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Of course, forgiveness for the things he said won't come immediately. So many cruel moments stand between us, keeping us apart. But there's no longer any denying that these walls we've built to keep ourselves safe have done nothing but destroy us both from the inside out.
There will be time later for us to make up for the things said and done. But for now, we have work to do.
Someone has left a tray of food on the table just inside the door, and the large container of water is making me drool; I'm so parched it aches. I ease my hand out of Kai's as gently as I can to give him a few more minutes of sleep. Slowly, I crawl out of the bed, disturbing it as little as possible.
On just the balls of my feet, I make my way to the table, sitting on a chair beside it. The water goes down a lot faster than I probably ought to drink it, but I've never felt this kind of thirst before. I go slower with the food. Part of me is scared that somehow, something inside of me is still a gaping hole, and the food will disturb my healing.
The food went cold long before I got my hands on it, but quite frankly, I do not give a fuck. I'm starving, parched, and absolutely freezing, and the food barely eases the ache in my stomach from being so hungry.
Movement from the bed catches my attention, and I glance at it, watching Kairon from my vantage point as his hand pats around on the bed, searching for me even before his eyes have opened. His roaming fingers freeze, his head shooting up immediately upon finding the bed empty.
He stands so suddenly that the chair behind him tips over, and he spins toward the front door, undoubtedly ready to go in search of whoever's dared to take me now.
Instead, his wild, bloodshot eyes reach mine, and he stops mid-step.
"Good morning, Your Majesty."
"Elva," he sighs. "How long have you been awake? How are you feeling?"
A small grin pulls at my lips, and I continue chewing to stifle it. After swallowing, I answer, "I'm alright. I just woke up, drank all the water, and ate all the food. Sorry," I grimace.
He breathes out a laugh. "That's alright. You needed it after what you've been through. Still cold?"
"Yeah, a bit. How long have we been asleep?" I ask.
He shrugs, looking out the window. "At least a day, I would imagine."
"An entire day?" I stand suddenly. "How could we have slept that long? There's so much to be done. What about the other visiting representatives? The treaties?"
"The Eyes and Maren have managed everything," he assures me, both hands held up placatingly. "They're all waiting to be alerted that it's time to finish what we started here and go home."
"Okay." I nod, excited for all of the debating and drama to finally be over with. "Should we go do that now?"
He shakes his head. "Not yet. First, you and I have a date with two Syrens and a traitor."
A hot sparkle of malice lights up my spine, the first time in my life I've felt this need for violence. For vengeance.
"Really?"
His eyes flare in surprise for a moment, perhaps taken aback by my enthusiasm. But then a wicked smile lights up his face, something dark and wicked lurking in the depths of the gray in his eyes. "Really," he finally answers, his gaze locked on mine and filled with anticipation. "But I'm curious what it is you have in mind for them."
"I guess you'll just have to wait and see." I shrug, not ready to spoil the surprise of what manner of chaos I'm about to unleash on Shan.
A groan, nearly a growl, escapes him as he walks toward me. I wonder if he's going to kiss me right now and if his hunger for me might match his thirst for revenge. But instead, he grips my hand in his, pulling me behind him toward our destination.
As he walks and I jog to keep up with him, he explains, "The dungeons are through my office. It's the only way in or out. Well, except for the river running underneath, but no one has gone that way and survived. If the rocks don't tear them apart on their way to the ocean, the Syrens will.
A cold, wicked excitement crawls under my skin, leaving goosebumps in its wake. For years, I've been led to believe that my anger, the rage living in my chest, is going to lead to my detriment. And yet, embracing that part of me is bringing me more peace than I've felt in all my years of biting my tongue and charming people rather than causing them pain with my abilities.
He leads me through a hidden door in the war room, down several flights of stairs, and into a dank, wet cavern so dark it's almost impossible to see.
As our steps slow, a choking sound reaches us in the distance.
"Hmm, it seems Shan might be doing worse than I expected," Kairon coldly comments. "And the Syrens are suspiciously quiet."
"Wait." I come to a stop.
Kairon's steps stutter, and he spins around, quickly searching me for any sign of distress. "What's wrong?"
