Taryn falls to the side, and I realise she’s a whole lot more wasted than I thought she was.
“I’m worried about you, my friend,” I say carefully.
“Don’t worry about me. I’m fine. I met an alpha, and he was the love of my life. Dawn was so beautiful. I really, truly loved him. We had many happy, happy years. Our children are happy and healthy. My boys, they are the most special creations I have ever made. I have been blessed in this life. Blessed.”
She starts crying. Silent tears roll down her face.
“Taryn, I will find a way to get you out. You can introduce me to your family, and we’ll drink Marshall’s gross rice wine and talk about these days and laugh.”
I reach for her hand and turn so we’re facing each other.
“You are a good friend, Keres. A true friend. I wouldn’t have come here for anything less.”
“I don’t understand,” I murmur again.
She reaches out and strokes back my hair. “I want to sing the song I sang to my boys. Can I sing it to you?”
“Of course,” I whisper.
She opens her mouth, and out come notes so pure they bring tears to my eyes. She sings a song for her alpha sons, praying to the gods to give her sons wisdom, health, and strength so that they may find happiness.
It’s a cute little lullaby, and when she finishes, the silence seems too loud.
“Come on, let’s drink more before they find me and drag me back to my doom.”
I sit by her side, and we pass the flask back and forth and talk. Nothing deep, just what food we’d eat if we could magic it here. She tells me stories of her husband and how he really wants to be able to build things, but he’s terrible, so now they eat at a table that wobbles, and her fence keeps falling off.
“What’s his name?”
“Oh, Dawn.” Her expression turns wistful. “He’s the light of my life. I never thought I would be so lucky to feel like this.”
“You kissed Mordecai, though?” I say tentatively.
“Oh, that.” She wrinkles her nose and uncaps the flask. “I would do anything to get home. Well, up until that point, I would have done anything. Now…I can see the bigger picture.”
“You don’t want to lead the Beta’s Path to your family,” I surmise. “That’s admirable.”
“Yeah,” she says and looks up. “The party's over.”
“What were you thinking?” Marshall snaps.
“I was thinking I didn’t want to spend the last days of my life in chains!” She snarls. “Mordecai is so convinced I’m this saviour that he’s turning into the thing he hates.”
“Taryn, we’re just trying to save as many people as we can. Mordecai believes in his visions—”
“I know you don’t believe in them, Marshall, but you also won’t go against Bear. This is hell. I’m not allowed out; I’m not allowed to walk around inside. I’ve been kept in a single room with a damn guard!” she shouts furiously.
“You keep her guarded?” I ask, outraged. As I stand up, I become aware of just how unstable the world is. I stumble, and Marshall just manages to leap towards me and catch me before I pitch forward onto the floor.
“What the hell is wrong with you two?” Marshall barks.
I look at Taryn, and we both burst into gales of giggles.
He snags the flask and opens it, spitting out a curse that would turn a grandmother red.
“Have either of you ever been drunk before?”
I shake my head and then moan as the world keeps shaking.
