Wyatt just sighed and sunk deeper into himself. “Addi, just don’t,” he countered, sounding broken.
Addi wrapped an arm around his shoulders and leaned against him. “That is who you are, Wyatt. That is who you have always been. For me and now also for Nev. You were drawn to her because you saw she needed your help, just like when you saw me under that tree. And you stay because you love her, and you are the rare person that truly tries to take care of those you love. Even when they are older than you, and it should be their job. It is why, despite you being a pain, joking when I wish you wouldn’t and leading me on this damn fool adventure, I love you,” she said, hugging him.
Wyatt looked up at her and shook his head in disagreement.
Addi nudged him playfully. “Oh, come on, Wyatt. No one else believed that snake, why would you?” she pleaded with him.
“What about Nev?” he sighed, feeling his heart sink at the thought.
“Is that a serious question?” Addi retorted, shaking her head. “I have never seen two people more in love. It is actually a little sickening sometimes, to be honest. Most of the time, I feel like I’m around a couple of teenagers. Despite you both being thirty,” she teased playfully before shaking her head with feigned disgust. “Now come on. I need to go have a chat with Nellis, and you have to…,” she said, before being interrupted by Wyatt.
“Go play healer?” he questioned, trying to sound extra suave.
“Ugh, gross. I am… I am going to pretend I didn’t hear that,” Addi replied, shuddering.
Wyatt laughed as he stood, reaching down to help Addi back up to her feet. “Thanks, sis,” he stated sincerely.
“No problem. You can owe me,” Addi said, laughing.
“What? Another? But I saved you from that enforcer. Hmm… I think I need you to clarify our deal again,” he countered, sounding perplexed.
“Nope. I like it much better this way,” Addi responded, laughing as she grabbed his hand and pulled him towards Nellis’ house.
Chapter 36
With night finally arriving, Sagrine knocked on the general’s door and waited to be beckoned in.
“Enter,” Razine directed, standing and waiting for the report.
Sagrine walked inside and bowed. “General, I bring you the most interesting and promising news,” he stated, still bowing.
Razine studied him for a moment. Prowlers were supposed to be his elite order. The ones sent to handle “special” assignments. Razine, however, found their obsession with the prophecy unsettling and preferred to call on them as little as possible. Whenever he was near one, he felt like icy tendrils were pushing into his mind, and it made him uncomfortable.
Still, they had their uses. There were also loyal to the empire and far smarter than their counterparts. Enforcers, unlike prowlers, came from the common people and were intended to be a general-purpose tool to keep the citizens of Obsidia in line. To enforce the laws of the empire through their heavily armored, dumb brutish strength was all they were meant to do, and all most were able to do. Rare and valuable were the exceptions to that rule.
Razine knew whatever the Oracle had hinted at, it would definitely qualify as a “special” assignment. Thus, Razine’s need to seek out Sagrine. He was, after all, the most skilled member of the Shadow’s Hand. His reputation preceding him wherever he went. The only stain on his record involved failing to recover a ‘target’ thirty years ago. Still, Razine took great pleasure in holding that one mistake over his head. “Go ahead. Know though, that I have grown weary of you disappointing me,” Razine said coldly.
Sagrine nodded and stood up. “I have found her. She was wounded in one of our encounters and now travels with a Tink, one with some level of skill,” he reported.
“The heiress?” he asked incredulously.
Sagrine ignored his skeptical tone and answered, “Yes.” He was already fully aware that the general doubted the prophecy’s legitimacy. Even so, Sagrine knew Razine would not be foolish enough to ignore reliable information regarding the one sought by both the emperor and the Oracle. If nothing else, Razine would wish to gain leverage and avoid their ire.
“One of our encounters?” the general asked with a sharpness to his voice.
Suddenly, Sagrine realized he had made a tactical error already and cursed himself silently for it. “Yes, I first found her outside Serenity Falls. I was not yet certain she was the lost heiress. I tracked her and landed an arrow in her shoulder. It is an injury that still troubles her,” he explained, hoping that last fact would please the general.
