Saer focused his confounded rage on Ahraan.
The enigmatic man offered his solemn smile to Saer, then leaned towards Neyu to whisper something in her ear.His long-fingered hand curled along her wrist, squeezing.
Saer’s heart thudded, the pounding echoing in his ears.
One of the soldiers stepped towards Ahraan.“We found them at the edge of the oasis.We tried to explain they’re to be brought to you to determine if they are accepted in our village, but they don’t speak our language—”
Another growl escaped Saer’s lips before he could tether it.“You bring them tomefor such decisions.”
“But—”
“Enough!”His shout was unquestionable.“Leave them and be gone.”
The guards drew breath to argue, and perhaps would have if Ahraan hadn’t stepped up with an infuriatingly calming air.“My friends, come, we’ll leave my cousins to their discussions.”
“We are not family,” Saer hissed, realizing too late he’d taken the bait.Ahraan offered him a blithe, unbothered smile, then guided the soldiers away.
Saer balled his hands into fists to keep from lashing out at every one of them.
The onlookers dispersed before Kalia’s shoulders dropped.“Hells.”
Saer snapped his focus back to them.
Neyu met Saer’s heated gaze with eyes as captivating as a rare sapphire, exactly as he remembered.That same, out-of-body surreality threatened, icy fingers sliding along his nerve endings.Neyu was here.
Neyu was right in front of him.
Neyu…
Her chin lifted in defiance, and Kalia shrank behind her.
Saer unleashed a wordless noise of frustration and turned to stalk back into his hut.He flung open the door and wished with all his being that he could slam it behind him without bringing down the whole hut, but left it wide open instead.
Once out of the morning sunlight, Saer halted, panting.A high-pitched ringing sounded in his ears while denial warred with reality.
Neyu.Neyu was here.
He turned a half step as though to go back.He stopped again.Snarling, Saer pinched his nose between his thumb and forefinger, drawing a long, careful breath.
Shuffling footsteps drew nearer, echoing the pounding of his heart.
One of them inhaled as though to speak, but hesitated.
Neyuishere.
He lowered his hand, swallowed, and forced hard steel into his tone.“Get in here, you two.”
Lust and Sloth entered with caution—the elder calm, and the younger far less so.Saer busied himself covering windows with various skins.His eyes focused on the task at hand, addressing neitherDaemoenica, even as he stole small glances at Neyu out of the corner of his eye.
Like she might disappear at any moment.
She was in his hut.Not a beautiful, forbidden mirage, but right in front of him.Unhooking her veil with slow and practiced movements as though it were just another day, drawing his eyes to her long fingers, remembering how they’d grazed over his skin…
He’d imagined reuniting with her and feared it all the same.Did she not remember he stayed away for her safety?That their maker could snap Its fingers and destroy them in less than a heartbeat?He separated himself from her so they could eachlive, and she defied him.As long as he stayed angry, there was no room for anything else.
He held onto his bitterness like a drowning man clinging to a boat.
“By your command, we are here.”Neyu’s detached tone grated at him and, at the same time, confused him.The skin around Saer’s eyes tightened.If she didn’t want to come to him, she should have gone elsewhere.
