She backtracked and met my side. “Nobody wants to see your ass through your sopping shorts, Col.”
I ran the comb through Audryn’s hair. Sky went to grab it from my hand, but I tightened my grip.
“Hey, you don’t know what I want to see,” Micah joked. “Take 'em off!”
I groaned and slunk away toward my dressing room.
Finding a pair of pants, I tugged them on while periodically looking around the corner at the bed. Not bothering to dry my hair, I threw it into a wet bun and made my way back.
“Scoot over.” I nudged Sky and began combing through Audryn’s hair again. Braids weren’t particularly difficult, but I focused—counting the pattern as I twisted her strands into a plait.
“No update on the Avernus coven,” Micah said unprompted, “and nothing more with the Graystorm coven either.”
Frowning, I looked down at the weave, seeing I’d somehow managed to twist the outside pieces over themselves a few extra times without using the center piece.
“Hey, that’s good news.” He smiled and elbowed me. “One less thing to deal with, at least for now.”
I bent down and placed a gentle kiss on Audryn’s cheek before turning her head toward me to work on the second section of hair. “No sightings?”
“Nothing out of the ordinary. As always, a witch or two has been airborne in the evenings, but they stay close to the islands. And the Avernus coven hasn’t been seen at all.”
“Hmm.” I tied off the second braid and positioned her head back to center.
“Are you going to send a missive and schedule a meeting with them? I know the treaty prohibits you from?—”
“No,” I cut him off. Kuroden might’ve been the target of two covens, but if I attempted to contact even the Graystorms, I’d have the entire continent of Crofea against us. “Request a meeting with Queen Arden.”
Micah shifted on his feet. “She’s gonna wake up. Her injuries are healing. There’s nothing another healer can do that I can’t.”
I shook my head. “That wasn’t what I was saying.”
“And the Suttons? Are you going to notify them?” he asked.
The thought had crossed my mind, but Ryder would want to know how the injuries occurred, and I’d be forced to admit the countless attacks Kuroden had endured over the years. Telling him would only further the campaign against the witches and, in turn, my family.
My hope of convincing Audryn to stay hadn’t completely waned. I might’ve failed to keep her safe, but I’d made sure to voice my feelings to her, even in her comatose state. And the moment she woke up, I would tell her explicitly how I felt. Counting on flirting to get my point across wouldn’t be enough.
“No, I’m not telling that asshole,” I grumbled. “And halt all missives out of Kuroden until further notice unless you’ve read the message first.”
He shook his head. “Do you really think someone would tell the Suttons?”
“Dolcie all but served Audryn up on a platter, so yeah, I do.”
The door opened, and Amalee marched in. “Our mother is here, and wants to speak to us both.”
“I’ll be up here,” Sky offered easily and plopped into the velvet chair. “I’ll leave you both to deal with your … familial matters.” She grimaced.
“Me too.” Micah looked away. “Good luck with your uh … visit.”
Our mother rarely came to our residence. She’d sent several messages requesting dinner, but with Audryn’s health, I refused to spend a single second sitting around a table that wasn't beside her bed. My absence gave Amalee the perfect excuse to forgo dinner too. During the day, she was busy shifting military personnel strategically along our mountain line. And in the evenings, she stayed sequestered in her bedroom with Sky.
I reluctantly followed my sister downstairs and found our mother running her finger over a shelf. The dust coated her skin as she stared down with her lip curled up. Not only did she like to judge my decisions, but she also enjoyed scrutinizing my residence.
“Sit,” she ordered, not turning around to greet us.
“I’m great, thanks for asking,” I muttered sarcastically as I sat on the sofa. “Audryn? Yeah, she’s still unconscious and hasn’t moved an inch, but otherwise she’s good too.”
The plush velvet brushing against my skin was more uncomfortable than I remembered. I ran a hand over the material, watching the color change as the weave shifted direction. I felt like I was a child waiting to be scolded while our mother stewed in her thoughts.
