Page 48 of Tears of Gold

“How can I stay when she—” His voice cracks.

I wish I could touch him to know what he’s going through, but I know he won’t allow it, and I wouldn’t want to force him at this point. Plus, I’m pissed that he tried something with my girl. After all his persistence in staying by her side, now he wants to wash his hands of her? I don’t think so.

I snort. “It sounds to m-me . . . like you want to run . . . away. That isn’t like the . . . rogue . . . I know. What h-happened to the guy who c-chased Ava . . . all the way here . . . from Earth?”

A thundercloud hatches in his face. “Easy for you to say when she chose you! Don’t make me wait around while you all rub my failure in my face.” He walks closer and shouts, “She hates me, Erritt!”

Vanrey clears his throat in warning and steps to my side.

My head throbs, and my stomach clenches. The swarm of bees in my soul renew their attack. Something hard and bitter closes around my throat. I thought I could trust Harper, but I was fooled. Hot, bitter anger slithers through my belly.

I slide down the bed and turn my back to the room. “Vanrey, familiarize . . . yourself with . . . Harper’s t-tracker. If he attempts to . . . leave, l-lock him up.”

“You bastard!” the rogue shouts.

The door bursts open, startling us all. “Erritt?” Ava’s concerned tone sings music straight to my heart and I roll over to see her.

After weeks of not recognizing me, she now arrows straight toward me, glancing at Harper momentarily as she runs past. I reach a hand for her, smiling as I see Skye in the doorway behind her. My anger at Harper dissipates and I forget what we were even talking about. My family is back together.

Ava’s slips her hand into mine, her loving touch soothing like ice water on the boiling blisters of my qi. “You’re clammy, what’s—?”

“Fucking Dragon Stars!” Skye growls at the same time. “What happened to you?”

I smile faintly. Of course he’d be able to sense my shredded qi from across the room. To a dragon’s senses, I might as well be bleeding out on the floor. I pat my chest to check for blood, not entirely sure I’m not bleeding out on the floor.

“I’m fine, I’m f-fine,” I murmur. “Just a little—”

“His brother qi lashed him,” Vanrey volunteers bitterly. “I’ll make some tea.” He walks into the other room, and soon the faint clatter of cups sounds from the small kitchen.

Skye’s mouth falls open in horror.

Ava’s soft grip around my hand tightens. “Qi lashed? What does that mean?” She looks from me to Skye, eyes wide.

But I want to talk about her, not what happened to me. “Is it true . . . you r-remember . . . me, sweet . . . heart?” I ask, rubbing my thumb across her hand.

She gazes at me with the loving look I remember so well and my heart flip-flops. “Yes. Everything about you.” She strokes my jaw tenderly before turning to Skye. “What did they do to him?”

Skye swallows hard. I weakly lift my other hand, needing to feel his reassuring essence against mine. He glances toward the door where Vanrey disappeared. “Don’t . . . worry about it,” I tell him. “Just . . . c-come.”

He stands, frozen in place, mixed emotions parading across his expression that tell me this hurts him too. Finally he clears his voice and answers Ava. “It’s the equivalent of having your body ripped open, your organs pulled out and beaten or stabbed, and then the whole mess jammed back inside and sewn in.”

Ava gasps and covers her mouth. “Why would your brother do that, Erritt?”

I shake my head weakly, knowing I don’t have the strength to explain something so complicated.

Skye’s voice cracks. “I swear Erritt, every time you come back to me from there in pieces!” He rubs one hand across his face, his jaw working

“Then come help . . . me put them b-back . . . together, p-please,” I whisper. “Both of you.” I shuffle backward, inviting Ava to lie beside me. Skye climbs over and sits cross-legged on the bed before taking my hand and inspecting my essence. He watches warily as Vanrey returns with a tea tray which he quickly sets on the bedside table, but the aide doesn’t even glance at our joined hands.

“You need to rest, Your Highness,” he reminds me.

“Then . . . see that I’m not d-disturbed today.”

“As you wish.” He closes both doors, at which point I realize I have no idea when Harper left. Nothing I can do about him right now.

“Let me rest . . . a few minutes, and I’ll g-greet you properly,” I murmur, exhaustion crushing my thoughts into mush. Ava tucks herself against me, and a moment later, Skye slides in at my back. Peace envelops me for the first time in weeks.

Chapter Eighteen