesn’t say a word before he silently turns on his heel and leaves the courtyard.
I am devastated at hearing Cynder’s news, my heart sinking, and move to go after him but Talyn places a hand on my shoulder.
“Give him some time. He’s going to have a lot of conflicting feelings, and he would be even more upset with himself if he hurt you. ”
I nod, but watch him leave, the bond aching the further he gets. I’ll seek him out later, even if it’s just to convince him to hide in the library with me.
“How would he have known you were going to be there?” Aemon mutters mostly to himself.
Cormac shrugs as he stands at Evander’s side.
“It could have something to do with the fact that Lord Verlice knew we were looking for their mother,” he gestures with his chin towards Jesper and his brother.
“He may have given Lord Driscol notice, but that’s the only reasoning we could come up with. We were extremely careful.”
Talyn just nods and squeezes Jesper’s shoulder. “Go see your mother. I’ll finish getting the report. Ravina?” He asks, softening his voice. “Could you please take my sister and help her? Give her a room, get some food for her?”
My eyes widen, and it may be the fact that he asked instead of demanded, but I nod my head. “Of course. Catch me up later?”
He shocks me again by nodding.
Cynder is sobbing and shaking as I wrap my arms around her waist since she’s slightly taller than myself, and I guide her back inside.
Mel and Ember run ahead to find a room for us, and Nero does something that shocks me and curls up on Cynder’s shoulder, offering her some comfort. “It will be okay,” I whisper to her.
“Dante’s going to die because of me,” she whimpers, leaning into me. “That arrow was meant for me! Lord Driscol is going to tell my father who I was spotted with. He’s going to know where I am!”
I rub her back, unable to console her with soft words. “We will figure it out. Let’s just start with getting you clean and comfortable. Not to mention we can always think better with food in our stomachs.”
She sobs again but nods. This poor female has been through the wringer and hopefully with some care she’ll be feeling better soon enough. I don’t need to mess this up somehow and have Talyn upset with me for damaging his sister even more.
Once we have her in a room, Roz and Lennox run to the kitchen to scrounge up some food for her, and Mel goes to grab her soaps and oils. It doesn’t take her long to come back, and we swiftly get a bath set up for Cynder.
“Thank you guys for helping me,” I tell them as I take the plates of food from Roz and place them on the table.
He waves me off. “No worries. We will be down in the courtyard training if you need us.”