Sixty-Two Dianna

After showering and washing off the sweat from my workout, I stood in the center of our . . . no, my small room. I hadn’t touched the bed since we fought, wanting proof he had come back so we could talk. But he hadn’t returned. I felt my eyes prickle with tears again and shook my head, storming to the small bag on the floor. I dressed before quickly leaving the room, no longer wishing to be there.

“Miska!” I called out.

I heard the shuffle of small feet from down the hall. Her door opened, and she poked her sleep-tousled head out. “Yes?”

“I’m hungry,” I said, placing my hands on my hips. “Let’s go upstairs and have breakfast.”

“What are we eating?” A sleepy, deep groan came from my right as another door opened.

“Orym. You’re awake. Great. Come on, family breakfast meeting,” I said, walking toward the worn wooden stairs leading up to the tavern.

“Samkiel gave direct orders that you are to stay here until his return. You are wanted by Nismera’s legion, who happen to frequent the city,” Reggie said, forming behind me.

“Oh yeah? Before or after he left?” I snapped as we all headed upstairs.

“He returned the other night when you went out to grab . . . things,” Orym said, Reggie glaring at him.

A new ache bloomed in my chest as another piece of my heart fractured. He hadn’t even tried to see me.

My jaw clenched, but I smothered the irritation and pain. “Okay, well, I think if he wants to give orders, he should be here to do it.”

Reggie’s sigh only lightened my mood. He clearly knew this was a fight he wouldn’t win.

“WHAT IF HE DOESN’T COME BACK?” MISKA ASKED, CUTTING A PIECE of meat. Reggie froze on my left, and Orym pretended to look anywhere else as he ate.

The tapping of my nails stilled on the bar.

“Did you guys break up?” Miska asked next.

“Miska.” Orym’s head whipped toward her as she glanced up at him and then back at me.

The people in the tavern kept chattering away, but I said nothing. I had no answers. I was unsure. There was only so much one person could take, and I had given Samkiel a lifetime of reasons not to want me. Because of me, we no longer had our mark or mate bond tethering us. By his customs and laws, nothing bound us together.

“What?” Miska asked, looking at Reggie now. “No one is talking about it, but we saw you that night. Then he closed the portal, leaving you with us, and then he came back, but it was a quick visit. Are you going to leave us next?”

I turned toward her, seeing the fear and shine of tears in her eyes. I finally realized she hadn’t even touched her food, just picking at it this whole time.

“Why would you think that?”

“Why would you stay?” She glanced down at her food. “You only saved me to help him, and if he’s gone, what if I’m of no use to you?”

My lips pursed. As much as I hated to admit it, there was some validity to her concern. Everyone knew I was selfish. I used and saved people mostly to help him, but I wasn’t as I was before the realms opened. I wasn’t that person any longer.

“I’m not leaving you. Any of you. We still have a family to put back together and a nasty bitch to kill.” I pointed at Miska. “Don’t repeat those last words.”

A bright smile broke across her face, and she leaned forward, hugging me tightly. I froze, not returning the embrace, shocked by the contact. Orym raised a brow, a smile tugging at his lips as he took a drink.

I patted Miska’s back once before pushing her back a little. “Okay, enough of that.”

“Sorry,” she said, sniffling as she sat back up. “What’s our next plan? Where do we go without Samkiel?”

I snorted. “Without him? There is no without him. He’ll come back, and if he doesn’t, I will hunt him down and drag him back if I have to. Regardless of what’s going on between us, we still have a lot of work to do. So we can be adults and work together. We’ve done it before . . .” The last part of my sentence trailed off because I knew it would never be as it was before.

Miska nodded proudly before turning back to her food and digging in. Orym continued to stare at me over her head.

“What?”

He shrugged and turned back to his food. “Nothing.”

I sighed and leaned back, casting a glance toward Reggie. “I expected you to say something.”

“I have nothing to add,” Reggie said. “You are exactly where you are supposed to be.”

A small snort left my lips. “Always cryptic.”

Orym’s glass clinked on the bar top as he snickered.

“Has Veruka had any new leads as of late?” I asked Orym.

He took another bite of his food and surveyed the room, ensuring no one was close enough to overhear us. “She has cut back on the raids, but that’s all.”

I nodded as Miska scarfed her food down. The tavern abruptly went quiet, and a whirring sound filled the silence. Outside, dust blew past the dirty windows, and the glasses on the counter vibrated. The liquid inside Miska’s cup shook in time with a series of heavy thuds.

“Get downstairs,” I said. “All of you.”

Miska stared at the door. “What is it?”

I sighed. “Soldiers.”

“No,” Orym said, shaking his head, “that sound heralds a legion.”

“Take Miska,” I said.

Orym and Reggie stood, and Miska jumped up, plastering herself to Reggie’s side.

“Stay below until I come for you, all right?”

They all nodded, though Reggie held my eyes a fraction longer. I watched as they disappeared through the door, and I heard the lock click. Voices picked up outside, and the patrons in the tavern hunkered down as if they made themselves small. They wouldn’t be bothered.

Standing, I grabbed the hood of my cloak and pulled it up. I headed to a small table off to the side, away from the door Reggie, Miska, and Orym went through. I pulled the wooden chair out and sat down, but I didn’t have to wait long. The tavern door swung open, and the ground shook.

“Greetings, civilians of Youl. We are here searching for an escaped fugitive recently sighted in this area. We received reports of her being nearby.”

I cursed. It was probably the guy whose balls I burnt when he tried to get handsy at that damn gym.

I didn’t move, keeping my back turned toward them. Armored boots stomped across the floor, soldiers checking every patron. Everyone focused on the deep-voiced man, and I knew he had displayed an image of me when all eyes turned toward me.

Well, I hope it was at least a good picture.

I kept my eyes down, watching as numerous pairs of boots surrounded my small table. One soldier grumbled, and I knew this was about to get bloody. I heard heavy footfalls and felt someone stop behind me.

“I am Tedar, Commander of the Eighth Legion, and you are hereby detained under the rule of the highest.”

I tapped my nails on the table and looked up at the two soldiers glaring at me from across the table. Sighing, I scooted my chair back and turned toward the commander, ignoring his flunkies. I nodded and crossed one leg over the other. “Oh, yeah? Who is the highest?”

Tedar laughed a full belly laugh before slamming his hand down on the table hard enough to crack it. “You’re funny. Funny doesn’t last long.”

My nose scrunched. “Apparently, neither does soap.”

Tedar’s soldiers gulped. I doubted many beings spoke to their troll commander with such disregard.

Rage bloomed in his large eyes. “She will not mind if you come back a little bruised.”

He pulled back his arm, his massive fist aiming for my head. I spun and picked up the chair I was sitting in, slamming it across his thick, armored arm. Tedar laughed as it broke into pieces.

“Was that supposed to hurt, girl?” He laughed again, looking at his guards.

“No,” I said, “but this will.”

I twirled the broken chair leg in my hand before sending it sailing toward him. It hit him square in the center of his forehead with a loud thunk. His smile dropped as his eyes crossed. He raised one hand and touched his head before falling like a felled tree.

I dusted my hands off and casually turned to face the soldiers. They all stood gaping at me, gripping their weapons.

“Come on,” I said. “You’re actually doing me a favor. I’ve had a shitty few days.”