“Of course. I can’t stay away. She's . . . hesitant, and I understand why. She was hurt in the past. She needs to heal, though she's stronger than she realizes. So much untapped power. And she's fiercely independent, which you already saw for yourself.” His gaze grew distant. “I think she could be the one, Lorant.”
Would she love him?
He rubbed his wrist, but I didn’t look. Couldn’t drag my gaze that way.
Jealousy, raw and ugly, coiled in my stomach, a serpent ready to strike. I wanted to lash out, but I couldn't. Merrick deserved happiness, and if Reyla could give him that, I supported them both.
“She's a force,” I said, my voice betraying none of the turmoil raging inside me. “A wildfire ready to scorch the world and remake it.”
“Exactly.” His pleased smile rose. “Do you call her that—Wildfire?”
“I do.” In my mind. To her face. In my heart.
“She earned it.” I could not mask the possessiveness in my voice.
Merrick's eyes glinted with amusement. “I can see why. Sheavoided me yesterday. I didn’t push it. I’m giving her the time I can. She's fierce, isn't she?”
I nodded, my throat tightening. “She'll need that fire at Evergorne.”
“That she will.” Merrick's expression turned serious. “I worry about her. The court can be ruthless. I need to know she'll be protected when I'm not around.”
“I'll make sure of it.”
“I knew you would.”
“Have you . . .” I couldn't name it.
“Not yet. I think soon, though. It’s . . . I can’t express how it’ll be.” Because he had too much honor to talk about her like that. But he could dream.
Like me.
A savage beast reared its head inside me, its claws tearing through my chest with a fury that left me breathless. It was relentless, shattering the walls of my self-control with enough force to pulverize stone. I was trapped in the storm of my own making, my mind a battleground of reason and emotion with no way to grab onto either.
She consumed my thoughts and haunted my dreams.
Merrick speaking of her with affection was the same as someone taking a dagger to my heart and gouging it deep.
21
REYLA
The next morning, I remained in my cabin past breakfast, eating from the tray Lord Briscalar brought me. It was only when Merrick came knocking on my door, asking if I was alright, that I realized how silly I was behaving.
Move forward, right?
I joined him, and we went up onto the deck. We walked around the perimeter of the ship, making three loops before we stopped in, eerily, the same spot where Lore had stood at the railing last night.
Merrick leaned against the wooden support, tugging me over to stand with him.
“Tell more about training dragons,” he said. “It must be amazing.”
“My friend, Tempest—”
“Lydel’s High Lady.”
“She’s the true dragon master, not me. She . . . bonded with one.”
“Truly?” He sounded skeptical.
