Page 23 of For the Ghastly and Beautiful

“Yes. Dammit. She dragged me along behind her because I wasn’t moving fast enough.”

I cover my mouth with my fist. “I take it she’s still not talking to you?”

“Oh, she talks. It’s… rude. I’m not sure what to do with her.”

I match his pace as he stews over the new Mongrel woman. If Rinya wasn’t okay, he’d be running. I find comfort in his slow steps and humor in his predicament.

“If she wanted priceless gemstones, you wouldn’t be in this situation,” I tease. “But she doesn’t. Your attitude tells me she told you exactly what you didn’t want to hear.”

“How mad do you think she’d be if I brought gemstones as an apology? I doubt it would buy civilized behavior, but maybe she would stop stabbing me with her eyes.”

“She might stab you with her spear.” I chuckle. “She’s getting good with her aim.”

Ecaeris glares at the world. “You’re not helping.”

“I wasn’t trying to, but I will.” I side-eye him as we stop outside the clinic doors. “Why has she been threatening you with rocks?”

“Something about my prerogative and casting the first stones. I don’t recall her exact words.”

“Yes, you do,” I tell him.

He’s lying to himself. If it would prove his point over mine, he would quote the entire conversation.

“Okay. I do.”

I shake my head, thoroughly disappointed in him. “Let’s say you brought her gemstones… What makes you think she won’t throw those, too? Either at you or away in general.”

“We’re in the clinic.”

“Sorry, I didn’t notice,” I dryly reply.

He growls and ruffles his hair. I keep pushing him.

“And when you leave?”

“I don’t know, Tal. I’ve never cared if someone was mad at me, and I really don’t understand why I feel this way. Or why she’s mad.”

“Yes, you do. You just don’t want to admit that she’s right about whatever she told you. I know you well enough to see that she said something that’s bothering you. What was it?”

He looks toward the trees, then drops his head. “She wanted me to show that I care for myself as much as I care for my people.”

“I’d like to see that too,” I confess. “What else?”

“She challenged me.”

“Oh?”

“Walk away or prove her wrong. If I walked away, she said not to look back. But I did. Why did I look back?” he questions himself.

I grasp his shoulder. “Only you can answer that. I know why I would look back, and it’s probably the same reason you did. But you’re too stubborn to admit it.”

Ecaeris doesn’t budge as I walk through the clinic doors. Imryll is in the waiting area, stalking around the room as he shakes his head. When he hears me, he turns and catches sight of the ornery prince.

“Why does he look so miserable?”

I frown. “Because he is.”

“Since when?”