“I see. And the explosion that occurred there a little over a week ago?” Razine inquired.
“An unfortunate distraction that led to her temporarily eluding me… again,” Sagrine admitted with regret. He’d decided that lying about what happened would earn him no favors.
“And you’ve crossed paths with her again? For a possible third time?” the general pressed him.
“Yes. The heiress and her traveling companion, the Tink. It was at her childhood cabin. I had them both until,” Sagrine continued and then paused.
“Until?” the general asked, approaching Sagrine and staring at him with a piercing and unwavering glare.
“Until they disappeared. I do not know how they did it, but all that remained was… a purple smoke,” Sagrine said, sounding uncharacteristically unsure of himself.
“Purple smoke? Are you certain?” he inquired, leaning close to Sagrine’s face and looking for signs of dishonesty.
“Yes, sir. Even with her recent luck, I do believe that I will be able to locate her again. Her energy is difficult to trace, but I can feel her. She also has an amulet, and I can sense it. Sometimes it is undeniable. Once she uses it again, I will find her, and this time I will not fail,” Sagrine assured, sounding determined.
“See that you do not. And see that you keep yourself under control and do not kill the woman. I want her brought to me—alive,” the general said, turning and walking back to his desk.
Sagrine bowed briefly and headed to the door.
“Oh, and one more thing. If you wish to be successful, I have a bit of advice. Kill the Tink first. Otherwise, she is likely to elude you again. And if that happens, you will have disappointed me for the last time,” Razine stated, now focusing on the paperwork at his desk.
Sagrine quickly left the room and grinned. So, the boy needs to die first. That can be arranged, he reflected coldly.
The air was cool and crisp outside, and Sagrine quickly moved to the outskirts of town. He saw a woman scurry behind a building as he approached. He suspected she was Unmarked, but he simply grinned as he walked past where she was hiding. “Do not fear. I hunt someone else,” he offered callously.
Once he was outside of Birclan, he knelt on the damp ground and focused his thoughts. The distant pulse of her energy called to him. It was faint and imprecise, but it was present. Smiling, he rose and started walking purposefully towards the lake. “You have hidden from me for so long. But now, I see you. And soon, I will have you. All of you,” he swore, breathing in deeply.
Chapter 37
Wyatt and Addi could smell the scent of soup in the air as they entered Nellis’ house. “Nellis always was a good cook,” Wyatt noted, as he breathed in heavily. Hearing Nev shriek in discomfort from somewhere near the back of the house, he peered towards the sound. “I think I am going to go play hero and rescue her before Nellis injures her shoulder even more. Plus, I appreciate our chat. But I just need to be sure,” he stated, taking off down the hallway towards the commotion.
Addi nodded and watched him disappear into a back room. She looked around the house and relived fond memories of her previous time there. She was really relieved that Nellis was alright. If we had gotten here any later, she thought, before quickly pushing the idea out of her head. Addi heard Nellis approach from behind and turned to meet him. She honestly expected him to yell at her or at least look like he wanted to. Instead, he just hugged her close.
“I’ve missed you, lass. The last time I saw you, I was fearful I would never see you again,” Nellis noted softly.
Addi fumbled for words, having been caught off guard by his embrace. His scent and brogue accent were exactly the same as she remembered. She’d not realized how much she had missed him. “I… I missed you too. I shouldn’t have left the way I did,” she admitted, sounding regretful.
Nellis took a step back from her and examined her closely. “Aye, although I’m curious about which part you mean exactly. Was it the leaving angry, leaving for five years or leaving still wearing the wedding dress that you feel badly about?” he questioned as he cocked his head to the side and stared at her.
Addi’s heart sank. “Well, not that you have any reason to believe me, but… all of it,” she sighed, avoiding his gaze.
“And I guess you have just been too busy these last five years to mention that before now,” he retorted.
