So the moment they entered the house Eira announced, “Cullen, a word. Privately.”
Alyss and Noelle shared a look, but Eira’s tone discouraged them from saying anything. They went on ahead to the main room. Eira took Cullen’s lack of objection as permission as she entered his room.
“I know—”
“Do you?” Eira didn’t face him, staring at one of the silken blankets on his wall. They were back on the walls and showing little signs of their excursion. “Do you know all the ways you were a fool?”
“I tried to undo it.”
“Which I am just as upset with you for.” She sighed heavily and shook her head. “It looks worse—more suspicious—if you backtrack. We can’t risk that.”
“I shouldn’t have done it in the first place.” He came to a stop next to her. Almost touching. She was back to the night before, back to all the moments that could be described as,almost. “I just…keep thinking about you and him.”
“Cullen, I told you that if anything were to happen between you and me in the future, it’d be after many things have transpired and been sorted. Even then…it’s anif,” she emphasized. “Until then, I am not yours and can be with who I please and do what I’d like and you really don’t have a say in the matter.”
“I know.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I know,” he repeated, softer, voice heavy with remorse. “And, consciously, I don’twantto constrict you. It’s just…” Cullen grabbed his shirt over his chest, where a pain Eira could relate to entirely must live. She dared to reach out, resting a hand on his upper arm.
“It’s hard,” she said softly. “I understand. Just, try. Because what you did in the arena wasn’t all right.”
He nodded and she gave him a slight smile. Part of her was still frustrated with him. But it was hard to be mad when another part of her had wanted to be just as petty as he was. When she hadn’t stopped all of her snide remarks.
They were both going to make mistakes. There wasn’t time to dwell on them. On the list of matters of importance, Eira and Cullen’s relationship hardly made it.
“Let’s go join Alyss and Noelle,” she suggested. “And we can pretend like this never happened.”
“Are you sure you’re all right with that?” he asked uncertainly.
“I think I have to be.” She shrugged. “No. That’s…” Eira laughed softly, proving her own point about just how hard it was. “Yes, I would like to move past it. We’ve said our piece.”
“All right, then.” Cullen put on a strong smile and she was grateful he wasn’t sulking. Hopefully that was the last time they needed to discuss such matters.
Noelle and Alyss were clearly curious, but they didn’t say anything about Eira and Cullen.
Instead, Noelle said, “We’ve been discussing and we think we should use the tunnel to go into the city, have our own special dinner.”
“Yes! Who needs them?” Alyss was on her feet.
“We shouldn’t leave. They might still be on high alert in town.” Eira sat, pulling the flash bead from her pocket and turning it over in her hands. It was hard to believe so much power was contained in such a little thing.
“Never thought you’d be the reasonable one.” Cullen arched his eyebrows at her.
“I know I pushed it last time. I shouldn’t be on the move again so quickly.” Eirawantedto leave. But she knew it wasn’t sensible. Not yet. “Our time will be better spent if we focus on practicing.”
“All we’ve done in our free time is practice.” Noelle groaned.
“I remember a picnic and dancing.” Eira leaned back in her chair.
“That was before. This is now. And I don’t wish to be here now.”
“We couldn’t even win one duel today. How can we expect to hold our own against the Pillars?” Eira stared them down. “We have to practice more combat, not just applying our magic in other ways. It has to be as second nature to us as it is the draconi.”
“Practicing on an empty stomach sounds so fun.”
“Eira is right, she shouldn’t leave,” Cullen said.
“That’s her fault, the rest of us can.” Noelle shrugged.
Eira shook her head at her friend. Noelle meant nothing ill by the remark. But she really could be abrasive sometimes. “If you all want to—”
