CHAPTER 18 #3
An irritated groan answered her. He scowled, but continued his fast pace until he interposed himself right between Arisa and the team of werewolves processing the mithrial.
Lenore stood some feet away, trying her hardest not to stare at the mithrial’s body—a sheen of gloss shining over the exposed pink muscles and sinewy tissue.
Its furred head remained intact, the bold white a remnant of its mystical beauty that had been stripped down to a hide tossed aside.
Arisa blinked in surprise, taking a step back as she frowned at Edmund. Still, she showed her respect, bowing her head toward him. “Vesren,” she said, looking up. “I did want to speak to you, actually, so this works out.”
“I’ll get straight to the point,” Edmund replied. “Withholding the entire stock of mithrial blood is unreasonable.”
“Auden is in desperate need of anything that might restore him. Every day he remains sick puts him at risk of something worse. The mana in the blood could strengthen the medicine—and if anyone else falls ill, we’ll have reserves for them as well.
I’m only carrying out Thalryn Beren’s counsel, along with Auden’s approval. ”
“Auden’s approval,” Edmund echoed dryly. His brow drew tight. “He was barely conscious when I checked on him. I doubt he’s fully aware of anything at all.”
Arisa winced under his glower. “Vesren, this is an emergency. And he’s my mate.” Her voice trembled. “I’ll do anything for him. At least with mithrial blood we can test what might work better than the others. We haven’t even narrowed it down to Simurgh’s Blight yet.”
“This is the other problem,” Edmund snapped. “Beren is burning valuable resources on cures that might not even be relevant.”
“That’s—”
“If Beren can’t manage this before the Upper Moon Feast,” Edmund continued, cutting her off.
“Then Nox will be assigned to assist in Auden’s care.
If it’s still unresolved, we’ll trade mithrial blood to an elven clan in exchange for a healer.
The blood is too valuable to be poured into uncertain remedies.
Which is why you screwing up and wasting a considerable amount of blood from rushing the process is inexcusable. ”
Arisa gave a slow nod. “I knew there were going to be consequences by giving out Auden’s order—but there was also a risk of just letting the blood remain in the mithrial—the quality was in danger of degrading in that state too.
” Sparing a glance at the others around them, she added, “It’s always a blessing to see you keep the entire pack in mind.
” She hesitated, exhaustion bleeding into her expression.
“But Auden’s decision considers them, too.
” Her gaze searched his face. “Vesren... don’t you care about Auden too? He’s our Caernith. Your friend.”
Frustration flashed through Edmund’s eyes. His voice turned colder. “I care enough to know that he’d want the pack to keep running as smoothly as it could in his absence.”
Silence clashed between them like crossed blades. Neither of them looked away.
“This is my mate,” Arisa repeated, quieter now. “I know for those without their fated mate, it’s a bit more… difficult to make sense of.” Edmund flexed his fingers, his posture stiffening. Lenore swallowed tightly, choosing to keep her gaze on Arisa.
“It may be idealistic, but I want him to recover before the Lunar Ball,” Arisa said. “I’m sure you and everyone else can’t wait for him to be his old self again, too. But you aren’t the one by his side all the time like I am. I hear his requests. I hear his commands. I’m only delivering them.”
She sighed. Her hardened composure cracked. “Vesren… respectfully, it feels as if you’re trying to take control—”
A snarl tore from Edmund’s throat, silencing the nearby werewolves. The sound thundered through Lenore. A sharp gasp escaped her as heads—human and furred—turned toward them.
The air crackled with apprehension, everyone waiting with bated breath. The fiery intensity around him banked into something cold and controlled.
“We’re at a party,” he said at last. “But because of your sloppy and hurried blunder of issuing the blood to be extracted right away, no proper blessing was performed before the mithrial’s blood was let out.”
He turned to Ryker. The werewolf instinctively lowered his head under Edmund’s ire.
“And somehow,” Edmund went on, his voice a sharp blade. “Our supposed best butcher didn’t bring or manage to find the moonwrought tools that were last used by you. Somryn Ryker, you delayed the entire process because of your negligence.”
“It’s been a long time since we’ve hunted a mythical. I never—” Ryker started. He went quiet as Edmund’s eyes darkened.
“A mistake that won’t be forgotten,” Edmund finished.
He turned back to Arisa. “We’ll discuss all of this later. If Auden is awake now, I’ll speak to him myself.”
A fleeting glance was cast toward Lenore’s direction before Edmund strode away. The back of his long black coat rippled behind him until it blended into the forest’s dark and disappeared into the night.