Page 65 of The Ashborn

Danek turned. “Yeah, I guess I am.”

“How are the hands?”

“They fucking hurt. How do you think they are?”

“Can you move them better now?”

Danek glared at him, yet he couldn’t deny that his fingers did feel looser. He hated that Connak knew what he was talking about. Danek wanted to feel angry. “My magic still hasn’t found its way back.”

Connak shrugged. “Not through your fingers. Have you tried your palms? Or your wrists? Maybe your eyes?”

“My eyes?”

“You can perform magic through any channel. We choose our hands because it is natural and makes the most sense.”

Danek let out a sharp, jagged laugh. “Should I shoot rays then?”

Connak remained calm. Danek hated how collected Connak stood most of the time. Which was why he hated him so much for leaving them. He couldn’t begin to understand whatever he and Kienna were arguing about. He barely understood their mental connection, but it had gotten bad enough to make him leave.

“Use your focus. Take the wind, for example,” Connak pointed to the air. “You only have to look at it and use your heart to channel it.”

If Broan were there, he would say that was corny as shit. Using your heart was meant for the women, he could almost hear Broan’s jesting tone. And maybe the pretty boy who did nothing but use his heart. Danek missed him. Broan would have gone in blazing to fight shadows. It didn’t matter if he knew how to fight them or not. He’d find a way to do it. He wanted to be fearless like Broan.

“You can be angry at us. No one had your back in there when shit hit the wall, but let us help you now. Your hands will come back.”

“The pain is beyond anything I can describe.”

“Shadow magic is a bitch.” Connak glanced at Danek’s hands again, acknowledging the mangled knuckles. “Go back up. Eat. I’ll take extensive measures for the pain after. We’re leaving tonight, but we shouldn’t leave Kienna and Moira up there alone with the Astrael brothers.”

“Tristian and Tislin?”

Connak nodded. “They don’t use their surname often. Not since their father died. That’s beside the point. I need to go find the woodcarver. I don’t think anything bad will happen on Tristian’s watch…but it’s already tense up there.”

“What’s wrong with Calder?” Danek asked.

“Kienna couldn’t find him. Neither could Ruva, but they didn’t wander far before she got worried about you, actually,” Connak said.

Danek raised a brow. Though the sentiment was nice, he didn’t imagine Kienna would drop her concern for the woodcarver. She gave so much energy to him. It would have been out of character.

“Okay, I called her. But she still came.”

“Should we…maybe talk about her… I mean… I think it’s clear that we both have⁠—”

“I think that whatever you think is between me and Kienna is complicated, and it will probably be there to stay, so if you want to keep at it, you’ll have to keep that in mind.”

Danek wasn’t sure what else to say to that. He couldn’t tell if Connak was threatening him or telling him the truth. It felt honest…but also like a stake of territory. He’d never had to deal with this before. He’d had a trail of women pining after him in River Storm, but he didn’t get to have relationships, so he’d never built the skills of resolving conflicts like this. Danek liked Connak and didn’t think he wanted to duel. That didn’t seem appropriate.

He only nodded. “Okay, then.”

—Moira—

Moira set white plates around the table. She should have been resting, not standing on her feet all day. When Tislin finally woke, he stumbled out and begged Moira to sit as he apologized profusely for everything. She was only grateful that she had everyone alive in front of her, ready to eat the meal she spent too long preparing.

Danek finally returned, almost with better spirits and nearly flexible fingers. Connak must have gotten him to open up, but Danek didn’t want to talk about it. Kienna tried to get him to talk. It was unlike Danek not to respond. Kienna sat, immediately bringing her fingers to her mouth.

“Stop,” Danek whispered.

Moira watched them as she called Tristian and Tislin to the table. Tristian rose from the sofa with an ancient-looking book tucked under his arm and approached. “Connak?”