“Hamil,” she began, removing his hand and clasping it in hers. “I’m so sorry I scared everyone. I wish I’d been able to talk to you sooner. But you shouldn’t have come. I’m okay, I promise.” She paused. “How did you even find me?”
“I was with Arden last week when he got your…message. At first, we thought he’d imagined it. But still, it wassomething, and we wanted to come after you right then, but your papa—he took a turn for the worse. He’s alright now,” Hamil said hurriedly when Isla sucked in a sharp breath. “But that’s why Arden sent me instead of coming himself, so he could watch Luca. I left a couple days ago.” He squeezed her hands. “I’ve been searching all the inns in Krill and finally found you, princess. Now I can take you home. Bri and Arden miss you like crazy.”
Isla let out a shaky sigh. This was not how she had expected her day to go. A week ago, she would’ve loved nothing more than to return to Lockhurt and be reunited with her family. But now? After everything that had happened with the dark god, and the promises she made to ensure their safety?
“I can’t come home. Not yet.”
Hamil tilted his head and frowned. “Why not? I don’t understand, are you—” He looked over her shoulder, catching a glimpse of her companions for the first time. He stiffened.
“Who is this, Isla?” a voice said from close behind her.
She closed her eyes in exasperation.Of courseRynn chose this moment to be ridiculously overprotective and masculine. She could practically hear Jade’s voice in her head, muttering “men” under her breath. “It’s fine, Rynn. This is a friend from Lockhurt.”
“Who amI? Who are all ofyou?” Hamil asked incredulously.
She looked at Rynn as he moved closer. “Really, it’s okay. Let me talk to him. It’ll just be a minute,” she said, lifting her eyebrows and motioning toward the table.
Rynn ignored her and placed a hand on her upper arm. “You should leave. She is staying here. Come on, Isla.”
Hamil took in this gesture with suspicious eyes. “Look, I don’t know who you think you are, but Isla needs to come home. She belongs in Lockhurt, with her family. With me,” he said defensively, taking her hand and pulling her to him.
You have got to be kidding me, Isla thought, gritting her teeth. There was no way she was going to be the object of some testosterone-induced tug-of-war. She shook Rynn off her arm and yanked her hand from Hamil’s.
“First of all,” she started, irritation simmering beneath her skin. “I’m not going anywhere. Especially not with you two telling me what to do. I’m fully capable of making my own decisions, probably better than both of you.” She glared at each of them and turned to Hamil, her tone softening slightly. “Ham, I’m grateful you came. I’m sorry everyone is so worried about me, but I’mfine. You have no right to force me to come with you. I can’t explain everything, but I have to stay here. For just a little while longer,” she added pleadingly when refusal settled in his eyes.
“And you.” She whipped her head back to Rynn and pointed a finger at him. “You don’t control me. I’m here because I choose to be, and I don’t appreciate you speaking for me.”
Aidan gave a low whistle of approval, and Jade snickered. Rynn’s nostrils flared as his gaze hardened against hers for a moment, but then he backed away.
Hamil leaned in closer, his brows knit tightly together. “Princess, whatever you’re caught up in, we can figure it out.” His eyes shifted to Rynn, full of distrust. “I don’t understand why you can’t come home. Your father needs you, Isla. And I can’t bear the thought of something worse happening and I’m not there to protect you.”
Isla’s blood boiled.What was it with these men needing to protect her?Hamil’s intentions were pure, and she would always appreciate him for the fierce way he cared about her, but she couldn’tbelievehe’d used her father to try and guilt her. As if she hadn’t been thinking of Papa every day, at war with herself over not being with him.
“Ham,” she said, trying to stay level-headed as she pulled him away from curious eyes and ears, drawing out each word so they would hopefully stick. “I don’t know what to say to make this make sense. Iknowyou are scared for me. Iknowthis looks strange. But I promise you, I’m safe here.” Well, that part wasn’t entirely true, she supposed. “I’ll come home as soon as I can. Please, just go back to Lockhurt. Tell everyone I love them, and I’ll see them soon.”
He stared at her as she took a single step back. He looked like he wanted to throw her over his shoulders and run away, but seemed to understand that her decision was final. The muscles in his jaw tightened as he nodded jerkily and leaned forward to kiss her forehead.
“Gods, I hate this.” He sucked in a breath. “I don’t know how you sent that message, and I have a feeling you won’t tell me. But the second anything goes wrong,” he glanced back at Rynn, “you find a way to contact us and get home, alright?”
“Of course.” The lie was like acid on her tongue.
He gave her one last, lingering look before turning around and walking out the front door. Isla let out a long breath, feeling cold and hollow. She couldn’t help thinking that this could be the last piece of home she would see for a very long time.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Jade
Jadethoughtitwouldnever stop raining. It was no longer a peaceful, pleasant storm; the rain in Evonlea had quickly turned cold and unforgiving, like glassy shards of ice pricking her skin.
For two days, the rain and snow had alternated their attacks, ever since the afternoon of Isla’s interesting run-in with herfriendfrom Lockhurt. Jade had thought Rynn was going to burst a vein watching the handsome man kiss the girl’s forehead.
Even if the two of them had no intention of speaking their feelings into existence, it was painfully obvious that Rynn and Isla’s relationship was past the point of mere innocent familiarity. The hidden smiles, the blushing cheeks, the ever-present awareness. Jade didn’t envy the longing and anxiety that came with these romantic notions. She had watched love and lust tear apart kingdoms and marriages, break trust and break bodies.
Of course, she had known love—she loved Kai, possibly even Aidan and Rynn, in the way that one can love others because of their shared experiences. She had once loved her people, had felt their needs and their pain and their happiness in her very core.
And she loved her earth.
No, love was not a strong enough term to describe the connection with her element. It was her heart, her soul, every breath she took, every thought in her mind.
