Now his eyes did open, though they looked bleary. He squinted at me.
“Another nightmare,” he mumbled and rolled over, apparently attempting to go back to sleep.
I grabbed his shoulder and dragged him back to face me.
“No, Pharis, listen to me. This is real. I’m here. Wake up so we can talk.”
Bolting upright, he looked around—for a weapon perhaps? Locating none, he looked back at me.
“What the shaded stars are you doing here?” he demanded.
“Where is Raewyn?” I asked.
Pharis shook his head, rolling out of bed then staggering to the side before righting himself. He looked terrible.
“She’s not here.” He yanked on a pair of breeches he’d picked up from the floor. “She’s gone.”
“Gone where?” I demanded.
“Just… gone.” He dropped back to the bed, appearing exhausted.
“You won’t mind if I search the castle then,” I said, daring him to try to stop me.
Pharis lifted one arm and let it fall. “Have at it. Search it top to bottom.”
“I intend to.”
I got up and left the room, joining my men in searching the castle then all the outbuildings.
When I returned to the castle, Pharis was downstairs, semi-dressed, but still listless and slumped. He sat hunched over on one of the settees in the main receiving room, not even bothering to look up when I approached him.
“What is the matter with you?” I demanded.
Now he looked up at me, barely parting his eyelids. “Just let her go, Stellon. I have.”
“What?”
“Leave Raewyn in peace. And leave me to my misery. She deserves better than both of us.”
So Raewyn had left him. An involuntary smile spread across my face.
She wasn’t in love with Pharis, which meant there was still a chance she could fall back in love with me.
“Speak for yourself, brother,” I told him and signaled to my men the search was over.For now.
As I turned to leave with them, Pharis called my name.
“Stellon.”
“What?”
“She’s where she wants to be. She’s made her choice. Respect that.”
His tone turned darker. “I’m telling you to leave her alone. Get over her.”
I scoffed. “Tell it to yourself. Go back to your bottle, Pharis.”
As for me, I would keep searching for Raewyn.