“I had Wyatt to look after, you know how helpless he can be. And there was so much work to be done,” she reasoned.
“Oh, I don’t know about all that. Wyatt seems to be able to handle himself just fine,” he replied, catching her gaze with his. “So, are you trying to convince yourself or me with that line? Look, I am not angry. Truth be told, I wasn’t angry the day you left. But don’t try to sell some hogwash line to me as to why you left. We both know you did it because you got scared. More scared than you were of those enforcers a little while ago,” he concluded, shaking his head.
Addi just looked at him. She knew he was right. He deserved better than to listen to her argue some lie that neither of them was ever going to believe. She sighed and hung her head. “You are right. I was scared. Scared of settling down, of leaving Wyatt alone, of becoming someone I didn’t recognize and that you would see my fear and resent me for it. So, I left. I told myself that it was the kindest thing I could do for both of us,” she confessed, feeling ashamed.
“Well, thanks for finally being honest with me. That and your happiness was all I ever wanted,” Nellis assured, giving her a small smile.
“It really is good to see you,” Addi replied, flashing a brief smile.
Nellis pulled down four bowls from a shelf and filled two with soup. He sat them on the table, along with two cups of tea. Taking a seat, he took a bite and then studied Addi thoughtfully. “Well, you three look like you have had quite the adventure, even before our little scuffle in the woods. Why don’t you fill me in while the youngsters tend to each other’s boo-boos,” he suggested, laughing and shaking his head.
As soon as he’d convinced Nellis to leave, Wyatt closed the door to the bedroom where Nev now sat. He was still leaning with his forehead pressed against it. Feeling Nev’s gaze on the back of his neck, he swallowed hard. He knew Addi and him were good now, and he wanted to believe that Addi was right. That no one believed what the prowler had suggested regarding his motivations for staying. Still, painful tinges of doubt remained in his mind regarding Nev. He ached to hold her. Desperate to know if she doubted him, but fear held him in place.
Nev watched Wyatt linger at the door and felt her heart aching for him. She gave him a moment to gather his thoughts. When he remained with his back to her, she could no longer resist her need to hold him. She stood and wrapped her arms around him tightly from behind. Her shoulder screamed objections, but she ignored it. Holding him was all that mattered right now. She leaned her head against his back and sensed him relax slightly. A small sigh of relief escaped her lips as she felt him clasp one of her hands before squeezing it lightly. She smiled at his now-familiar sign that he was still with her.
Nev suddenly felt a desperate urge to have him. All of him. She grabbed his hand and pulled him to the bed, where she shoved him down onto his back. She gave him and her shoulder no room or time to protest her actions. She yanked off both his and her boots and pants with quick and voracious actions. Within a few moments, she was perched over him. Kissing him deeply and pulling him into her with an insatiable hunger as a small moan escaped her lips.
Wyatt had been momentarily stunned by Nev’s uncompromising appetite for him. His mind spun to try and catch up with her. In a flash, he felt the connection between them flare with an intensity that sent surges of energy throughout his body. Finally entirely with her again, his hands pawed and pulled on her. He enticed her body as close to his as he could muster. As he felt himself be drawn into her kiss and embrace, waves of energy began to build within him. He swiftly rolled her under him and pressed his body against hers.
Nev’s back arched as her body ached to meet his. She dug her fingers into his back, urging him deeper and deeper into her body and soul. Refusing to release him until she reached the summit of her desire. She breathed deeply before softly whimpering as she plunged over the crest of her longing.
Wyatt moaned and collapsed on top of her, having followed her into satisfied bliss. Bracing himself above her with his arms, he affectionately nuzzled her neck.
She felt him struggling to catch his breath as she kissed his sweat covered chest.
Breathing heavily, Wyatt wrapped his arms tightly around Nev before pulling her with him as he rolled to his side. She was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. He placed a hand tenderly on her cheek and pulled her face to his. For a long while, they lay there simply nuzzling and holding each other. “I love you,” Wyatt said tenderly.
