No, it would only produce another awkward moment and silence. After a few seconds of deliberation, my moral compass won out.
I yanked the door open. Slate lay on his back, arms behind his head. Fully clothed, thankfully.
“Gray?” Slate looked up at me with an amused glint in his eyes, trying to tuck his smile away as I clearly struggled to act like a normal person, much less a fucking queen.
“Right. I found more blankets.” I adjusted the blankets in my hands before tossing them down at him. “Here.”
The blankets landed in a pile on his face with a thud. Shit, I could’ve been a bit nicer about it, I supposed.
After disentangling the fabric from his face, he shook his head. “Thanks,” he said, failing to hide the laughter from his voice.
“Whatever,” I grumbled, turning back. “Goodnight. Again.”
I closed the door, not as gently as before, and rushed to my bed.Slate had been my boyfriend for eight years. My best friend. My rock and anchor. Yet, here I was acting awkward around him for no discernible reason. I just needed to adjust to our new normal now that we weren’t fighting for our lives.
My eyes began to burn, and my limbs seemed to grow heavier by the second. Exhaustion urged me toward the canopied bed, my feet barely making it before I collapsed on the mattress. Paper crinkled beneath me. I rolled over, reaching my hand into my pocket and pulling out my mother’s letter. Despite how much I wanted to, my heart sped up at the thought of reading it. I got settled in bed, hugging it close to my chest.
It felt like it’d been years since I last lay on an actual bed, and the moment my head hit the pillow, I drifted off, but not without seeing Chrome’s broken stare one more time.
Chapter Thirty
Cotton
“So you’re leaving?”
Scarlett followed me back through the courtyard and up to Nell’s office.“Yes. Valik said Gray is in the Wind Kingdom with the Druids, and I need to get to her.”
“The Druids? But how?”
“I don’t know, but I’m leaving as soon as possible. Be ready soon,”I said, keeping my focus forward as I weaved through the few remaining Elementals. They spoke with Mystics who’d been dispatched to the courtyard to help retrieve them and get them sorted into their accommodations.
“Cotton…” Scarlett said, regret tinged in her voice.
I stopped walking, pinching my brows in confusion as I met her saddened gaze.
“I don’t think I’m gonna make it on this one.” Running her fingers through her hair, she averted her stare. She waved an arm outward as she continued. “I just found Cardinal. I thought he was dead. He’s my only family left. He told me that Granite is dead. We don’t know what happened to our dad, but we think he’s either dead or in another domain. Mom died in battle.” Scarlettchewed nervously on her bottom lip, grief shining in her eyes. “I think I should stay here. Process everything that’s happened, ya know?”
I swallowed. My heart ached for her, and I felt like such an asshole for not even thinking about her perspective before setting off on my own side quest, expecting her to come with me. Anything to put some distance between Onyx and me.
Reaching out, I pulled her in for a tight hug, smoothing the back of her hair with my fingers.“Of course. Stay with your brother. I’ll come back with Gray.”I kissed my dearest friend on the crown of her head.“Take care of yourself, Scar.”
Scarlett sniffled into my chest. “You, too. Please be safe out there.” Then she raised her head to look at me. “Wait, you aren’t going alone, are you?” The worry glistening in her stare yanked on my heart.
I pursed my lips, reluctant to give her the answer that she didn’t want.
“No. He’s not.” A voice I thought would never grace my ears again cut through my soul like an energetic surge. Except now, it was deeper and richer than before.
I stilled, my heart in my throat as I internally panicked.
Scarlett, noticing my reaction, peered around me. Her eyes squinted before going wide. “Onyx? Onyx Valor?”
I refused to turn and face him. There was no way I could look at him without giving everything away in a split second.
“Where have you been? We thought you were?—”
“Dead,” Onyx finished for her. “I know. But surprise, I’m alive after all.” Because I knew him on a deeper level—or at least used to—I could hear the faint falsity in his jovial tone. “I’ve been with the Elementals, though.”
I clenched my jaw, angry that he’d chosen to ally himself with our enemy all this time. He’d just left one night with no word. Nothing. Nothing but a hole in my heart that no one else could ever fill.
