To absolutely no fucking avail.
Kerym laughed softly, apparently not affected at all by her throwing her back against his chest. “I could. But this is far more entertaining.” He chuckled once more. “Besides, it’s been a while since any of us got to beat Merrick, and he is clearly letting Raine do it today. Don’t take that away from him.”
She shook her head, but when Raine landed another blow to Merrick’s face and then a boot to his gut, she realized Kerym was right.
Merrick looked… more relaxed than she’d seen in days, and even Raine’s eyes focused as he continued to land blows, although they became softer and softer, the strikes never once landing in the same spot.
Kerym continued to hold on to her, the two of them nearly drenched, until Raine’s arms finally fell to his sides, his chest heaving as he jerked his head so his wet hair went flying, while Merrick grinned, his silver strands somehow still sparkling, like the stupid bastard he was.
Storming up to them, she whipped her head back and forth between the damp and panting Fae warriors. “Are you idiots done now?”
She glared at each of them until they bowed their heads, and then she took Merrick’s hand, dragging him to the path leading down to the wyverns, unable to stop herself from muttering “Stupid bastards” the entire time they descended the steep, slippery steps.
But she couldn’t be truly angry. Not when she could feel Merrick smiling, although the twist of his lips and his half-turned-away face tried to hide it.
Chapter 7
Kerym
He followed Raine when the latter stomped into the cabin again, and it was as if Raine had delivered one of his crushing blows to his chest when Kerym turned to his left side, where Thissian usually hovered, about to make a quip.
Kerym’s hand flew to press against his heart.
Fuck, that hurt.
Everything hurt right now. Waking up, his heart hurt, and as each day went on, his head always began pounding, the thoughts of Thissian refusing to leave him.
Somehow, it was so much worse than Mishah, and he didn’t know what that said about him. He’d grieved Mishah—fuck, he still did—but… it was as if he could feel her having moved on. She wasn’t here anymore, and no matter that people around him tried to convince him she was “watching over him,” he knew she wasn’t.
But Thissian? It was a restless sorrow that burroweditself into Kerym’s bones whenever he thought of him. His brother… he was here, but also wasn’t.
Kerym didn’t like it. Not at all.
He shuddered as he searched for the green eyes he hoped would be waiting for him, and just as he was about to walk out of the cabin—because he just couldn’t stand the confined space, especially with the tension that layered over all their friends—they found his, Pellie’s steps lengthening as she approached him from the kitchen.
Her eyes darted between his own when she reached him, and he didn’t need to say anything for her arms to wrap around his waist.
Bending, Kerym burrowed his face into her copper hair, savoring the flowery scent that reminded him of a realm he and Thissian had visited that first year after Mishah and Thissian’s mate had died.
That time of his life had been a complete blur. Kerym couldn’t remember more than towering mountains sprinkled with snow, shadowy darkness that wrapped the realm like an impenetrable mist, and the strange, alluring scent that seemed to always cling to Pellie.
He didn’t know what it was about this little witch, but from the moment she’d strolled in with her swinging hips and called him handsome, it was as if he gravitated toward her.
He couldn’t stay away, because the feeling she invoked in him… it was one he hadn’t felt in a long time. It was something he’d always searched for—something that made his magic vibrate under his skin when it was near.
Peace. She made him feel peaceful amidst all the craziness going on around them, as if she were an anchorin the storm that raged in their world, one that was created just for Kerym, and for him alone.
As Pellie pulled back, she placed a small hand on his cheek, and when he just stared at her, she nodded. “Come on, let’s get something to drink. I think we can all use it.”
Her gaze swept out across the room, and Kerym knew it was dumb, but not having those green eyes on his own left him with a sense of emptiness. Following her imploring stare, he realized Raine had planted himself back in the chair with the younger Rantzier watching him out of the corner of her eye, even though her head was turned toward the kitchen.
Kerym shook his head as he let Pellie drag him to the counter, where stood a dusty bottle of something that smelled strong and like it would make his limbs soft and warm.
Raine was such an idiot. Even if Kerym wasn’t able tofeelthe love that Raine felt for Frelina, it was so clear his friend had fallen for her, and even Kerym knew that Solana would have been supportive.
Raine’s mate would have loved that fierce little half-Fae female.
Gods, perhaps she would have even taken her for herself, turned her into a best friend, and made sure the angry little Rantzier smiled more than she worried. It was as if Raine didn’t know his mate at all. Or perhaps it was the awareness of himself that he’d lost…
