Around Josh, she could almost believe she was human again. Or close enough.
And now the fool man had wandered into the desert to face his destiny or whatever it was, and he hadn’t let her stay to keep him safe. Anything could happen out there.
Lost in her spiraling thoughts, her fingers closed around the cup until the metal crumpled. Wine sloshed over her hand and wrist, the crimson liquid dripping onto her pants.
“Oi, Ryns! You don’t smash it, you drink it!” Malachi’s voice snapped her back.
She watched the wine drop from the table into his lap while he hissed with irritation, pushing back his chair with a dramatic groan. First, he swept at his clothes, sending errant droplets splattering in wild arcs. Then, from underneath his robes, he pulled out a spare cup and placed it carefully before her.
“There you go.” He filled it from one of the jugs and tapped it with a flourish. “Try to keep this one upright, yeah?”
“Thanks, Mal.” She nodded, then she downed the cup in a single, decisive gulp.
“You remember that time I had to pull you from the den of succubae?” she asked, immediately filling her cup again.
“Yeah! I still haven’t forgiven you!” He slammed his cup down and punctuated it with a wet belch.
“Please,” she scoffed, tossing one of the now-empty jugs at his head. “They were five seconds from literally eating you. And not in a fun way.”
“Says you! And even if they had, it would’ve been worth it. Triplets!” He ducked just in time, nearly toppling from his chair.
A sigh passed between them.
“Good times.” His eyes drifted downward, no doubt remembering the countless adventures, simple joys, and even stranger times with Josh, the humble mason’s son from a small village near the inland sea.
“Hey, ummm…thanks for keeping him... keeping us safe all these years.” Malachi cleared his throat. “I know it’s more than what we see. He’s a target. Evil, monsters, and whatever else is always after him. But you stand in their path. Every single time.”
Rynna lifted her cup, taking a sip. She watched Malachi closely. Sentiment wasn’t his usual currency, but when it came, it was unmistakably genuine.
“Well,” she said lightly, though the thud of her heart betrayed any attempt at indifference. “Someone has to keep this ragtag group in check, right?”
“Yeah, I suppose,” he chuckled, then leaned forward. “But you do more than that. You’re like our guardian angel.”
“Guardian angel, eh?” She snorted. “That’s a new one.”
“Maybe so, but I mean it. You’ve saved our hides more times than I can count.”
She swallowed, trying to keep her voice steady.
“We’ve been through a lot together. And besides, who else would do it?”
“Anyway.” He looked up at the ceiling, refusing to look at her. “All jokes aside. I appreciate you. We all do. And we’ll be there for you too, no matter what.”
She clinked her glass against his. “It’s a fair trade.”
He met her eyes as he drank, quiet for a beat, then he tipped his head. “Just admit it. You love him.” He smirked. “And me, of course.”
“What?!” she sputtered, almost forgetting to fight the way her heart pounded. “I do not! I’m one of the god-damned monsters! I nearly ate you the first time we met!”
“Hmmm hmmm.” Malachi broke into a fit of laughter, loud enough to rattle the rafters. He leaned into the table and gave a playful growl, teeth bared like a mock beast. “Such a terrifying creature, always mooning over our precious Joshua.”
“You’re delusional.” She scowled, arms crossing. “I am incapableof mooning. I. Am. A. Monster.”
“Maybe you were before.” His mirth faded. “But not anymore. Or at least, you don’t have to be.”
The words landed harder than she expected. She glanced down, dragging her finger over the rim of her cup. Malachi always had a way of cutting through the noise and saying the thing she hadn’t admitted even to herself.
Maybe she could choose who she wanted to be, and her past, or her nature, didn’t have to define her.
