“Stay safe, Marbella.”
I head for the cliffs behind the Rath home, but I stop in at the house on the way. If Baelen isn’t taking care of himself then I need to take care of him instead. I pick up a basket of food and flasks of water and top it off with a blanket since he’s probably sleeping wherever he lays his head. When Mom catches me and tries to stop me, I kiss her cheek swiftly and look her in the eye. “I love you, Mom. But Baelen needs me. I’m going to him.”
Tears form in her eyes. “Okay, sweetheart. I understand.”
A solid hour later, I arrive at the top of the cliff that was our secret place. It was the place where the Storm chose me. The place where the wind stole my blue ribbon and I thought I killed Baelen. So many memories flood back to me. Some of them are breathtaking. Others are heartbreaking. Rath land sweeps across the countryside below me. From here I can see all the way beyond the Rath boundary, far into elven country. It’s the perfect place for Baelen to stand watch.
I find him leaning against the mouth of the cave, head tilted to its rocky edge, one shoulder wedged against it. The bristles on his chin are a growing shadow across his jaw. His chest rises and falls in a deep rhythm.
He’s asleep where he stands.
“Oh, Baelen.” I creep around him, wrap the blanket over his shoulders, and decide it’s time to test my strength. I moved glass shards with a wave of my hand, although admittedly they were alotlighter than Baelen. I concentrate and draw on my Incorruptible strength and my Prime heart, surprising myself when I leverage him gently away from the side of the cave with my power without waking him up, laying him down inside it instead. He murmurs a little before pulling the blanket tighter and remains asleep.
He must be exhausted.
I take his place at the cave’s opening, keeping an eye on the horizon. Half an hour later, a talon crow soars across the sky a mile away. I wait for it to fly a little closer and then I stretch out my arm and let loose a little destruction, turning the beast into dust. An hour later, two more crows meet the same fate.
Other than that… it’s peaceful. The view stretches in every direction so any attack will be easily visible. I have no concerns that something might happen on the ground without me. On top of that, I trust Grayson’s word. His message was honest. Cynical, that’s for sure, but honest. We have a week.
I sense Baelen’s breathing change. I turn a little, remaining where I am, even when he jolts upright, disoriented to find himself wrapped in a blanket. “Marbella?”
He squints at me, rubbing his eyes. His gaze shifts to check the position of the sun. His face falls. “What time is it?”
“Don’t worry. I kept watch.” I shrug, keeping it light. “I killed a few talon crows but that was easy. You can get more sleep if you want.”
“If I want?” His laugh is dry and scratchy. “What I want is…” He shakes his head, squeezes his eyes closed. Takes a deep breath. “Macsen told you where I was.”
I turn a little toward the horizon, remaining relaxed against the rock wall. “I forgot how peaceful it is up here.”
He rises to his feet, stretching his neck side to side and rolling his shoulders. He bundles up the blanket and drops it at the opening as he draws near to me. He moves at a prowl. I’m not sure what his target is until he swoops to the basket I brought with me and devours all of the wheat biscuits in a few bites, reaching for a water flask to wash them down.
Exhaustedandstarving.
I hide my smile as the remainder of the food—apples, cheese, and bread—disappears within moments. No wonder he was cranky. He holds onto the water flask, carrying it further out across the cliff where he stops to assess the land below us. I remain quiet, unmoving from my station, while he places the flask on the ground, removes his shirt, and takes a knee. Dipping his head, he pours the rest of the water over the back of it, finishing up by scrubbing liquid across his face with his hands.
He rises to his feet again, his broad back to me, water droplets following the curves of his muscles as he scrapes his hair out of his eyes. His chest expands and contracts as he draws in a deep breath, allowing his arms to drop to his sides. He remains in that position for a long time. I don’t feel as if he’s forgotten me, more that he needs the silence. The air up here is clean and fresh. Quiet. Far away from all the noise. Every inch of my body wants to go to him but I don’t want to break the spell.
Finally, he angles toward me, his chiseled features a silhouette against the sun as he speaks carefully. “Have you… had the chance to spend time with your Mom?”
“Yes.”
“And your Storm Command? I know they are like sisters to you.”
“Yes.”
“Good.” He turns back to the horizon for another long moment. “What about your brother and Jordan? Elise too?”
I leave my post, carefully covering the distance to his side. “Yes, yes, and yes.”
“What about—”
I interrupt him. “Baelen.”
“Yes?”
I bite my bottom lip, reaching up to brush my thumb across his jawbone. A tiny leaf was stuck where he slept on it. “You missed a spot. Right here.”
He remains perfectly still.