Nev smiled and kissed his nose playfully. “I know,” she said sweetly. She took his face in her hands and gazed into his eyes. “And I know that is why you won’t let go. And I know it is why you stay,” assured Nev as she endeavored to allay his worries.
Wyatt kissed her softly and smiled. He knew now that she didn’t doubt him. That she had never questioned why he helped her or why he stayed. He also knew that he was madly, madly in love with her, and he wasn’t going to let anyone make him doubt what they shared again.
Nev winced as she stretched slightly. “I suppose I should get dressed and let you try to mend my shoulder… again,” she contemplated, no longer able to distract herself from the pain.
Wyatt nodded and agreed, “Yes, probably.”
Nev moved to sit up, and Wyatt put his hand on her chest. “Yes?” she asked, looking at his hand with a suspicious look on her face.
“Actually, let’s skip that first part. I think it is high time I try my hand at playing a healer,” he suggested grinning.
“You do actually plan to take care of my shoulder, though. Right?” Nev pleaded, raising her eyebrow at him.
“Of course, what kind of healer do you think I am?” he scoffed, pretending to sound offended.
Nev giggled. “Alright healer Wyatt, do your worse… or best,” she relented, laughing.
Chapter 38
Addi had filled Nellis in on most of what was going on. She had, however, left out the bit about Nev possibly being the heir to the throne. Better not to overwhelm him, she thought. Afterward, they had enjoyed some idle chat while they ate their soup. Addi found herself enjoying Nellis’ company much more than she would have imagined. Even more surprisingly, he seemed to be enjoying hers as well.
“You look well, lass. Even better than I remember,” Nellis said, smiling warmly at her.
Addi felt unsure of how to react to his compliment. She’d missed him, and she did appreciate his kind words, but that tinge of fear that had made her leave five years ago was still there. “Thanks,” she replied, focusing on her soup.
Nellis chuckled softly to himself before gazing at Addi.
As the sound of giggles, laughter, and other things occasionally carried into the front of the house, Addi either frowned with annoyance or let out a disgusted groan.
Nellis just smiled at her and shook his head. “It is a good thing, you know,” he offered, looking at Addi.
“Maybe, but I would prefer it to be quiet as well,” she protested.
“Come on, Addie. I seem to remember you giggling from time to time. I mean… you may be older than Wyatt, but you
are not that much older,” he said, rolling his eyes at her.
“It has nothing to do with age. It is just… well… can we just not talk about this anymore?” Addi pleaded, rubbing her face with her hands.
“Sure. I’ll just say I’m happy for Wyatt. He was always a good kid, and it’s nice to see him really happy for a change,” Nellis suggested.
“For a change?” Addi questioned with an edge to her voice.
“I didn’t mean anything by it, Addi. But you know he has always been sensitive. He also always struck me as a little lonely… sad even,” he replied, trying to choose his words carefully. “I mean… Wyatt had you, and that was great for him. But I’ve known you two off-and-on for ten years, and I can’t remember him ever having a real friend, much less a girlfriend. He was always kind of distant… withdrawn. I don’t know. He seems to really love her.
“That fact was clear even during the blur of our little battle out there. And when he came to check on her, I thought he might throw me out of the room if I moved any slower. As for the young lass, she seems to care for him a lot. He was all she would talk about when I was trying to patch her up,” Nellis offered with a shrug.
Addi inhaled sharply, “No, you’re right. Despite all the danger swirling around her, she does seem to make him truly happy. I don’t think I’ve ever heard him laugh so much or seen him smiling so often. You wouldn’t believe the light show he put on the other night for her. It was truly something. Honestly, it has been really nice to see him relaxed enough to use his gifts again. Even if he seems to mostly be using them to impress a girl,” she admitted, sighing and shaking her head. “I just wish she brought a little less danger and excitement into his life. Oh, and that they would act a little less crazy for each other. You have no idea what I have had to endure,” she stated, rolling her eyes.
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