Kindest regards,
Leif Silva, King ofGreenwood
While a polite message, Cassiel read the tacit expectation for compliance.
“In truth, we are concerned for Lady Aerina’s safety,” Eldred said once he finished reading. “Not to mention, traveling through the ranges here is especially precarious during the rainy season. Your presence would be an added precaution.”
Cassiel could see why she thought he would be offended. King Leif meant to use him. Yet he had been hoping for an excuse to stay, and they gave it to him.
“I see,” he said nonchalantly, rolling up the scroll. “I would be glad to escort you to Avandia, Princess. And to reaffirm the Accords with King Leif, should he so wish. However, I must discuss this with my wife first.”
Tense silence filled the library as all glanced at Dyna. Because Cassiel had already been looking at her, he noticed when she flinched. Dyna finally looked up. Not at him, but past his shoulder as if she couldn’t care to meet his gaze. Her green eyes were tired and dull, but otherwise unreadable. Yet he didn’t need to read Dyna’s thoughts to know how she felt about his use of that word.
A tightness came over Cassiel’s chest, making it feel heavy.
“Right, of course.” Aerina stood. “Thank you. If you do decide to join us, we leave tomorrow morning.”
She strode out of the library with Eldred as they discussed plans for the excursion. Dyna nodded to Zev and the others, and they silently stood.
“I will wait for you in the hall,” Zev quietly told her, then they filed out of the room. The guards shut the doors behind them.
Cassiel stood there for a moment, not sure how to speak to her. His wings twitched as he opened his mouth, but his voice vanished. It had always been like this. Whenever he was in the wrong and wished to speak, the words never came when he needed them.
He was desperate to stay and try to fix what he had broken. But he had decided he would never force her will again. It had to be her choice. No matter what he wanted, even if his entire being was internally screaming, he would submit to whatever she chose.
He had no right to anything else.
He studied the way the sunlight streaming through the windows gilded Dyna’s red hair that was braided back in loose waves. He took in the dark leather of her clothing and weapons at her hip. How different she was. The bright warmth that used to shine off her was gone, and in its place was mettle. Sharp and cold, like an iron sculpted to a fatal point.
Dyna’s boots shifted as she rose to her feet with a sigh.
Fearing she would leave helped Cassiel work up the nerve to speak. “Lev sheli…”
Her jaw clenched.
“Dyna,” he amended. “I know you are angry with me, and perhaps you hate me, but I would like your consent to stay to see this through. I care about Rawn as much as you do. For once, I have the power to help you and him.”
Silence filled the library. He held his breath, waiting for her answer.
“Do as you wish,” Dyna finally replied. When her gaze met his, she looked at him like a stranger. “I don’t care what you do anymore.”
Cassiel inwardly shook as she walked past him for the gardens, pretending that her response didn’t carve out another piece of his soul.“Ani ohev otach...”His soft proclamation was so faint, he didn’t think she had heard him.
Dyna halted in place with her back to him. “Don’t.”
The anger and harshness behind the single word dug into his chest like a needle. But he could no more stop loving her than he could stop breathing.
“You have no place to say those words to me.”
And the rotten husk of his heart shriveled up further. It stirred a memory that echoed his past back at him.
“Let me make things perfectly clear.” Her icy voice sliced away at him like a blade. “I am not yourlev sheli. I am not your heart. I am not your sun. I amnothingof yours anymore. We ceased to be husband and wife the moment you left me. So don’t hope for anything to change between us.”
Dyna’s footsteps carried in the library as she walked away. He didn’t move. He couldn’t, even if he had wanted to.
Cassiel waited until she fell out of sight. He waited until her footsteps faded. Waited until he was sure no one could see him break as her words cleaved into his skull. He had heard each one clearly, and the ones she didn’t say aloud.
I hate you.
